Influence of Nutrient Application on Quality of Strawberry (Fragaria × Ananassa Duch.) Cv Camarosa in Central India

Abstract

The experiment comprised of eleven treatments and three replications involving soil and foliar application of nutrients and their combinations. The main aim of this experiment was to find out changes in the biochemical quality of strawberry fruit with the use of low-cost nutrient application methods while reducing nutrient wastage and environmental impact through precision nutrient application. The 50% RDF (Recommended Dose of Fertilizer) application in soil and foliar spray of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK) nutrient had a positive effect on the quality parameter such as total soluble solids (TSS), acidity, pH, TSS:acid ratio, total sugar, reducing and non-reducing sugars, and ascorbic acid content. The maximum TSS (8.6 °Brix), minimum acidity percentage (0.78%) and pH (3.41), highest TSS: Acid ratio (11.03), maximum total sugars (7.90%), non-reducing sugars (4.92%) and reducing sugar (2.98%), ascorbic acid content (37.81 mg/100g) was recorded in treatment T4 (NPK 50% (Soil application) + 1st Spray of 19:19:19 at 45 days after transplanting (DAT), 2nd Spray of 0:52:34 at 60 DAT, 3rd Spray of 0:0:50 at 75 DAT). Another quality attribute with maximum anthocyanin (650.75ppm) and Lab value (L- 23.56, a-28.16, and b-5.84) was found in T2 (NPK 50% (Soil application) + 1st, 2nd & 3rd Spray of 19:19:19 at 45, 60 & 75 DAT). Therefore, it is recommended that strawberry farmers adopt a nutrient management strategy involving 50% RDF soil application combined with targeted foliar sprays: 19:19:19 at 45 DAT, 0:52:34 at 60 DAT and 0:0:50 at 75 DAT, for enhanced fruit quality.