YIELD POTENTIAL AND VEGETATIVE GROWTH OF SUMMER-PLANTED STRAWBERRY

The waiting-bed (WB) system has the potential to significantly increase the length of the strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) production season. In the WB phase of this system the plants were deblossomed and runners were removed to stimulate the production of a multiple crowned plant. The objective of this study was to examine the influence of planting date and cultivar on yield potential and vegetative growth of the strawberry plants in the WB and cropping beds (CB). Experiments were conducted in Ontario and Quebec. Early establishment of the WB favored the production of large multicrown plants. 'Kent' appeared to be the best cultivar among five tested due to the many berries produced because of good fruit set. Yield potential was not realized in late-planted CB. The highest yields per plant (273 g) were obtained in Quebec with plants from the earliest WB. Yields in CB decreased with later plantings due to stress of transplanting when air and soil temperatures were high. Berry count was identified as the yield component most affected by the later planting date of the CB. The WB system has potential for season extension in strawberry, but WB must be established early in the season to encourage the development of a plant with high yield potential.