ISHS Acta Horticulturae 626: XXVI International Horticultural Congress: Berry Crop Breeding, Production and Utilization for a New Century
COMPARISON OF STRAWBERRY PLUGS FROM DORMANT PLANTS TO CANADIAN TIP CUTTINGS |
| Authors: | P.R. Probasco, S.A. Garrison |
| Keywords: | transplants, propagation, and berries |
| Abstract:
New Jersey strawberry plantings on plastic mulch are normally planted with plug plants from Canadian tip culture in the month of September. In order to utilize new cultivars, we evaluated the technique of growing plug plants from dormant plants out of cold storage (28°C). These plants were dug in April and placed in storage until mid-July. The dormant plants were transplanted into a 36-cell tray containing a peat-lite mix and grown over the summer months outdoors in full sunlight. Blooms were removed from the dormant plugs twice during August before planting. Runner tips from Canada were grown in a 50-cell tray containing a peat-lite mix during August in a nearby greenhouse and set out on September 9 in the field alongside the dormant plug plants in a randomized block design. The cultivars Chandler, Northeastern, Seneca, and Sweet Charlie were included in this study. Marketable yield of the dormant plants was 12579 kg/ha as compared to 15015 kg/ha from the Canadian tip plugs. Fruit size was 17.2 g/berry for the dormant plugs vs. 17.6 g/berry for the tip cuttings. Chandler remains the standard cultivar for commercial growers in New Jersey. | |
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