Effect of different electrical conductances and vertical hydroponics systems on growth yield and quality traits of Strawberry Fragaria x ananassa Duch with special reference to postharvest shelf life under Assam condition

Abstract

An experiment was carried out in a naturally ventilated playhouse located in Experimental Farm, Department of Horticulture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat during the year 2019-20 and 2020-21 to study the effect of different electrical conductances and vertical hydroponics systems most suitable for the strawberry crop. The strawberry crop was subjected to EC levels viz. L1 (1.8 dS/m) and L2 (2.5 dS/m) in three different vertical hydroponics systems viz. T1 (A-Type), T2 (Column-Type), and T3 (Shelf-Type) to study their effect. The experiment was laid out in a factorial completely randomized block design with three treatments, six replications, and two EC levels, and data of individual years were subjected to the pooled analysis. Among the three vertical hydroponics systems (T1 A-Type) and EC (L1 1.8 dS/m) were found to be the best for vegetative and yield contributing characters along with other studies of quality parameters. The significant effect of vertical hydroponics system (T1 A-Type) and EC (L1 1.8 dS/m) was observed in plant height (20.90 cm) and (21.19cm), number of leaves per plant (15.24) and (14.97), number of shoots per plant (5.78) and (5.63), days to bloom (23.79 days) and (23.76 days), number of flowers produced per plant (16.46) and (17.08), leaf area (112.33cm2) and (115.75 cm2), plant spread (24.15 cm) and (23.06cm), days to harvest from fruit set (22.42 days) and (22.64 days), root length (18.15 cm) and (17.05cm), root volume (34.03cc) and (33.19cc) and dry root(2.44g) and (2.46g) weight compared to other vertical hydroponics system and EC levels. The yield attributing characters in terms of yield (357.88g./plant) and (316.91g./plant), fruit weight (25.61g) and (24.03g), number of fruits per plant (13.92) and (12.97), number of fruits per system (295.00) and (247.08), the weight of fruit per system in T3 (5.84 kg) and (5.84 kg), fruit length (6.96cm) and (5.88cm), fruit girth (10.35cm) and (9.89cm) and fruit volume (10.56cc) and (9.74cc) were found significantly higher in vertical hydro..