Anita Sønsteby
Research Professor
Authors
Anita SønstebyAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Abstract
Due to the economic importance of protected strawberry production and its relatively high environmental impact, more sustainable cultivation methods are needed. This study compared alternative growing media effects on plant growth and berry production. 'Sonsation' strawberries were grown in six substrates: 100% peat, 100% wood fibre, 50% peat/50% wood fibre (with and without fertilizer), and two compost and wood fiber-based products ('Nittedal' peat-free and '29 mod' peat-reduced). Irrigation treatments included standard fertigation and pure water (for 'Nittedal' and '29 mod'). In the first five weeks, the tallest (35 cm) and shortest (30 cm) plants were recorded in '29 mod' and 'Nittedal' grown on pure water, respectively. The other treatments showed consistent plant height between 33–35 cm. While peat-based media resulted in the highest yield, alternative materials performed similarly, except for a lower yield in the peat-free 'Nittedal' with pure water, with no added fertilizer. This treatment also had fewer inflorescences per plant and lower biomass production. In addition, pH and electrical conductivity measurements indicated that peat-reduced and peat-free substrates maintained optimal pH levels for strawberry growth (between 5.5-6.5). Overall, while peat-based media produced the best-performing plants, the more sustainable alternatives demonstrated comparable performance, making them viable options for strawberry cultivation.
Authors
Anita SønstebyAbstract
No abstract has been registered