Preharvest factors that affect strawberry fruit quality: Nitrogen and Salinity.

Fruit development and quality in strawberry cv. Primoris were influenced by salinity (+NaCl) and Nitrogen reduction (-N). Treatments were applied at a later stage of plant development (60 days after transplanting) when the first fruits start to develop. As NaCl concentration increased from 2 to 7 mmol L-1, fruit yield increased and did not affect the N reduction from 9 to 5 mmol L-1. There was observed an interaction between salinity and N reduction on the increasing of fruit dry weight. N reduction increased the fruit firmness and promoted less reducing sugars concentration. The fruit content of reducing sugar increased and of the tritable acids decreased after salinity treatment. Sensory evaluation showed significant differences in colour and flavor, the N reduction promoted fewer flavor but the N reduction together with salinity showed more flavor.