ISHS Acta Horticulturae 1381: XXXI International Horticultural Congress (IHC2022): International Symposium on Advances in Berry Crops
Resource accumulation and allocation of organic high tunnel day-neutral strawberries with or without low tunnels and at different planting dates |
| Authors: | S. Gu, T.S. Rana |
| Keywords: | Fragaria × ananassa, biomass, phenology, relative growth rate, season extension |
| DOI: | 10.17660/ActaHortic.2023.1381.34 |
| Abstract:
Resource accumulation and allocation reflect the effects of cultural practices on plant performance and productivity. Both low tunnel and high tunnel are profitable low-tech and low-input structures for season extension of strawberries in the southeastern US. This study examined the dynamic resource distributions of day-neutral strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa) planted at two dates, with or without the additional cover of low tunnels, inside high tunnels. Strawberry plugs of cultivars ‘Albion’ and ‘San Andreas’ were transplanted at two different planting dates, September 1 (D1) and September 29, 2016 (D2), or September 9 (D1) and October 10, 2017(D2) using the annual plasticulture system in high tunnels with or without low tunnels. Plants were sampled monthly for dry weights of roots, crowns, leaves, runners, flowers, and fruits. Low tunnels did not affect the overall resource allocation patterns. Plants of D1 allocated more resources to vegetative parts while plants of D2 allocated more to reproductive parts. The initial higher vegetative growth of D1 plants led to a higher yield during fall. D2 plants had an even distribution of flower growth from late fall to early March while D1 plants had a peak flower growth in February leading to a higher winter yield. ‘Albion’ and ‘San Andreas’ had similar resource allocation and growth patterns, both distributed more resources to vegetative growth during the first two months after transplanting and allocated more resources to flowers and fruits afterwards, with the peak occurring in April for flowers and in May for fruits. ‘San Andreas’ allocated more resources to leaves while ‘Albion’ allocated more to flowers and runners. The resource allocation patterns of flowers and fruits were closely related to the monthly and total yields. | |
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