Improving Runner Production, Total yield and Postharvest Quality of Strawberry Fruits using Plant Growth Regulators

Abstract

In this study, different plant growth regulators were tested to improve runner production, total yield and postharvest
quality of strawberry fruits. For this, different concentrations of gibberellic acid (GA3) (50 ppm, 100 ppm), naphthalene
acetic acid (NAA) (40 ppm, 80 ppm) and benzyl adenine (BA) (150 ppm, 300 ppm) were used as foliar sprays along with
only water as control. Experiment was arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications
and data collected was analysed and means were compared. Results showed that maximum survival percentage (100.00),
number of runners per plant (18.77), number of plantlet on each runner (6.88), leaf area (58.45 cm2), chlorophyll content
of leaves (67.87 g/ml), , average number of flowers per plant (28.98), average number of fruits per plant (26.78), fruit
yield per plant (309.78 g), weight of fruit (11.57 g) and size of fruit (15.34 mm) were found in strawberry plants which
were sprayed with GA3 @ 100 ppm. However, maximum number of days to flowering (55.89) and number of days to
harvest (85.76) were observed in strawberry plants which were treated with only water (control). Postharvest quality
parameters like total soluble solids (TSS) (13.21 °Brix), titratable acidity (1.24%), vitamin C (39.12 mg/100 g), ash
content (0.78), total carotenoids (4.92 mg/100 g FW), total anthocyanins (4.05 mg/100 g FW), total flavonoids (9.09
mg/100 g FW), total phenolics (9.12 mg gallic acid/100 g) and antioxidant activity (102.91 μg/100 mg FW) were also
recorded maximum in plants, sprayed with GA3 @ 100 ppm. Based on current findings it can be concluded that GA3 @
100 ppm was found the best plants growth regulator for vegetative growth and postharvest quality attributes of strawberry
as compared to all the other growth regulators tested.