Boron Applications and Bee Pollinators Increase Strawberry Yields

Figures & data

Figure 1. Placement of covered (a) and uncovered (b) tunnels and bee hives (c) in the experiment field

Table 1. Effects of B treatments and growing conditions (presence or absences of bee) on the percent pollen viability rates of ‘Fortuna’ strawberry cultivar over the season

		Treatments	Sampling Date					Gr. Cond. x Treat.	Gr. Cond. Av.
			14 Feb. 1^st	12 Mar. 2^nd	02 Apr. 3^rd	23 Apr. 4^th	14 May 5^th
Growing Conditions	Bees	Control	59.2 n-q^1	77.7 a-f	56.2 pqr	69.0 f-n	72.1 c-ı	66.8	68.3
		Foliar	57.0 m-p	70.8 d-j	76.8 a-g	83.9 a	70.3 d-l	71.7
		Soil	63.9 ı-q	70.2 d-k	64.2 qr	54.8 qr	69.7 e-m	64.5
		Foliar+Soil	60.1 j-q	78.9 a-e	62.5 ı-q	78.5 a-e	69.8 e-m	69.9
	Samp. Date x Gr. Cond.		60.1 cd	74.4 b	64.9 c	71.5 b	70.4 b
	No bees	Control	60.1 k-q	67.2 g-o	66.8 h-o	75.9 a-f	59.7 m-q	65.9	68.6
		Foliar	55.8 pqr	72.4 c-h	71.2 d-j	81.3 ab	65.6 ı-p	69.2
		Soil	47.8 r	67.4 g-o	72.6 b-ı	80.7 abc	59.9 l-q	65.0
		Foliar+Soil	60.9 k-q	79.3 a-d	75.6 a-f	83.0 a	69.6 e-n	73.7
	Samp. Date x Gr. Cond.		56.2 d	71.6 b	71.5 b	80.2 a	63.7 c
Samp. Date Av.			58.1 C	72.9 A	68.2 B	75.9 A	67.1 B

LSDgr. cond. = N.S., LSDsamp. date*** = 2.22, LSDsamp.date×gr. cond.*** = 3.14, LSDgr.cond×treat = N.S., LSDsamp.time×gr.cond.×treat** = 6.28. ¹ Differences between averages showed by different letters are statistically significant by *, P ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01, ***p ≤ 0.001. N.S.: Non-Significant. Samp. Date: Sampling date; Gr.Cond.: Growing condition; Av: Average; Treat: Treatment

Table 2. Effects of B treatments on the percent pollen viability rates of ‘Fortuna’ strawberry cultivar over the season (%)

Treatment	Sampling Date					Treat. Av.
	14 Feb. 1^st	12 Mar. 2^nd	02 Apr. 3^rd	23 Apr. 4^th	14 May. 5^th
Control	59.6 hı^a	72.4 bcd	61.5 f-ı	72.5 cd	65.9 d-h	66.4 B
Foliar	56.4 ı	71.6 cde	73.9 bc	82.6 a	67.9 c-g	70.5 A
Soil	55.8 ı	68.8 c-f	68.4 c-f	67.8 c-f	64.8 e-h	65.1 B
Foliar+Soil	60.6 ghı	79.1 ab	69.0 cde	80.7 a	69.7 cde	71.8 A

LSDtreat*** = 1.98 LSDsamp.date×treat* = 4.44. ^a Differences between averages showed by different letters are statistically significant by *, P ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01, ***p ≤ 0.001. N.S.: Non-Significant. Samp. date: Sampling date; Gr.Cond.: Growing condition; Av: Average; Treat: Treatment.

Table 3. Effects of B treatments and growing conditions (presence or absences of bee) on the percent pollen germination rates of ‘Fortuna’ strawberry cultivar over the season (%)

		Treatments	Sampling Date					Gr. Cond. x Treat.	Gr. Cond. Av.
			14 Feb. 1^st	12 Mar 2^nd	02 Apr 3^rd	23 Apr 4^th	14 May 5^th
Growing Conditions	Bees	Control	44.2 mn^a	74.1 ab	55.5 f-k	58.5 d-ı	60.3 d-h	58.5 AB	58.5 A
		Foliar	66.1 bcd	77.5 a	48.9 j-n	57.5 e-j	55.8 f-k	61.2 A
		Soil	61.9 c-g	77.6 a	44.7 lmn	31.3 p	49.1 j-n	52.9 C
		Foliar+Soil	65.4 cde	73.9 ab	52.8 h-m	56.7 f-j	58.3 d-ı	61.4 A
	Samp. Date × Gr. Cond.		59.4 c	75.8 a	50.5 e	50.9 e	55.9 cd
	No Bees	Control	45.5 lmn	68.9 bc	49.1 j-n	56.1 f-j	42.6 n	52.5 C	54.1 B
		Foliar	53.4 g-l	55.9 f-k	59.6 d-h	49.8 ı-n	61.6 c-g	56.1 BC
		Soil	41.9 no	78.4 a	62.6 c-f	47.2 k-n	30.8 p	52.2 C
		Foliar+Soil	43.2 n	81.4 a	62.7 c-f	58.4 d-ı	33.4 op	55.8 BC
	Samp. Date × Gr. Cond.		45.9 f	71.2 b	58.5 c	52.8 de	42.1 f
Samp. Date Av.			52.7 B	73.5 A	54.5 B	51.9 BC	48.9 C

