Improvement in growth and yield of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) by mulch colour

Mulching is practiced in strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) to conserve water, control weeds, and keep fruit clean, resultantly improving yield and quality. The most commonly used plastic mulch colour is black, but coloured mulch is reported to perform better than black polyethylene mulch. The present study was conducted over a period of three years to see the effect of different coloured polyethylene mulches on performance of strawberry under hot dry subtropical climatic conditions prevailing at Lucknow region of Uttar Pradesh, India. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) with seven treatment combinations replicated four times. Strawberry performance for most of the physico-chemical parameters was recorded best under yellow polyethylene mulch followed by black polyethylene mulch over control. Vegetative growth, fruit yield and berry size was observed significantly better in yellow than black polyethylene mulch. However, fruit quality in respect of sugars, vitamin A and anthocyanin content was found superior in black polyethylene mulch. The inductive resonance effect of green and yellow light absorption by plant under yellow polyethylene mulch appears to have a role in enhancing photosynthesis resulting in better vegetative growth, fruit quality and higher yield of strawberry.