Strawberry fruit and plug plant production in the greenhouse

Soilless greenhouse culture systems were used for winter fruit production and to produce stolon tips for plug plant propagation in the summer. In the first study, 'frigo' transplants were potted in July and August. Rooted plants were transferred to a hydroponic system in early October. Harvest commenced in late October in dayneutral 'Aromas', 'DIAMANTE', 'Seascape', 'Selva' and everbearing 'Everest' strawberries and in November in short-day 'Camarosa' and 'Chandler'. Seasonal yield ranged from ~1.2 kg for Camarosa to 0.6 kg for Selva. Fruit size averaged > 40g at the beginning and gradually declined to < 15 g in June. When flower removal was extended to mid October, the yield increased 0.4 kg per plant and berry weight increased 0.5 g. Earliness, compact growth habit, and fruit production on short, stiff peduncles (e.g. 'DIAMANTE') are desirable traits for high density, protected cultivation of strawberries for winter fruit production. In the second study, in vitro grown 'Chandler' plants were established in Nutrient Film Technique gutters to produce stolons. The one-time harvest of 'strings' resulted in more than 90 daughter plants per mother plant with a wide range in size. With exception of very small daughter plants (< 1 g), the performance of plug plants that were derived from stolon tips greater than 1 g was satisfactory in a plasticulture fruit production system.