BORON DEFICIENCY OF STRAWBERRIES GROWN IN SUBSTRATE CULTURE

Plants of short day strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch. ‘Elsanta’) were grown in peat and rockwool.
The effect of boron deficiency on flower quality, fruit set and yield was examined.
A balanced nutrient solution was supplied by drip irrigation.
One group of plants did not receive any boron.
A second group of plants was given a concentration of 7.5 µmol boron per liter nutrient solution from planting until the end of harvest.
Without boron application the boron leaf tissue concentration dropped below 25 ppm and 36 % of the leaves showed tipburn symptoms.
At an application rate of 7.5 µmol/l boron in the nutrient solution boron leaf tissue content varied between 40 and 55 ppm and no tip-burn symptoms were noted.
Boron deficient plants produced very typical flowers with damaged pistils.
Without boron application 85 % and 90 % respectively of the flowers of the strawberries grown in peat and on rockwool were aborted.
Lack of boron caused typical fruit malformation.
Fruit number, fruit weight and total yield were significantly reduced.
A boron concentration of between 10 and 15 µmol/l in the peat extract and between 10 and 15 µmol/l in the rockwool was considered satisfactory for normal growth, fruit set and yield .

IV International Strawberry Symposium

P. Lieten

boron, peat bags, rockwool, Fragaria x ananassa

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2002.567.94