Influence of Cation Proportions of the Nutrient Solution on Tipburn Incidence in Strawberry Plants

ABSTRACT

To determine their influence on leaf tipburn incidence and yields six nutrient solutions with different proportions of potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) were tested in ‘Camarosa’ strawberry plants. Response models were made to predict tipburn incidence, yields and fruit weight. A high Ca proportion in the nutrient solution was determinant for high yields in the first season, while a high Mg content was fundamental for high marketable yields during the two last seasons. In 2001 and 2002, the average fruit weight was higher with high Mg levels, and in 2000 the lowest fruit weights coincided with low levels of Ca in the nutrient solution. The models for tipburn incidence in 2000 and 2002 indicated that solutions with intermediate to high levels of Mg and intermediate to low levels of Ca resulted in a more frequent incidence of tipburn. Conversely, in 2001, the highest tipburn incidence appeared with high K contents.

Keywords:

• soilless
• disorder
• quality
• yield
• nutrition

Notes

∗and

∗∗indicate significant at P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively.

⁺ For each component, the sum of squares is given as a percentage of the total.

^{+ +} Calculated as the square root of the quotient between the absolute value of the residual sum of squares (using the units indicated at the top of the table) and the degrees of freedom of error.

∗ and

∗∗ indicate not significant, or significant at P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively.

⁺ For each component, the sum of squares is given as a percentage of the total.

^{+ +} Calculated as the square root of the quotient between the absolute value of the residual sum of squares (using the units indicated at the top of the table) and the degrees of freedom of error.