2018 ASHS Annual Conference

Planting date and low tunnel could play important roles in the annual plasticulture strawberry system. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of low tunnel and planting dates on the growth and early and total yield of day-neutral strawberries in North Carolina. Cultivars Albion and San Andreas were planted on September 1 (D1) & 29 (D2) in raised beds with low tunnels (LT) and without low tunnels (NLT) on NC A&T State University farm in Greensboro, NC (hardiness zone 7b). LT was used from October through May of both 2016/17 and 2017/18 seasons. Yield and bloom data were taken twice/week, while canopy and biomass data were taken monthly from October to May. In the 2016/17 season, no significant difference in total yield occurred between D1 & D2 and between LT & NLT. LT and D2 had numerically higher marketable yield (57% and 53%) compared to NLT and D1 (45% and 48%). The marketable and total yield from October to January, in April or May were not affected by LT and PD. However, LT significantly increased the total and marketable yield compared to NLT in period from January to March, and D2 plants had significantly higher yield than D1 plants (total yield of 24.56 vs 13.28 g/plant and marketable yield of 18.10 vs 8.04g/plant). LT and D2 plants had smaller canopy size and biomass, and LT also delayed the days to 1^st bloom and 1^st harvest by 13 and 29 days, respectively, compared to NLT. In the 2017/18 season, LT numerically increased the total and marketable yield than NLT for D1 plants (total yield of 51.13 vs. 35.39 g/plant and marketable yield of 49.47 vs 23.8 g/plant) before winter. LT shortened days to 50% bloom by 20 or seven days compared to NLT for D2 or D1 plants, respectively. The 2017/18 research is still ongoing, but based on the results so far, LT and D2 should be recommended for higher marketable yield before winter.