EFFECT OF DIFFERENT MULCHES AND GIBBERELLIC ACID ON GROWTH, YIELD AND QUALITY OF STRAWBERRY

Abstract

Mulching plays an important role for reducing moisture loss, weed growth, and increasing yield of fruits and vegetables. The present experiment aimed to find out the effect of different mulch materials and gibberellin on growth, yield, and quality of strawberry under net house condition during the period from October 2020 to February 2021. The experimental treatments included four mulch materials: no mulch, black polythene, white polythene, and sawdust and two levels of gibberellic acid (0 and 200 ppm GA 3 ). The treatments showed significant effect on leaf area, SPAD value, relative water content, number of fruits, and yield per plant, as well as quality traits i.e. total soluble solid, reducing sugar, phenol and anthocyanin content of strawberry. Organic mulch (sawdust) produced higher yields and quality than synthetic mulch (black and white polythene) and no mulch conditions. GA 3 treated plants performed better than non-GA 3 sprayed plants. In terms of interaction effects, sawdust mulch plants treated with GA 3 produced the highest fruit yield (321g) per plant, while black polyethylene plants treated with no GA 3 produced the lowest fruit yield (118g). Therefore, sawdust and GA 3 are beneficial for increasing the growth, yield, and quality attributes of strawberry plants.