Plants of 3 strawberry cultivars, an everbearer (‘Geneva’), and 2 June bearers (‘Catskill’ and ‘Frontenac’) were grown in growth chambers to determine the effects of photoperiod, light intensity, and night temperature upon flowering and runner development. In one experiment, plants dug in the fall and stored at −2° C until spring were compared with spring-dug plants. The most important factor affecting response was photoperiod. Eighteen hour photo-periods (LD) or continuous light promoted flowering in ‘Geneva’ and runner production in ‘Catskill’ relative to 12 hour photoperiods, while response of ‘Frontenac’ varied in 2 experiments. A light break during a long night simulated LD conditions in ‘Catskill’, but not in ‘Geneva’, and was more consistent than LD in promoting runner development in ‘Frontenac’. The effects of light intensity were mainly quantitative, 2400 f-c increasing inflorescence or runner production (depending upon cultivar) in comparison with 1200 f-c. Night temperature did not affect inflorescence or runner production independently of other factors, except for greater runner production with low night temperature (15° C) in ‘Frontenac’. Time of digging was tested only in ‘Geneva’ and ‘Frontenac’. Fall digging increased the number of inflorescences formed and reduced runner production in ‘Geneva’.
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Dennis et al. (1970) studied this question.