Fruit development and mineral profiling under different mulching regimes of strawberry

Abstract

The present investigation was attempted to study the effect of different type of mulches on fruit development of ‘Winter Dawn’ strawberries. The plants were mulched with silver-black, black and red plastic mulches and paddy straw. The observations on physical and biochemical attributes were documented at six fruit developmental stages viz., small green (7 DAFS) (S1), large green (14 DAFS) (S2), white (21 DAFS) (S3), initial red (28 DAFS) (S4), partial red (31 DAFS) (S5) and full red (34 DAFS) (S6). Fruit physical parameters increased exponentially, and showed slow growth rate during later stages of fruit development. Fruits harvested from plants mulched with red mulch were of bigger size with significantly higher fresh weight and juice per cent as compared to other treatments. Significantly higher biochemical attributes and attainment of earlier maturity was recorded from the plants mulched with inorganic materials than straw mulch. Changes in fruit pericarp L*, a* and b* values attributed to the development of attractive red colour on 31 DAFS in silver-black and red mulch treatments. Fruit firmness and juice acid content followed a decreasing trend with the advancement of maturity. Nutrient contents of fruit showed significant variations during fruit development, and did not exhibit definite trend for P, Fe and Mn contents. The order of abundance of nutrients in fruits was K>N>Ca>P>Mg>Mn>Fe>Zn>Cu under different mulching treatments.