Water-yield relationship of greenhouse-grown strawberry under limited irrigation

Abstract

In this study, the traditional full/deficit irrigation and partial root drying (F-PRD) techniques with the four different amounts of irrigation (100%, 80%, 60% and 40%) were examined on Rubygem Strawberry species under controlled greenhouse conditions, in terms of yield, yield parameters, WUE, IWUE, yield response factor (ky), etc. and their possible reactions have been investigated. In the study in which fresh seedlings were used, planted on the rows in a triangular form at intervals of 20×20 cm in double rows. Irrigation applications were carried out by drip irrigation method and the amount of irrigation water in the control treatment (I100) was calculated using measurements taken from an A-Class evaporation pan. Eight irrigation treatments including four traditional irrigation (I100, I80, I60, I40) and four fixed-partial root drying (F-PRD100, F-PRD80, F-PRD60, F-PRD40) were examined within the scope of the study. In traditional irrigation (I100, I80, I60, I40) applications, both sides of the plant root zone were irrigated. However, during the entire growing season in the fixed-partial root drying (F-PRD100, F-PRD80, F-PRD60, F-PRD40) technique, one-half of the plant root zone was kept wet, and the other half was left relatively dry. The yield values were ranked as, from high to low, F-PRD100>I100>F-PRD80>I80>F-PRD60>I60>I40>F-PRD40. In irrigation treatments, the yield values obtained from I80 and F-PRD80 treatments were statistically similar (Duncan 5%) to the yield values of I100 and F-PRD100 treatments. However, it could be stated that the F-PRD80 is more advantageous. It was found that different amounts of irrigation water (100%, 80%, 60% and 40%) affects the yield and yield-related parameters obtained from the strawberry plants. In general, as the water deficit increased (in the I40 and F-PRD40 treatments), the level of negative impact also increased. As a result of the research, F-PRD80 was proposed for the cultivation of strawberries, particularly, in arid and semi-arid regions, depending on the availability of water.