Effect of some preharvest treatments on yield, fruit quality and storability of strawberry grown in sandy soil

Abstract EN

This experiment was carried out during two successive winter seasons of 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 at a Private Farm of El-Salhia El-Gadeeda, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt and Post-Harvest Lab.

Hort.

Dept.

, Fac.

Agric.

, Zagazig University, to study the effect of foliar spray preharvest with calcium (as Fertoll calcium 12% ) at 1, 2 and 3% , Zn EDATA as Micronate Zn 15% at 0.5, 1 and 1.5 g/l, Chitosan at 1, 2 and 3% as well as spraying with water on yield, fruit quality and storability of strawberry under sandy soil conditions.

Spraying with Zn EDTA as Micronate at 1.5 g/l four times at 75, 90, 105 and 120 days after transplanting increased yield/ plant, average fruit weight and total yield/ fad.

, and the increases in the total yield (% ) as average three concentrations of Ca as Fertoll, Zn EDTA as Micronate and Chitosan were about 16.25 and 15.51, 17.36 and 17.19 and 16.59 and 16.47% than unsprayed in the 1^st and 2^nd seasons, respectively.

Spraying strawberry plants with chitosan at 3% increased total soluble solids (TSS), TSS/acid ratio and fruit firmness and decreased total acidity and pH in fruits compared to water (control) in both seasons.

While spraying with Zn EDTA at 1 g/l increased vitamin C content in fruits.

Spraying with Ca as Fertoll at 3 ml/l decreased weight loss and decay (% ) in strawberry fruits, followed by spraying with chitosan at 3% at 16 days of storage plus shelf life in both seasons.

Conclusively: Spraying plants with Zn EDTA as Micronate at 1.5 g/l increased yield, average fruit weight, total yield /fad.

, vitamin C; spraying chitosan at 3% increased TSS, TSS/acid ratio and fruit firmness and decreased total acidity, and pH in fruits, as well as, spraying Ca at 3 ml/l as Fertoll calcium 12% decreased weight loss and decay (% ) in strawberry fruits.