GROWTH AND FRUITING RESPONSES OF STRAWBERRY PLANTS GROWN ON ROCKWOOL TO SHADING AND SALINITY

Strawberry cultivar 'Rapella' grown in a glasshouse responded to shade with reductions in leaf area, number of leaves, crowns and inflorescences and shoot dry weight. There was no apparent interaction of shading and salinity on vegetative growth. Shading depressed the fruit dry weight but not fresh weight, resulting in fruits with a higher moisture content. Fruit number was reduced under shaded conditions. Salinity did not affect fruit number but both fresh and dry weights of fruit were lower at high salinity. The negative effects of high salinity on fruit yield were more marked under shaded conditions. The percentage of dry matter was highest in unshaded fruits produced at high salinity. Increased concentration of reducing sugars per unit fruit fresh weight at high salinity was only apparent in unshaded plants. Acidity in fresh fruit was promoted by increased salinity both under shaded and unshaded conditions. Shading increased acid concentration per unit dry weight but not on a fresh weight or a per fruit basis. Unshaded plants allocated more dry matter to fruits at the expense of leaf growth.