Published in Scientific Papers. Series B, Horticulture, Vol. LXVIV, Issue 2
Written by Elena GRANCHAROVA, Blagoj ELENOV, Petya IVANOVA, Emilija ELENOVA, Georgi KOSTADINOV
This research presents the crop evapotranspiration and investigates the effects of drip irrigation and fertigation on white strawberry fruits (diameter and number of fruits per plant). A two-factor experiment was conducted during 2023 and 2024 in an unheated greenhouse in the Chelopechene experimental field, Sofia, Bulgaria with drip irrigated and fertigated strawberry cultivar (Fragaria × ananassa 'Snow White’). The irrigation and the fertilization factors were applied in two rates: I1 - 75% (ETc) I2 - 50% (ETc), F1: optimal fertilization N8.09P12.76K15.62; F2 – suboptimal fertilization - 75% (F1). Total strawberry evapotranspiration was 380.99 mm for 2023 season and 416.34 mm for 2024 season. The results showed that the highest mean fruit diameter (d) was obtained from I1F2 treatment (22.23 mm) in 2023 and 21.55 mm in 2024 from I1F1. There was a significant reduction (12%) in fruit diameter (d) in the second growing year (2024) in the most unfavourable growing treatment (I2F2). The fruit weight reduction from I2F2 treatment was 31% in 2024. The highest mean number of fruits per plant was obtained from I1F1 treatment – 60.97 pcs in 2023 - 2024. As opposed to fruit sizes and fruit weight the fruits number per plant increased. The fruits number per plant increasing from I1F1 treatment was 84% in 2024.
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