Table-top production of strawberries: Performance of six strawberry cultivars

Abstract

The potential for table-top production in Scandinavia is currently unknown, but may be considered more limited than in central Europe. In this study, the performance of six strawberry cultivars was studied in a table-top system using peat bags as substrate inside or outside an open polythene tunnel. The table-top system resulted in high-quality fruit production, with easy-to-pick fruit and a high percentage of marketable produce. The tunnel reduced average solar radiation and increased temperature slightly and simultaneously protected the plants from rain, this did reduce yield or fruit quality parameters compared with uncovered plots. Partly because of an increased incidence of powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca macularis) inside the tunnel, fruit brightness was reduced in the second harvest year. Of the cultivars included, 'Elsanta', 'Sonata' and 'Alice' may be considered well adapted to the system, whereas 'Honeoye', 'Florence' and 'Babette' are inferior. © 2008 Taylor & Francis.