Prohexadione-calcium modifies growth and increases photosynthesis in strawberry nursery plants

Prohexadione-calcium (ProCa) at an active ingredient concentration of 62.5 mg L-1 was applied as a foliar spray to Camarosa and Sweet Charlie strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne) plants in growth chambers to assess its effects on dry weight allocation and growth over 42 d. The height, leaf number, leaf area, and specific leaf area (SLA) of daughter plants and the total dry weights of their leaves, stems and roots were all affected by ProCa treatments. Treated plants weighed less than untreated plants for the first 28 d after treatment, but by 42 d, all plants were similar in total weight regardless of treatment. ProCa-treated plants consistently allocated more dry weight to roots, and proportionally less to shoots, and were reduced in height, leaf area and SLA. ProCa increased net photosynthesis in plants grown in growth chambers and in the field. Plants grown in the field responded to ProCa earlier, and their photosynthetic rates were higher (i.e., 23-34% higher in daughters and 34-41% higher in mothers) than those grown in growth chambers.