Gibberellic acid influences the production of malformed and button berries, and fruit yield and quality in strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.)

Experiments were conducted to observe the effects of foliar application of gibberellic acid on vegetative growth, flowering, fruiting and various disorders in 'Chandler' strawberry. GA(3) (75 ppm) was applied to the strawberry plants either during mid-November (at fruit bud differentiation stage), or mid-February (pre-flowering stage) or at both times. Fruit under control were sprayed with tap water only. Observations were recorded on vegetative attributes like crown height, crown spread, petiole length, leaf number, leaf area; flowering and fruit set, fruit size; production of albino. malformed and button berries, total yield and marketable fruit yield and quality parameters, like juice content, TSS. ascorbic acid contents, acidity etc. Results indicated that GA(3) (75 ppm) spray either during mid-November or mid-February or at both times has favourably influenced all vegetative attributes of 'Chandler' strawberry over control. Similarly, fruit set was increased, and production of malformed and button berries was reduced, but albinism remained unaffected. Although individual berry weight was reduced slightly, but fruit number, total as well as marketable yield was increased tremendously over control with no adverse effect on fruit quality parameters. In all, spraying GA(3) both during mid-November and mid-February was much more effective in achieving the desirable results than single application of GA(3) either during mid-November or mid-February. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.