Effect of Planting Systems and Growing Media on Earliness, Yield and Quality of Strawberry Cultivation under Soilless Culture

Summary

This soilless strawberry cultivation study compared two planting seasons and five growing media combinations (peat, perlite, cocopeat, volcanic tuff and mixtures thereof) to assess effects on crop earliness, yield and quality. Fall planting achieved earlier first harvest (December versus February) with early yield representing 36% of total production, whilst summer planting yielded higher total harvest. Cocopeat-based media, particularly cocopeat alone or combined with volcanic tuff, optimised both yield and fruit quality parameters including firmness and vitamin C content.

Regional applicability

The study geography is not explicitly stated in the available metadata. Transferability to United Kingdom conditions would depend on whether the trial was conducted in a comparable climate zone; soilless production systems are widely adopted in UK horticulture and the findings on media composition and planting timing could inform UK grower practice, though seasonal timing and environmental conditions would require local validation.

Key measures

Earliness (time to first harvest), total yield, early yield percentage, fruit colour (L, C, ho values), calyx rupture, firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity, vitamin C content

Outcomes reported

The study examined the effects of two planting systems (summer and fall) and five growing media compositions on strawberry earliness, yield and quality attributes including colour, firmness, soluble solids, acidity and vitamin C content. Early yield, total yield and fruit quality metrics were measured across the growing season.

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