Articles
EFFECT OF NUTRITIVE SOLUTION K:N AND SHADING ON THE “FRUIT” QUALITY OF NFT-GROWN STRAWBERRY
Article number
614_108
Pages
727 – 734
Language
English
Abstract
Research was carried out in 1997/98 and 1998/99 in the Naples area with the aim of investigating the fruit quality characteristics of strawberry grown in a recirculating hydroponic system.
The experimental plan was based on the comparison among sixteen treatments obtained by the factorial combination of eight nutritive solutions differing in K:N ratio (K:N = 0.8, 1.0, 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8, 2.0, 2.2) and crops arranged in pairs on double vertical layers; a control crop was managed traditionally.
The upper crop layer determined higher values of the fruit dry and optical residues, sugars, acids and mineral nutrients, among which only the nitrates were unaffected.
As regards the K:N ratio, the dry and optical residues, the titratable acidity, the pH and the contents of fructose, citric and succinic acids failed to show any change.
By contrast, the concentrations of glucose, sucrose, malic acid and potassium increased parallel to the K:N ratio in the nutritive solution.
For the macronutrients a decreasing trend was recorded in the fruits. The traditional crop, compared to the hydroponic upper level, displayed the lowest fruit values of the dry and optical residues and the glucose and sucrose contents.
By contrast, the control titratable acidity was the highest, whereas the citric and malic acid concentrations were higher than some of the K:N ratio treatments.
Within the mineral elements, the berry nitrates, calcium, magnesium, chloride, iron, copper and zinc contents were highest with the control, while phosphorus, potassium and sulphur concentrations resulting from the traditional technique were higher only than some of the K:N levels.
Compared to the hydroponic lower crop layer, in the control the fruit sucrose content was lowest, whereas the citric, malic and succinic acid concentrations were highest.
The nutrient levels were highest in the berries harvested in the traditional plots, except for potassium which was better affected by the 0.8-1.6 K:N range.
The experimental plan was based on the comparison among sixteen treatments obtained by the factorial combination of eight nutritive solutions differing in K:N ratio (K:N = 0.8, 1.0, 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8, 2.0, 2.2) and crops arranged in pairs on double vertical layers; a control crop was managed traditionally.
The upper crop layer determined higher values of the fruit dry and optical residues, sugars, acids and mineral nutrients, among which only the nitrates were unaffected.
As regards the K:N ratio, the dry and optical residues, the titratable acidity, the pH and the contents of fructose, citric and succinic acids failed to show any change.
By contrast, the concentrations of glucose, sucrose, malic acid and potassium increased parallel to the K:N ratio in the nutritive solution.
For the macronutrients a decreasing trend was recorded in the fruits. The traditional crop, compared to the hydroponic upper level, displayed the lowest fruit values of the dry and optical residues and the glucose and sucrose contents.
By contrast, the control titratable acidity was the highest, whereas the citric and malic acid concentrations were higher than some of the K:N ratio treatments.
Within the mineral elements, the berry nitrates, calcium, magnesium, chloride, iron, copper and zinc contents were highest with the control, while phosphorus, potassium and sulphur concentrations resulting from the traditional technique were higher only than some of the K:N levels.
Compared to the hydroponic lower crop layer, in the control the fruit sucrose content was lowest, whereas the citric, malic and succinic acid concentrations were highest.
The nutrient levels were highest in the berries harvested in the traditional plots, except for potassium which was better affected by the 0.8-1.6 K:N range.
Publication
Authors
G. Caruso, G. Villari, M. Impembo
Keywords
Fragaria x ananassa, hydroponics, buffer composition, double crop layer, berry chemical characteristics
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