Effect Of Spraying With Seaweed And Phosphorus On The Growth And Production Of Strawberry (Fragaria X Ananassa Duch.) Of Albion Cultivar

Abstract

A factorial study was conducted to assess the response in development and production of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) cultivar "Albion", to foliar spray applications of 6 g P₂O₅ L^-1), under unheated protected cultivation conditions, within the facilities Dep. / Hort. and Landscape Architecture, College of Agric. and Forestry/ Univ. of Mosul, while the 2023–2024 vegetative and crop season. Strawberry plants were subjected to foliar sprays of three concentrations of seaweed extract (0, 4, 8  g SW L^-1) and three concentrations of phosphorus (0, 4, 6  g P₂O₅ L^-1), either individually or in combination. Three seaweed extract sprays and two phosphorus sprays were applied, 20 days apart, starting on December 15, 2023. The results showed that applying the treatments under study—either individually or in combination—led to significant improvements in vegetative growth indicators, plant productivity, and fruit quality. However, the combination of the highest concentration of seaweed extract (8  g SW .L^-1) and the mean phosphorus concentration (4 g P₂O₅ .L^-1) was the most effective, recording the highest values ​​for total chlorophyll content, leaf area, count of stems per plant, weight of fruit, total production per plant, percentage of total soluble solids, juice percentage, and the lowest treatable acidity. The combination of the highest concentration of both factors (8 g SW .L^-1and 6 g P₂O₅ .L^-1) also showed the highest averages for the a count of leaves per plant, and fruit content of anthocyanins, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), and total sugars.