WATER AND NUTRIENT UPTAKE BY STRAWBERRY PLANTS GROWN WITH THE NUTRIENT FILM TECHNIQUE (NFT) UNDER DIFFERENT MINIMUM SOLUTION TEMPERATURES

Strawberry plants cv. «Osso Grande» were grown in an unheated glasshouse at the Subtropical Plants and Olive trees Institute of Chania (Crete, Greece) during a six-month period, (from November until May), using the Nutrient Film Technique (NFT). The aim of the experiment was to investigate whether solution heating could compensate for low air temperature in the winter months.
Radiation and air minimum-maximum temperatures and relative humidity were monitored.
Different minimum nutrient solution temperature regimes were tested: control plants (no heating), 20^oC and 25^oC (minimum temperatures). Flower trusses were removed weekly for two months (January and February), and runners throughout the growing period.
Yield increased constantly by nutrient solution warming.
Cumulative water uptake increased with rising solution temperatures and varied from 14.7 to 28.6 and 45.9 L/plant, respectively.
Cumulative nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptake also increased with increasing solution temperatures.

II Balkan Symposium on Vegetables and Potatoes

C.D. Economakis, L. Krulj

Strawberry, Root temperature, Soilless cultivation, NFT, Nutrient uptake

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2002.579.70