Growth and macronutrient uptake dynamics of ‘Albion’ and ‘San Andreas’ strawberries over two consecutive soilless growing years

This study characterized growth and macronutrient uptake of strawberry cultivars ‘Albion’ and ‘San Andreas’ to improve fertigation management. Plants were grown in a greenhouse using carbonized rice husk as growing media and supplied with a recirculating nutrient solution. A randomized block design with four replicates was used. Destructive samplings were performed at 60, 120, 180, 240, 300, and 360 days after transplant in the first year and after renovation pruning in the second year to quantify biomass production and nutrient uptake. Between 181 and 360 days after transplant, macronutrient uptake ranging from 69.6 to 72.3% of the annual total in the first year and 62.8 to 74.8% in the second year across cultivars. These uptake dynamics supported annual yields exceeding 1.0 kg plant−1 in both cultivars. Cultivars showed similar growth and nutrient uptake dynamics in the first year but differed in the magnitude and timing of biomass accumulation during the second year. This difference was associated with greater early biomass accumulation in San Andreas, which reached 30.1% of total dry mass within the first 120 days of the second crop year, compared with 20.5% in Albion. The nutrient uptake hierarchy changed from N > K > Ca > Mg > P > S in the first year to P > K > Ca > Mg > N > S in the second year. These results indicate that fertigation should be adjusted by reducing the relative predominance of N while increasing the contribution of P and K during the second year.