Leaf removal and prohexadione-calcium can modify Camarosa strawberry nursery plant morphology for plasticulture fruit production

Mowing and the application of a new gibberellin biosynthesis inhibitor, prohexadione-calcium (ProCa), were studied as methods to modify the bate-root transplant morphology of Camarosa strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne) in a Nova Scotia nursery. The effect these nursery practices had on fruit production in annual hill plasticulture was also determined. In one experiment Camarosa plants were sprayed with ProCa at an active ingredient concentration of 62.5 mg L-1 on Aug. 22, Sep. 05, or Sep. 19, 2001 and 2002, corresponding, respectively, to growing degree days (10 degrees C base) of 800, 894 and 965 in 2001 and 726, 821 and 908 in 2002. Application on Aug. 22 increased production of daughter plants, especially those of marketable size, by increasing the number of daughters per meter of runner and allocating more dry matter to marketable daughters. In a second experiment, field plots were mowed and/or treated with ProCa at an active ingredient concentration of 62.5 mg L-1 on Sep. 05 or Sep. 19, 2001 and 2002. All plants were dug in early October, shipped to Dover, Florida, and transplanted into plasticulture for fruit production. At digging, plants that had been mowed or treated with ProCa on Sep. 05 were reduced in plant height and total leaf area compared with untreated plants. Plants that were treated both with ProCa and mowed were the shortest. Fruit yield was higher from treated than from untreated plants. In 2001, the treatments increased early fruit production.