Fertigation and Growth regulators

• Strawberry plant requires 200 ml water per day
• Apply through drip considering soil condition and class
• Early growth – 1st fruit set – 3 :1:4 NPK
• 1st fruit set – end harvest – 2 :1 :4
• Post-Harvest – 2 :2 :3
• All at 3 – 4 kg/ha/wk N
• Application of GA3 ( 50 ppm ) After 4 days of flowering and MH (0.1-0.3%) after flowering increases yield by 31-41%
• Morphaction (50 ppm) improves fruit size.

Aftercare

• In Hill system, runners should be cut as and when they appear.
• With matted row system, surplus plants should be removed from outside the rows during late summer or autumn.
• The operation can be performed normally or with the help of cultivar and other specialized machinery.

Harvesting and Postharvest Management

• Fruiting happens after 3 to 4months
• Slightly soft darkening seeds
• Harvest daily, early morning, dry conditions
• Non- climacteric, harvest when fully ripe
• Pinch between thumb and forefinger, pull with twisting motion, leave stem on fruit.
• For distant shipment green or white and still hard berries are harvested.
• Delaying in picking usually increases the proportion of overripe and rotten berries.
• Ripening is faster in hot weather.
• Berries should be picked along with a small stem portion attached.
• Picking should be done in the morning. It facilitates better shelf-life.
• For distant marketing, strawberries should be pre cooled at 4*C within 2 hr or harvesting and kept at the same temperature.
• After pre-cooling, they are shipped in refrigerated vans.
• Strawberries can be stored in cold storage at 32⁰ F up to 10 days.
• Normally yield upto 1 quart of strawberries per plant.