RESPONSE OF SOILLESS GROWN STRAWBERRY TO DIFFERENT SALINITY LEVELS IN THE NUTRIENT SOLUTION

The aim of this research was to examine the response of strawberry (cv.
Tudla) to different levels of salinity.
The plants were cultivated in two substrates in an open soilless system using nutrient solutions with NaCl contents corresponding to six electrical conductivity levels (2.6, 3.6, 4.6, 5.6, 6.6, 7.6 dS/m). The response was studied by evaluating both plant growth and fruiting.

The strawberry proved to be sensitive to the increasing salinity of nutrient solution, particularly from 2.6 to 4.6 dS/m.
The effects on yield due to salinity appeared to be more evident with the length of the harvesting period.
Plant response to salinity did not vary according to the substrate (expanded clay and coconut fibre). The yield reduction from salt stress was due to: i) reduction of fruits per plant; ii) reduction in unit fruit weight; iii) progressive death of plants.
The effects on plant production can, in part, be related to reduction in plant leaf area; this was due to a lower leaf number, a smaller area for each leaf and to the reduced leaf area duration.

V International Symposium on Protected Cultivation in Mild Winter Climates: Current Trends for Suistainable Technologies

F. Giuffrida, C. Leonardi, G. Noto

substrate, sodium chloride, salt stress, yield

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2001.559.99