Summary
A polyhouse field trial in Himachal Pradesh evaluated six soilless substrate combinations with or without jeevamrit (a traditional microbial inoculant) on strawberry cv. Chandler. The treatment combining perlite (75%) + cocopeat (25%) + jeevamrit produced the highest flower count, berry set, yield, fruit size, and soluble solids compared to the soil-based control, whilst the perlite (50%) + FYM (50%) + jeevamrit combination achieved the shortest time to first flowering.
Regional applicability
This study was conducted in Himachal Pradesh, India under polyhouse conditions and addresses soilborne disease pressure and soil-limiting factors common to that region. Transferability to United Kingdom horticulture would be limited due to differences in climate, growing season length, and availability of jeevamrit; however, the substrate formulations and soilless production principles may be relevant to UK strawberry producers seeking to reduce soil-borne disease risk, particularly in protected cultivation systems.
Key measures
Days to first flowering, flower duration, number of flowers, berry set rate, berry yield, berry size, berry weight, total soluble solids (TSS)
Outcomes reported
The study measured flowering behaviour (days to first flower, flower duration, flower number), fruiting metrics (berry set, berry yield, berry size, berry weight) and quality parameters (total soluble solids) across six substrate treatments in polyhouse-grown strawberry cv. Chandler.
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