Efficacy of Various Mulches for the Modulation of Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) Yield, Quality, and Storage Ability

Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) is a highly nutritious and economically important fruit crop known for its appealing taste, rich antioxidant content, and diverse health benefits. The present investigation was carried out during 2023-24 at Career Point University, Kota, Rajasthan, to evaluate the influence of different mulching materials on the yield, quality attributes, and storage potential of strawberry cv. 'Camarosa.' The experiment comprised nine treatments-paddy straw, silver-black mulch, black polythene mulch, sawdust, wheat straw, cut grass, transparent polythene, newspaper mulch, and a control-in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Among the treatments, black polyethylene mulch recorded significantly higher values for plant height; number of leaves and stolons per plant; fruit weight; fruit size; juice content; total soluble solids (TSS); TSS/TA ratio; vitamin C; sugars (reducing, non-reducing, and total); anthocyanin content; and leaf nutrient status (N, P, K). It also exhibited lower fruit acidity, thus enhancing overall fruit quality. On the other hand, wheat straw mulch was most effective in reducing postharvest weight loss and spoilage, thereby significantly improving fruit shelf life. It can be concluded that black polyethylene mulch is highly beneficial for enhancing the vegetative growth, yield, and physicochemical properties of strawberry, while wheat straw mulch is more suitable for improving storage quality and extending shelf life.