Commercial Extract from the Brown Seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum (Acadian®) Improves Yield and Quality of Hydroponically Grown Strawberries

While the vast majority of commercial strawberries are grown in the field, greenhouse production of strawberries is becoming more common especially in European countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, and Italy. Greenhouse strawberry production is attractive to many growers as it allows them to produce berries out of season and obtain higher prices. And because of environmental and availability issues of using soil fumigants for field grown production, many growers are looking for alternative production systems. A greenhouse experiment at the Dr. James S. Craigie Research Center in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia was designed to test the effects of Acadian^® extract (a derivative from Ascophyllum nodosum) in the production of hydroponically grown strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa, cv. Albion). Ascophyllum nodosum seaweed extract (ANE) treatments in combination with a standard hydroponic fertilizer were applied to the root systems of strawberry plants in NFT systems. Three rates of ANE were tested and results were compared to an untreated control. Significant improvements in early root and leaf establishment were observed in ANE treated plants. In addition, fruit number increased by 38 to 50% and BRIX from 2 to 12%. Improvements in leaf and fruit calcium levels also increased by as much as 10% in ANE treated plants. Insufficient calcium is known to cause tip leaf burn and poor fruit development in strawberries so this is an important finding. These results indicate that ANE applications increase yields and improve the quality of hydroponically grown strawberries which ultimately improves the economic return to the user.