Open AccessFoliar application of micronutrients enhances growth, yield and quality of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.)
Author(s) -
B.M. PARMAR
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
annals of plant and soil research/annals of plant and soil research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2347-6036
pISSN - 0972-1959
DOI - 10.47815/apsr.2021.10071
Subject(s) - fragaria , horticulture , petiole (insect anatomy) , sowing , micronutrient , yield (engineering) , anthocyanin , biology , agronomy , chemistry , botany , hymenoptera , materials science , organic chemistry , metallurgy
The investigation was carried out At Navsari Agricultural University, Waghai during 2018-19 to evaluate the effect of foliar application of Zn and Fe on growth, yield and quality of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) cv. Winter Dawn. The ZnSO4,7H2O and FeSO4,7H2O were used as a source for Zn and Fe, respectively and applied as foliar sprays individually (0.2 % and 0.4%) as well as in combination to the strawberry plants at 30, 60 and 75 days after planting of uniform runners. The plants which received no spraying were treated as control. The results indicated that foliar spraying of 0.4 % ZnSO4,7H2O + 0.2 %FeSO4,7H2O significantly increased the plant spread, number of leaves, number of crowns, leaf area, length of petiole, number of runners, number of flowers, number of fruits, fruit weight, marketable fruit percentage, marketable and total fruit yield over control plants. However, fruits with significantly the highest total soluble solid, acidity and anthocyanin content were recorded with the foliar application of 0.4 % ZnSO4,7H2O + 0.4 % FeSO4,7H2O. However, the micronutrient treatments failed to influence any significant effect on days taken to 50.0 % flowering, fruit firmness and acidity content of the strawberry fruits. All the parameters were recorded minimum in plants which received no spraying.