The influence of the culture system on the content of strawberry leaves

in macronutrients

Manuela Mandă1, Cristina Anton2, C. Manda3

University of Craiova, Faculty of Horticulture, Al. I. Cuza, no. 13, Craiova
e-mail: manda_manu@ yahoo.com
Vocational High School Traian Demetrescu, Tehnicii, no. 2, Craiova
Vocational High School Traian Vuia, Rovinari, no. 1A, Craiova

Keywords: Fragaria sp., culture system, leaf analysis, macroelements

Abstract
From the pomicol species, the strawberry plant is one with a large habitat, having
more modest requirements than the pedoclimatics factors and a culture technology not
very complicated. It is one of the most profitable culture in case of applying a technology
adequated to the biological and ecological particularities of the plant. Starting from the
particularities of strawberry’s growing, it is said that the first 2 or 3 runners and rosets
formed in the planting’s year can fructify in the the following year, when the culture has
been established in spring, the runners having time enough to become vigorous plants
until autumn for making possible the difference between the bud and the knot. In this
paper we present part of results concerning the influence of culture system on the
chemical composition of strawberry leaves. Excepting V6-band/125cm, the rhythm of
accumulation in leaves, at the analyzed variants, reached higher values than the, in
accordance with the average productions obtained.

INTRODUCTION
Strawberries are adapted to many growing regions and it is one of the most profitable
culture in case of applying a technology adequated to the biological and ecological
particularities of the plant. Strawberries are grown under many different systems
throughout the world (matted rows, annual plasticulture, ribbon rows, waiting beds. ).
Strawberries are very labor-intensive, and establishment and operating costs can be
high. In this work we estimated the two possibilities of maintaining the plants in
multiannual culture (individual plant or matted row) in the conditions of planting at
different distances (25cm, 75 cm, 125 cm) from the leaves’ containment in
macroelements point of view.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The researches were performed during a bifactorial 2x3 experience. The
experimental variants (V1 – individual plant x 25 cm; V2 - individual plant x 75 cm;
V3 - individual plant x 125 cm; V4 (Mt) – matted row x 25 cm; V5 - matted row x 75
cm; V6 - matted row x 125 cm), were put in randomized blocs, in 3 repetitions, on an
uniform field. One elementar parcel’s surface had an area of 29 m².
The variants in which we utilised plantation distances of 75 cm, respectively of
125 cm, there were made up all the rows till normality in the first year ( 25-30 cm
between the plants on the row) with the first 2 or 3 runners formed on the mother-plants.
The strawberry leaves’ content in the main macro- and microelements as
analysed in each of the three years of experimentaion, and the results of the foliar
diagnosis’ analysis were reported at the optimum values that were mantioned in
literature. (table 1)
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Because of the different values of the nutrition space, the chemical composition
of strawberry plants’ leaves registered obvious differences.
The results of the foliar diagnosis show that:
Leaves’ content in dry substance reached lower values in the first year of
production – 2003 , between 36,74 % (V6- matted row /125 cm) and 38,88 % (V1-ind.
Pl./25 cm), than in 2004 (39,59%-40,95%) and 2005 (38,19%-39,68%).
Analyzing the average values from the experimental period 2003-2005, I can be
seen that the accumulation rhythm of the dry substance in leaves at the analyzed
variants reached higher values, between 38,62 % (V5) and 39,84% (V1) than at V4-Mt
(38,41%), congruent with the average productions that were obtained.V6-band/125 cm
was an exception, which presents a containment in dry substance lower than at the
control (38,17 %). (fig. 1)
