Response of irrigation, fertigation and mulching on plant growth and fruit yield of strawberry

Vegetative growth parameters (crown height, petiole length, the number of leaf/plant, plant spread, total chlorophyll, plant fresh and dry weight), root parameter (root fresh & dry weight, root volume, root length, root number) and fruit yield characteristics were estimated under different irrigation (I) (120, 100, 80, 60% ETc) levels, fertigation doses (F) (100, 80, 60% SDF) and type of mulches (M) (Straw mulch, Black-black, Silver-black and Red-black) alone and their interaction (IxM, IxF, FxM and IxFxM). All vegetative and root parameters improved with irrigation applied at 100% ETc level followed by 80% ETc which were significantly higher than 60% and 120% ETc levels. However, marketable fruit yield was improved in the plants irrigated at 100 and 80% ETc level by 19.6 and 15.5 percent respectively as compared to 60% ETc (I4) level. Besides, NPK nutrients applied through fertigation viz. 80% of SDF (44Kg N: 32Kg P2O5: 40Kg K2O/acre) significantly produced higher fruit yield and plant biomass by 14.23 and 36.6 percent, respectively over fertigation with 60% of SDF. Strawberry plants mulched with Silver-black considerably improved vegetative growth and fruit yield/plant than Black-black, Red-black and Straw mulches. It is concluded that strawberry irrigated through drip irrigation system at 80% ETc level, fertigation at 80% of SDF and mulched with Silver-black significantly improved fruit yield under climatic conditions of north India.