Effects of irrigation intervals and foliar application of amino acids and humic acid on the physiological traits of strawberries under colored shading nets

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Narouei, Zahra^a | Sedaghathoor, Shahram^{b; *} | Kaviani, Behzad^b | Ansari, Mohammad Hossein^b

Affiliations: [a] Ph.D. Candidate of Horticultural Science, Department of Horticulture, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran | [b] Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Horticulture, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Shahram Sedaghathoor, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran. Tel.: +98 13 33424083; Fax: +98 13 33447060; E-mail: sedaghathoor@yahoo.com.

Abstract: BACKGROUND:The strawberry is an important commercial crop, the improvement of its yield and quality is an imperative task. OBJECTIVE:The present research aimed to study the effect of colored netting and foliar application of amino acids on the physiological characteristics of strawberries subjected to different irrigation intervals. METHODS:The study was carried out as a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with three factors including colored net at 4 levels (no netting, green, red, and yellow netting), organic acids at 4 levels (control, humic acid, glutamine, and arginine), and three levels of irrigation intervals (2, 4, and 6 days) in the greenhouse of Lahijan Agricultural Research Station, Iran. RESULTS:The results showed that the highest leaf number, shoot weight, chlorophyll and carotenoid content were related to yellow netting. The highest fruit yield, anthocyanins, and flavonoids were observed in the treatments of no-netting, green netting, and red netting, respectively. Data for the effect of organic acids showed that the glutamine-treated plants exhibited the highest yield, the humic acid-treated plants displayed the highest anthocyanin and carotenoid content, and the arginine-treated plants demonstrated the highest vitamin C content. The irrigation interval of 6 days caused to the lowest leaf number, flower and fruit number, shoot weight, fruit yield, and carotenoid content. Data for the trilateral effect of ‘netting×organic acid×irrigation’ showed that the highest flower number and fruit yield were obtained from ‘green netting×glutamine×4 days’, the highest anthocyanin content was obtained from ‘green netting×humic acid×2 days’, and the highest chlorophyll content was obtained from ‘green netting×control×6 days’. The treatment of ‘yellow netting×control×2 days’ was related to the highest flavonoid content. CONCLUSIONS:The application of colored nets provides the strawberry with more optimal vegetative and reproductive growth.

Keywords: Anthocyanin, drought stress, glutamine, organic acids, vitamin C

DOI: 10.3233/JBR-211516

Journal: Journal of Berry Research, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 187-208, 2022