Rowcover effects on growth and yield of strawberry cultivars grown in a mediterranean climate

Abstract

Rowcover application has had variable effects on yield, depending on growing conditions- Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch) cvs. Chandler, Milcin, Milsei and Oso Grande response to rowcover was studied under a plasticulture-tunnel system on the Meditrranean coast of Beirut. Flowering and leaf number early in the season were comparable among covered and non-covered control groups. Rowcover reduced fruit yield and number in all cvs., primarily by the reduction in fruit number. Cultivars varied in yield, irrespective of the cover treatment and in yield distribution during the four months of harvest. The shading effect of rowcovers offset the effect of the blight rise in soil temperature (1-2°C) it caused. Soil chemical properties and NO3-N and P content in plant tissue were not affected by the treatments. Red spider mite (Tetrany-chus urttcae Koch.) infestation started about two months after removal of rowcovers. There was no difference in the level of infestation due to treatments. We recommend from this study, not to keep the rowcover until early flowering on strawberries in the mild Mediterranean climate, and that new cultivars be tried to increase yield and resist mite infestation. © 1997 by The Haworth Press, Inc.