{"id":4626,"date":"2022-04-11T14:20:31","date_gmt":"2022-04-11T21:20:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/wam\/?page_id=4626"},"modified":"2024-11-06T16:02:44","modified_gmt":"2024-11-07T00:02:44","slug":"effect-of-planting-density-on-growth-and-yield-of-sweet-sunrise-strawberry-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/wam\/2022\/04\/11\/effect-of-planting-density-on-growth-and-yield-of-sweet-sunrise-strawberry-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"Effect of Planting Density on Growth and Yield of \u2018Sweet Sunrise\u2019 Strawberry\u2013 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"
\r\n \n
\r\n\t\n\n

Volume 11 Issue 4<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Effect of Planting Density on Growth and Yield of \u2018Sweet Sunrise\u2019 Strawberry – 2022<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By Brenda Madrid (Graduate Research Assistant) and Lisa DeVetter (Associate Professor)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Objective<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The focus of this study was to identify if June-bearing strawberry, \u2018Sweet Sunrise\u2019, could be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Strawberries\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Figure 1:<\/strong> June-bearing \u2018Sweet Sunrise\u2019 strawberry\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Grown in a mulched system using polyethylene (PE) mulch for improved weed management and promotion of crop growth.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. If plant density could be increased to promote yield per unit area.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Methods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    The study was conducted at Washington State University\u2019s Northwestern Washington Research & Extension Center (NWREC) in Mount Vernon, WA. Bareroot \u2018Sweet Sunrise\u2019 strawberry plants were established on 8-inch-high raised beds in staggered double rows using PE mulch in May 2020. Treatments followed within-row spacing at two planting densities: a) standard plant spacing of 12 inches apart within a row and rows spaced 10 inches apart and (\u201cStandard\u201d), b) an increased planting density of 6 inches apart within a row and rows spaced 10 inches apart (\u201cModified\u201d). The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replications per treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    To evaluate the impact of the treatments on growth and yield, the crown diameter of 10 plants within the middle of each plot were measured using a digital caliper in August 2020 and 2021. Strawberry plant harvest was conducted on June 6, June 14, and June 21, 2021. Total fruit weight was measured per plot after each harvest. After harvest, 5 representative, marketable fruits per plot were selected for fruit quality analysis including \u02daBrix, pH, and titratable acidity (TA). At the end of the harvest season strawberry plants were harvested for biomass determination. Three plants per plot were collected and separated by crown, roots, leaves and petioles. Samples were dried in an oven at a temperature of 65 C\u02da (149\u02da F) for 3 days and weighted thereafter to obtain plant biomass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Results<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Table 1:<\/strong> Average crown diameter of \u2018Sweet Sunrise\u2019 strawberry. Ten plants were measured within the middle of each plot for each planting density. \u00b1 denotes standard error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Treatment<\/strong><\/td>Average crown diameter (mm)<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
    Standard \u2013 12 inchz<\/sup><\/td>39.7 \u00b1 1.1 b<\/td><\/tr>
    Modified \u2013 6 inch<\/td>45.0 \u00b1 1.1 a<\/td><\/tr>
    P<\/em>-value<\/td>0.0061<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    z <\/sup>Means followed by the same letter within a column are not significantly different at P<\/em><0.05.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Table 2:<\/strong> Total yield and fruit quality of \u2018Sweet Sunrise\u2019 harvested on June 6, June 14, and June 21, 2021. \u02daBrix, pH, and titratable acidity (TA) was taken using 5 representative marketable fruits per plot on each harvest date and averaged. \u00b1 denotes standard error. Each plot measured approximately 25 ft in length.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Treatment<\/strong><\/td>Titratable acidity (%)<\/strong><\/td>pH<\/strong><\/td>Total soluble solids (\u25e6Brix)<\/strong><\/td>Total yield (g)<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
    Standard \u2013 12 inchz<\/sup><\/td>5.67 \u00b1 0.2<\/td>3.81 \u00b1 1.1<\/td>9.36 \u00b1 2.7<\/td>7871.12 \u00b11446.73<\/td><\/tr>
    Modified \u2013 6 inch<\/td>5.54 \u00b1 0.3<\/td>3.81 \u00b1 1.1<\/td>9.36 \u00b1 2.7<\/td>7016.03 \u00b1 1403.45<\/td><\/tr>
    P<\/em>-value<\/td>0.72<\/td>0.91<\/td>1.0<\/td>0.68<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Table 3: <\/strong>Plant biomass of strawberry plants separated by average crown, roots, petiole and leaves. Weight was averaged across four plots for each plant density treatment. Three plants were harvested per plot in August 2021. \u00b1 denotes standard error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Treatment<\/strong><\/td>Roots (g)<\/strong><\/td>Crown (g)<\/strong><\/td>Petiole + leaves (g)<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
    Standard \u2013 12 inch<\/td>34.70 \u00b1 3.6<\/td>29.92 \u00b1 3.0<\/td>103.97 \u00b1 18.7<\/td><\/tr>
    Modified \u2013 6 inch<\/td>31.00 \u00b1 2.1<\/td>26.35 \u00b1 1.5<\/td>77.98 \u00b1 8.8<\/td><\/tr>
    P<\/em>-value<\/td>0.38<\/td>0.29<\/td>0.22<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Conclusions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    The findings from this study suggest:<\/p>\n\n\n\n