EFFECT OF NURSERY FERTILIZATION ON FRUITING RESPONSE OF STRAWBERRY

Strawberry (Fragaria ananassa, Duch.) was grown with four NPK fertility levels in the nursery. Transplants from this nursery were evaluated in the fruit production field using the annual hill cultural system. The nursery fertility levels in mmtho cm-1 conductivity were 0.35, 0.70, 1.05, and 1.40 the first season and 0.70, 1.05, 1.40, and 1.75 the second season. These levels of fertility were determined immediately after fertilization which occurred every 7 to 14 days. Early marketable yields averaged over 2 clones the first season and 4 the second were highest with plants which received the lower nursery fertility levels while the average fruit weight increased with increasing nursery fertility level the first season. The percent marketable fruit and the total marketable fruit yields were not affected by nursery fertility treatments either season.