LSD gr.cond.*** = 1.14, LSDsamp date. *** = 1.81, LSDsamp. date×gr. cond.*** = 2.56, LSDgr.cond.×treat = N.S., LSDsamp. date×gr.cond.×treat*** = 5.12. ^a Differences between averages showed by different letters are statistically significant by *, P ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01, ***p ≤ 0.001. N.S.: Non-Significant. Samp. Date: Sampling date; Gr.Cond.: Growing condition; Av: Average; Treat: Treatment.

Table 4. Effects of B treatments on the percent pollen germination rates of ‘Fortuna’ strawberry cultivar over the season (%)

Treatment	Sampling Date					Treat. Av.
	14 Feb. 1^st	12 Mar 2^nd	02 Apr 3^rd	23 Apr 4^th	14 May 5^th
Control	44.8 gh	71.5 b	52.3 de	57.3 cde	51.4 ef	55.5 B
Foliar	59.7 c	66.8 b	54.3 cde	53.7 cde	58.7 c	58.6 A
Soil	51.9 def	78.0 a	53.6 cde	39.2 h	39.9 gh	52.5 C
Foliar+Soil	54.3 cde	77.7 a	57.8 cd	57.5 cde	45.9 fg	58.6 A

LSDtreat.*** = 1.62 LSDsamp.date×treat*** = 3.62. ^aDifferences between averages showed by different letters are statistically significant by *, P ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01, ***p ≤ 0.001. N.S.: Non-Significant. Samp. Date: Sampling date; Gr.Cond.: Growing condition; Av: Average; Treat: Treatment.

Table 5. Effects of B treatments and growing conditions (presence or absences of bee) on yield over the season (g/plant^−a)

		Treatments	Sampling Date				Gr. Cond. x Treat.	Gr. Cond.
			March	April	May	June
Growing Conditions	Bees	Control	212.9 e-ı^a	370.6 bc	162.6 h-l	179.6 g-k	925.8 C	1175.0 A
		Foliar	167.9 g-l	412.5 b	282.2 de	243.4 d-g	1106.1 B
		Soil	372.9 bc	637.8 a	176.6 g-k	241.7 d-g	1428.9 A
		Foliar+Soil	393.2 b	410.3 b	234.3 d-h	201.4 f-j	1239.2 B
	Samp. Date x Gr. Cond.		286.8 b	457.8 a	213.9 c	216.5 c
	No Bees	Control	168.1 g-l	263.1 def	145.2 ı-l	107.6 kl	683.9 E	762.8 B
		Foliar	173.5 g-k	277.5 def	161.2 h-l	107.4 kl	719.6 E
		Soil	229.3 d-h	367.6 bc	137.4 ı-l	148.1 ı-l	882.3 CD
		Foliar+Soil	245.1 d-g	301.0 cd	94.2 l	125.0 jkl	765.4 DE
	Sampl. Date x Gr. Cond.		204.0 c	302.3 b	134.5 d	122.0 d
Samp. Date Av.			245.4 B	380 A	174.2 C	169.3 C

LSDgr.cond.*** = 67.7, LSDsamp.date*** = 27.8, LSDsamp. date×gr.cond.* = 39.3. LSDgr.cond.×treat* = 135.5, LSDsamp.date×gr.cond.×treat* = 78.6. ^a Differences between averages showed by different letters are statistically significant by *, P ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01, ***p ≤ 0.001. N.S.: Non-Significant. Samp. Date: Sampling date; Gr.Cond.: Growing condition; Av: Average; Treat: Treatment

Table 6. Effects of B treatments on yield over the season (g/plant^−a)

Treatments	Sampling date				Treatment
	March	April	May	June
Control	190.5 cd^a	316.8 b	153.9 d	143.6 d	804.9 C
Foliar	170.7 cd	345.0 b	221.7 c	175.4 cd	912.9 B
Soil	301.1 b	502.7 a	156.9 d	194.9 cd	1156.0 A
Foliar+Soil	319.2 b	355.7 b	164.2 d	163.2 d	1002.0 B

LSDtreat.*** = 95.8, LSDsamp.date×treat.*** = 55.6. ^aDifferences between averages showed by different letters are statistically significant by *, P ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01, ***p ≤ 0.001. N.S.: Non-Significant. Samp. Date: Sampling date; Gr.Cond.: Growing condition; Av: Average; Treat: Treatment

