Cultivar and planting date effects on the growth, yield and quality of strawberries in the Western Cape, South Africa

Summary

This field trial evaluated three day-neutral strawberry cultivars planted at 30-day intervals from April to September in the Western Cape, South Africa, to identify strategies for extending the growing season. 'Monterey' demonstrated the strongest performance for vegetative growth and yield, whilst 'Albion' showed the highest fruit quality (total soluble solids). The authors concluded that staggered planting of 'Monterey' (April) and 'San Andreas' (August) could enable year-round production in the region, addressing a significant constraint to South African strawberry growers.

Regional applicability

This study is directly relevant to protected horticulture in the United Kingdom, particularly for growers using coir grow-bags and seeking season extension strategies. Whilst South African climatic conditions differ markedly from UK conditions, the experimental approach and day-neutral cultivar selection principles are transferable to UK protected production systems, though optimal planting dates and cultivar choices would require local validation given the UK's longer winter and different photoperiod regime.

Key measures

Crown number, flower number, yield, fruit size, runner production, total soluble solids (°Brix), harvest season extension

Outcomes reported

The study measured effects of three day-neutral strawberry cultivars ('Monterey', 'San Andreas', 'Albion') planted at 30-day intervals on plant growth (crown and flower number), yield, fruit size, runner production, and fruit quality (total soluble solids). Results identified cultivar-by-planting-date combinations that could extend the harvest season in the Western Cape region.

Topic tags