In accordance with the specialty literature, the optimum content in nitrogen of
the strawberry plants’ leaves is between 2,6-3,5 % from SUT, and the deficiency
appears at a content lower than 2 % from SUT.
From the data presented in figure 2, it can be seen that in the three experimental
years the average level of nitrogen in leaves exceeds the deficiency limit (<2%) at all
the experimental variants, but in an optimum interval there were only V1-ind.pl./25 cm
(2,79%) and V2-ind.pl./75 cm (2,71%). The control, characterized by a 2,42% leaves’
containment in nitrogen, was exceeds at all the studied variants, the average values
being between 2,45 % (V6- matted row /125 cm) and 2,79 %(V1-ind.pl./25 cm).
The optimum level of phosphorus in strawberry plant’s leaves is between 0,25-
0,35 % from SUT, according to Langford - 1996, and respectively between 0,7 – 1,0 %
according to Iliescu – 2003 (tab. 1).
In these conditions, from the foliar diagnosis’ analysis results made between
2003-2005, we can observe that all the obtained values were above the deficiency level
(0,20 %) and they have even exceeds the optimum level of supply of the strawberry
plant’s leaves at this element, if we refer at the optimum values established by Langford
– 1996.
From figure 3, we can see that the culture system didn’t considerably influence
this parameter, the average values corresponding to leaves’ containment in phosphorus
being close between the analyzed variants, between 0,34 % (V6- matted row /125 cm)
and 0,4 % (V2-ind.pl./75 cm), but a little higher in 2003 and 2004 at “individual plants”
variants.
Potassium is one of the most important nutritive elements, having the role of the
general activator of metabolism, of the enzymatic activity and of the cellular division,
and also and important role in creating the resistance at drought and frost for the plants.
The foliar diagnosis’ results show an optimum supply of the leaves with
potassium at all the studied variants and in all the researching years, excepting V6-
band/125 cm, at which in 2003 leaves content in potassium was of 0,95 % towards the
optimum interval taken into consideration by many authors (1,0-2,0 % from SUT).
The biggest leaves’ containment in potassium (fig. 4), taking into consideration
the average values of the three experimental years, was registered at V1 ind.pl./25 cm
(1,33 %), followed by V2-ind.pl./75 cm (1,28 %), which also registered the best results
on the productivity aspect; the lowest values were at V6- matted row /125 cm (1,09 %
from SUT). Being known that potassium absorption is also influenced by the hydric and
thermal regimen of the soil, it is observed that in 2003, characterized as a droughty year,
there were registered the lowest values of leaves’ content in potassium.
Leaves’ content in calcium was situated at all the variants under the inferior
limit of the optimum purveyance interval (0,5-1,5 % from SUT according to Cline -
1990), especially in 2003 and 2004, without existing considerable differences
determined by the culture systems that we applied. This situation can be partially
justified by the acid character of the soil from the experimental parcel.
Although, it can be said that the gathered leaves at “individual plant” variants
presented a higher content in calcium (0,59-0,62% from SUT) in comparison with the
“matted row” variants. (0,5-0,54 %). (fig. 5)
Leaves’ content in magnesium reached lower values that the optimum level
(0,25 %-0,50 %) both in the first year of production - 2003 (droughty),between 0,16%
(V3, V4, V6) and 0,20 % (V1-ind.pl./25 cm),and in the second one - 2004 (0,16 %-0,20
%); in 2005 (excessively rainy) leaves’ containment in magnesium increased, being now
situated in the optimum interval of purveyance (0,26%-0,30 % from SUT), excepting
V6- matted row /125 cm (0,22 % from SUT). (fig. 6)
The biggest values in the three experimental years were registered at V2-
ind.pl./75 cm (0,23 % from SUT), followed by V1-ind.pl./25 cm and V5-matted row/75
cm (0,22 % from SUT).

