Effect of Plant Growth Regulators on Growth, Yield and Quality of Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) Cv. Winter Dawn under Open Field Conditions of South Gujarat

Background: The South Gujarat hilly part is considered to be a non-traditional area of strawberry cultivation in India. The poor farmers of this region are cultivating strawberries under open field condition. Both, the yield and quality of strawberry fruits of this region are not up-to-the-mark as there in other parts of the country. Hence, a low-cost improved production technology is required to maximize yield as well as improve the quality of strawberry fruits. Method: Uniform runners of strawberry cv. Winter Dawn were grown in open field under paddy straw as bedding material. Foliar spraying of plant growth regulators viz. NAA (50, 75, 100 and 125 mg l-1) and GA3 (50, 75, 100 and 125 mg l-1) were done at 30 and 60 days after planting. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with control plants receiving no spray treatments and replicated thrice. Result: The plant growth parameters like plant spread, number of leaves, number of crowns, leaf area, length of petiole, number of runners were recorded maximum with the application of 100 mg l-1 GA3. This treatment was also found to be the best in respect of number of flowers, number of fruits, fruit weight, marketable and total fruit yield of strawberry. Strawberry fruits with the highest total soluble solid, ascorbic acid, reducing sugar, non-reducing sugar and total sugar content were recorded in the plants which received 125 mg l-1 NAA. However, the plant growth regulator treatments failed to influence any significant effect on days taken to 50.0% flowering, fruit firmness and acidity content of strawberry fruits.