Table 7. Effects of B treatments and growing conditions (presence or absences of bee) on average fruit weight over the season (g/fruit)

		Treatments	Sampling Date				Gr. Cond. x Treat.	Gr. Cond. Av.
			March	April	May	June
Growing Conditions	Bees	Control	31.5	15.4	12.7	8.7	17.1	17.6 A
		Foliar	31.4	16.7	14.1	9.6	17.9
		Soil	32.7	17.9	14.2	9.1	18.5
		Foliar+Soil	30.9	14.4	13.4	8.4	16.8
	Samp. Date x Gr. Cond.		31.6 a	16.1 c	13.6 d	8.9 f
	No Bee	Control	27.3	14.5	10.6	7.7	15.0	15.0 B
		Foliar	24.6	12.3	11.5	7.8	14.0
		Soil	29.1	13.7	12.4	8.5	15.9
		Foliar+Soil	28.4	12.4	11.4	8.1	15.1
	Samp. Date x Gr. Cond.		27.4 b	13.3 d	11.5 e	8.0 f
Samp. Date Av.			29.5 A	14.7 B	12.5 C	8.5 D

LSDgr.cond*** = 67.7, LSDsampling date*** = 27.8, LSDsamp.date×gr.cond* = 39.3 LSDgr.cond×treat* = 135.5, LSDsamp.date×gr.cond x treat* = 78.6. ^aDifferences between averages showed by different letters are statistically significant by *, P ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01, ***p ≤ 0.001. N.S.: Non-Significant. Samp. Date: Sampling date; Gr.Cond.: Growing condition; Av: Average; Treat: Treatment.

Table 8. Effects of B treatments on average fruit weight over the season (g/fruit)

Treatments	Sampling Date				Treat. Av.
	March	April	May	June
Control	29.4	14.9	11.6	8.2	16.1 B^a
Foliar	28.0	14.5	12.8	8.7	15.9 B
Soil	30.9	15.8	13.3	8.8	17.2 A
Foliar+Soil	29.6	13.4	12.4	8.2	15.9 B

LSDtreat*** = 95.8 LSDsamp.date×treat*** = 55.6. ^aDifferences between averages showed by different letters are statistically significant by *, P ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01, ***p ≤ 0.001. N.S.: Non-Significant. Samp. Date: Sampling date; Gr.Cond.: Growing condition; Av: Average; Treat: Treatment.

Table 9. Effects of B treatments and growing conditions (presence or absences of bee) on percent misshapen fruit rates over the season (%)

		Treatments	Sampling Date				Gr. Cond. x Treat.	Gr. Cond. Av.
			March	April	May	June
Growing Conditions	Bees	Control	14.9	10.5	12.8	22.4	15.2	12.4 A^1
		Foliar	10.2	13.4	11.6	17.9	13.3
		Soil	8.5	8.2	9.5	12.4	9.7
		Foliar+Soil	12.2	10.9	11.0	11.4	11.4
	Samp.Date x Gr. Cond.		11.4	10.8	11.2	16.1
	No bees	Control	4.1	3.1	10.5	13.5	7.8	7.1 B
		Foliar	5.8	5.9	6.5	15.4	8.4
		Soil	4.4	6.3	4.4	9.6	6.2
		Foliar+Soil	1.6	6.5	6.8	8.5	5.8
	Samp. Date x Gr. Cond.		3.9	5.5	7.0	11.8
Samp. Date			7.7 B	8.1 B	9.1 B	13.9 A

LSDgr.cond*** = 1.89, LSDsamp.date*** = 2.67, LSDsamp.date×gr.cond. = N.S. LSDgr.cond×treat = N.S., LSDsamp.date×gr.cond.×treat = N.S. ¹Differences between averages showed by different letters are statistically significant by *, P ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01, ***p ≤ 0.001. N.S.: Non-Significant. Samp. Date: Sampling date; Gr.Cond.: Growing condition; Av: Average; Treat: Treatment.

Table 10. Effects of B treatments on percent misshapen fruit rates over the season (%)

Treatments	Sampling Date				Treat. Av.
	March	April	May	June
Control	9.5	6.8	11.7	17.9	11.50 A^1
Foliar	7.9	9.7	9.1	16.7	10.90 AB
Soil	6.4	7.3	6.9	11.0	7.90 B
Foliar+Soil	6.9	8.7	8.9	9.9	8.61 B

LSDtreat* = 3.78 LSDsamp.date×treat = N.S. ¹Differences between averages showed by different letters are statistically significant by *, P ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01, ***p ≤ 0.001. N.S.: Non-Significant. Samp. Date: Sampling date; Gr.Cond.: Growing condition; Av: Average; Treat: Treatment

Figure 2. Difference in minimum (Tmin), maximum (Tmax) and average (Tave) temperatures during growing period in covered and uncovered tunnels