Chloride Nutrition of Strawberries Grown on Peat Bags

Plants of the short-day strawberry (Fragaria × ana-nassa Duch. ‘Elsanta’) were grown on peat bags with four rates of chloride in the nutrient solution (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mmol/1). Chloride application had no effect on pollen germination, fruit malformation, or fruit taste. Yield and fruit size were reduced at 2 mmol/liter Cl in the nutrient solution without plants showing any toxicity symptoms. The results indicate that the chloride concentration in the nutrient solution necessary for satisfactory growth and fruit quality of ‘Elsanta’ grown on peat bags appears to be very low.