Impact of fertigation schema on yield and chemical composition of strawberry (Fragaria×ananassa Duch.)

A  frequent fertigation of garden strawberry with solute mineral fertiliser in accord with the plant growth phase allows a more efficient mineral nutrient absorption compared to a single application of larger fertiliser amount. Field studies on medium loam-granulometry sod-podzol soil in fruiting garden strawberry plantations were carried out for three years in the Moscow Region to evaluate the impact of fertigation regimes on strawberry yield and the main nutrient content in soil and plant leaves.  In study setup, the control crop grew with a no-fertiliser drip irrigation, schema 1 included frequent (once in 3 days) mineral fertiliser drip application at 2-3 g/l, schema 2 — 4-6 g/l solution application twice less often (once  in 6 days). Materials and methods. Yield was estimated by weight per plot area unit, plant samples analysed with conventional wet  ashing. Nitrate nitrogen was determined in ionometry, exchangeable ammonium —  in photocolourimetry, mobile phosphorus and potassium specimens — by the Kirsanov’s CINAO-modified method. The article presents registration data, averaged leaf chemical assays and content dynamics of major soil macronutrients over a three-year observation period. Conclusions. A significant increase in three-year total yield was observed with the mineral fertiliser fertigation schema in the Ducat strawberry cultivar; a supraoptimal phosphorus accumulation in leaves of the Rusich cultivar was facilitated by a less frequent application of concentrated fertiliser solution; a maximal nitrogen amount in Ducat leaves was observed with fractional fertigation; in a lower-yield season, concentrated mineral fertiliser fertigation contributed to the increase of mobile phosphorus and potassium specimens in soil in mid growing season. A greater correlation was observed between the soil content of mobile potassium and its uptake by strawberry plants.

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