Effect of spacing and mulching on vegetative growth, fruit yield and quality of strawberry cultivars (<em>Faragria× ananassa</em> Duch.)

Abstract

The present study was carried out at Fruit Research Farm , Guru Kashi University Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda, during the period 2016- 2017. The experiment was performed to find out the most suitable cultivar and the best spacing and mulching material for Punjab conditions. The experiment was laid out split-split plot design with four replication. The treatment comprised of three main treatment as cultivar (Chandler, Camarosa and Winterdown), three sub treatment as spacing (30×15 cm, 30×20 cm and 30×30 cm) and two sub-sub treatment as mulching (paddy straw mulch and without mulch).On the basis of statistical data, it is concluded that cv. Chandler with spacing 30×30 cm was found to be best in terms of plant growth viz., plant height, number of leaves, plant spread, mean fruit weight and number of days required for flowering, fruit set and ripening, mean fruit yield / plant, fruit length and diameter, quality parameters TSS, Acidity and TSS / Acid ratio. The highest yield / ha was recorded with spacing 30×15 due to increasing number of plants per unit. Paddy straw mulching had significant effect on all over characters.