EFFECT OF SUBSTRATE MIXTURES AND NUTRIENT SOLUTIONS SOURCES ON STRAWBERRY PLANTS UNDER CLOSED HYDROPONIC SYSTEM

Current study was done for evaluation effect of substrate mixtures and nutrient solutions on growth, yield and chemical characteristics of strawberry (Fragaria×ananassa) cv. Festival in soilless culture system. Planting was done on 1st week of October during the two winter seasons of 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 under unheated double-span plastic house conditions, Central Laboratory for Agricultural Climate (CLAC), Agricultural Research Center (ARC). Experimental treatments consisted of three substrate mixtures perlite: peat moss (1:1v/v) (M1), perlite: vermicompost (4:1v/v) (M2), and perlite: plant compost (4:1v/v) (M3) and three nutrient solutions (vermicompost-tea, animal compost-tea and mineral nutrition (control). The tested factors were arranged in factorial design with three replicates. Measured traits were number of leaves, plant height, leaf chlorophyll reading, leaf area, early and total yield, number of fruits, average number of fruit and N, P, and K percentage content of the fourth leaf. The results show that these vegetative growth parameters, yield and leaf chemical contents responded and positively significantly to using perlite: peat-moss under this investigation. Furthermore, using mineral solution had significant effects on all measured characteristics. While, using perlite: peat-moss combined with mineral had the highest values of all measured. Adding, using perlite: peat-moss combined with vermicompost-tea was affected in plant height and leaf area. These results were reported during the two seasons.