CONCLUSIONS
Excepting V6-band/125cm (38,17 %), the rhythm of accumulation of dry
substance in leaves, at the analyzed variants, reached higher values than the control
(V4- 38,41%), between 38,62 % (V5) and 39,84 % (V1), in accordance with the average
productions obtained between 2003-2005.
From the presented data it can be seen that in the three years of experimentation
the average level of nitrogen in leaves bypassed the deficiency limits (<2%) at all the
experimented variants, but in the optimum interval there were only V1-ind.pl./25 cm
(2,79 %) and V2-ind.pl./75 cm (2,71 %).
Because of a high content of phosphorus in soil, all the obtained variants
exceeds the optimum interval of leaves’ purveyance with this element (0,25-0,35 %),
without exesting too big differences between the variants.
Leaves’ content in potassium is in optimum limits (1-2%), excepting
V6-band/125cm in 2003; the biggest leaves’ content in potassium was registered at V1-
ind.pl./25 cm (1,33 %), which also realized the best results on the productivity aspect.
Calcium was situated at all the variants towards the inferior limit of the optimum
purveyance interval (0,5-1,5 % from SUT), especially in 2003 and 2004; calcium
accumulations in the leaves harvested from the “individual plants” variants were higher
(0,59-0,62 % from SUT) than from the “matted row” ones (0,5-0,54 %).
Leaves’ content in magnesium descended under the optimum level (0,25 %-0,50
%), both in the first year of production -2003 (droughty) and in the second year - 2004,
and in 2005 (excessively rainy) it increased, reaching optimum limits (0,26% - 0,30 %
from SUT), excepting V6-band/125 cm (0,22 %).

LITERATURE CITED
Davidescu D., Davidescu Velicica, 1999 – Compendium agrochimic. Ed. Acad.
Haynes R.J., Goh K.M., 1987 – Effects if nitrogen and potassium applications on strawberry growth,
yield and quality. Soil Science and Plant Analysis. 18 (4): 457-471
Iliescu Mirela, 2004 - "Cercetări privind stabilirea sistemelor de fertilizare şi erbicidare la cultura
căpşunului pe solurile de tip cernoziom cambic şi psamosol tipic". Teza doctorat, Universitatea
Craiova
Langford Geoff, 1996 – „Fertiliser recommendations for horticultural crops; Strawberry. Canterbury
Research Centre (03/96).

Limits of interpretation on the content of strawberry leaves macroelements

(synthesis by several authors)
Table 1

Period analyzes N % P% K% Ca % Mg % Authors

optimum 2,6-3,5 0,25-0,35 1,0-2,0 0,7-1,5 0,25-0,40 Geoff Langford – 1996; RJ

defficiency <2 <0.20 <1,0 <0,5 <0,10 Hill Laboratories – 2002

optimum 2,0-3,0 0,20-0,50 1,5-2,5 0,5-1,5 0,25-0,50 Cline R.A. and col.-1990
maximum flowering-
optimum   protected culture (25- 2,07-3,04 0,20-0,38 1,84-2,21 0,77-1,48 0,25-0,70 Almaliotis D., and col. -2002
35 t/ha)
Strawberry fertilizer
optimum maximum flowering 1,8-3,0 0,20-0,30 1,2-2,0 0,5-1,0 0,25-0,35 recommendations for the
Atlantic provinces-2000
beginning
optimum 3,0-3,5 0,2-0,4 1,5-2,5 0,4-1,5 0,25-0,5 Maynard D.N.,-2002
 vegetation period
optimum annual culture 3,0-4,0 0,2-0,4 1,5-2,5 0,5-1,5 0,25-0,45 Campbell C.R.-2001

optimum maximum flowering 2,3-3,0 - - - - Diaconeasa M. şi colab.-

optimum fruit maturation stage 1,6-2,3 - - - - 2003

optimum 3,0-3,2 0,7-1,0 1,65 - - Mirela Iliescu-2003

Fig. 1: The influence of the culture system on the content of strawberry
leaves in DS (%)

Fig. 2: The influence of the culture system on the content of strawberry

leaves in N (%)

Fig. 3: The influence of the culture system on the content of strawberry

leaves in P (%)
Fig. 4: The influence of the culture system on the content of strawberry
leaves in K (%)

Fig. 5: The influence of the culture system on the content of strawberry

leaves in Ca (%)

Fig. 6: The influence of the culture system on the content of strawberry

leaves in Mg (%)