Plant Harvest Index and VA mycorrhizae evaluation in frigo strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch. cv. selva) plants in a highland nursery

The objectives of the present study were to determine the evolution of the physiological stage of dormancy with the Plant Harvest Index (PHI) = (Dry weight of root + Dry weight of crown)/(Dry total mater (-1)) x 100 in each plant, in day-neutral cultivars produced as frigo plants in a highland nursery with different dates of lifting, and to detect the presence of vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizae (MVA) in soil and on plants. A completely randomized design was used with 3 treatments: T1=1(st) harvest; T2=2(nd) harvest; T3=3(rd) harvest, with 5 replications. The results showed significant differences between the three lifting dates (T3=75.2% of PHI; T2=38.7 of PHI; T1=34.6% of PHI) in the PHI. No MVA activity was found; it could be because the soil was fumigated with methyl bromide. This Index could be used to assess the exact moment of lifting in frigo plants that are dormancy.