Nursery location, planting date, chilling exposure, and bed mulch treatment effects on yield performance of ‘Camarosa’ strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) in Auckland, New Zealand

Abstract

The effects on crown growth and fruit production in the Californian‐bred short day strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) cultivar ‘Camarosa’, grown in the Auckland region of northern New Zealand, of elements of the Californian winter production system were studied in replicated trials in the 1999–2000, 2000–01, and 2002–03 seasons. The elements were soil‐warming mulch, planting date, and chilling in the nursery. Plants on clear polythene mulch had larger crowns at the end of winter but not at the end of the season, a slightly higher early yield and 1–8% higher total yield than plants on black mulch in the 1999–2000 season. These differences were smaller than those found in California, probably as a result of lower maximum temperatures and moister soils in winter in the Auckland region. Yield and crown growth differences between planting dates varied inconsistently in each season, a situation attributed to the later onset of chilling temperatures in nurseries in the Auckland region. Yield of fruit per week differed as each of the three seasons progressed and large peaks in yield were related to periods of high minimum temperatures. Crown growth was rapid in winter and early spring and rates and amounts of growth during the fruiting season were related to patterns of fruit production and total yields. No pre‐harvest crown measurements were found to relate to whole season yield. Yield was lower in plants from the warm low altitude Katikati nursery than from the cool high altitude Ohakune nursery. Yield totals in each season and yield differences between nurseries in each season could be related to both the amount of nursery chilling and the amount and timing of fruiting bed chilling.

Keywords:

• short day cultivar
• chilling
• mulch
• yield
• crown growth