EFFECT OF DIFFERENT K+/CA2+ RATIOS ON YIELD, QUALITY AND PHYSIOLOGICAL DISORDER IN SOILLESS STRAWBERRY CULTIVATION

Abstract

The balance of mineral nutrients in plant nutrient solutions has an influence on yield, fruit quality and physiological disorder of strawberries grown in soilless conditions. Nutrient solutions that enhance the yield and quality of plants grown in soilless conditions are optimized through anion-cation equilibrium, optimum K++Ca2+/Mg2+ and K+/Ca2+ ratios. In this study, the effect of three different K+/Ca2+ ratios (5.5/7.0; 5.0/7.0; 6.0/6.0) on some morpho-physiological features (crown diameter, chlorophyll index, leaf temperature), fruit yield, fruit quality (fruit weight, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, firmness) and physiological disorder (tip burn) of ‘Albion’ and ‘Festival’ strawberries, were investigated. Results show that increasing K+/Ca2+ ratios significantly accelerated the tip burn incidence. On the other hand, the highest yield, firmness and the lowest tip burn were achieved at 5.5/7.0 ratio of K+/Ca2+ treatment.