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

Summary

Soilless growing is becoming an attractive option because of the contamination of agricultural land due to the use of excessive fertilisers and insecticides to get higher productivity per unit area and the yield advantage with soilless culture getting more yield per unit area than the conventional growing. Effects of two planting systems and various growing media on earliness, yield and quality (colour L, C, ho, the rupture of calyx, firmness, total soluble solid, acidity and vitamin C) in strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) cultivation under soilless culture was studied. Two different planting seasons i.e., summer and fall were chosen and growing media was composed of peat (Pt), perlite (Pr), cocopeat (Co), volcanic tuff (Vlc) and their combinations. Results showed that fall planting