Efficacy of various mulches for modulation of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) yield, quality and shelf life

doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-5313513/v1

High temperature and low moisture-holing capacity in soil are one of the major constraints for strawberry production under southeastern region, particularly in subtropical climate of Rajasthan. To mitigate these challenges, the current experiment was conducted to examine the impact of different mulching materials on strawberry (Fragaria x ananassaDuch.) cv. Camarosa on yield, quality and shelf life of strawberry fruits under southeastern region of Rajasthan. The application of black polyethylene mulch significantly improved the plant height, the number of leaves per plant, number of stolon’s per plant, berry weight, berry length, berry width, soluble solid content, TSS: acid ratio, juice content, vitamin C, reducing sugar, non-reducing sugar, total sugars, anthocyanin, as well as leaf nitrogen, leaf phosphorus, leaf potassium content. It also resulted low acidity compared to control. On the other hand the use of wheat straw reduced weight loss, and fruit spoilage, while enhancing the shelf life of fruits as compared to black polyethylene mulch. Hence, it can be concluded from the present investigation that the application of black polyethylene mulch significantly improved the vegetative growth, physio-chemical properties and leaf nutrients composition of strawberry plants followed by silver black polyethylene mulch. Meanwhile, organic mulches (wheat straw & paddy straw) significantly reduced the weight loss, minimized fruit spoilage and improved the shelf life of the fruits.

Horticulture

Anthocyanin

Fruit length

Leaf nitrogen

Leaf phosphorus

Silver black polyethylene mulch

Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) is one of the most important fruit crops of the world belong to Rosaceace family and originated from France. In India, the area under cultivation for strawberries is progressively growing as a result of these benefits in marketing and production. Many traders import a lot of strawberries from various other nations to meet the growing demand in our local market. It is grown for commercial use in Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Nilgiri Hills, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan in India. This crop has been more and more popular lately among farmers in the Northeastern states, particularly in Sikkim, Meghalaya, and Mizoram. The mulching is a practice, which helps in proper growth and development of the plants by modifying soil temperature, by providing better nutrient availability and by better moisture conservation (Shukla et al. 2021). Black polythene and FYM 100% significantly improved the qualitative parameters of strawberry fruits (Singh et al. 2022). Mulches have been shown to increase yield of strawberry of fruits (Das et al. 2007; Kher et al. (2010) and Bakshi et al. (2014). The physical and qualitative attributes of chandler strawberry were increased under black polythene mulch (Shukla et al. 2023). It has been discovered that various mulching techniques significantly reduce soil temperatures and enhance the vegetative growth, physical traits, and biochemical properties of strawberries. Organic and inorganic mulches serve distinct purposes in strawberry cultivation (Sharma et al. 2024). Organic mulches, such as banana leaves, straw, wood chips and compost are popular for their ability to enhance soil health and protect strawberry plants. They excel at moisture retention, reducing weed competition, and regulating soil temperature, all of which are crucial for successful strawberry growth (Bakshi et al. 2014; Bakshi et al. 2014). Organic mulches also contribute organic matter as they break down, enriching the soil over time and shelf life of fruits by reducing the weight loss and the fruit spoilage. Moreover, they offer protection to the berries by keeping them clean and free from soil splashes, which can lead to fruit decay (Ali et al. 2007). The following goals of the current experiment were designed with the aforementioned facts in mind to determine the “Effect of Different Mulching Materials on the Growth, Yield and shelf life of Camarosa Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa)”.

2.1 Study site

The present experiment was out at the Horticulture Research Farm, Career Point University, Kota, Rajasthan, during the year 2023-2024. The experimental site was located at 25.18° N to 75.83° E Latitude in South Eastern Rajasthan. Agro-climatically, the district falls in Zone V, known as Humid South Eastern Plain. The average rainfall in the region is 660.6 mm. Maximum temperature range in the summer is 40 to 48° C and minimum 1.0-2.6° C during winter.

2.2 Soil status

Soil of the experimental field was sandy loam in texture having pH: 8.2, organic carbon: 0.12%, available N: 110.50 kg/ha, phosphorus: 40.50 kg/ha and potassium: 190.40 kg/ha. Soil was thoroughly ploughed and raised beds of 25 cm height, 1.5 m in length and 2.0 m width were prepared at a distance of 45 cm.

2.3 Selection of plant

Healthy and disease free runners of ‘Camarosa’ strawberry were planted on 3^rd October, 2023 at a distance of 30 cm × 45 cm. five plants were selected and marked with metal tag for recording observation.

2.4 Estimation of parameters

2.4.1 Vegetative attributes

The height of plant was measured with a measuring scale from the crown level to the apex of primary leaves and results were expressed in centimeters. Data on number of leaves were recorded from ten plants of two rows in the center of the each bed and results were expressed as leaf number per plant (Bakshi et al. 2014). Number of runners per plant, was measured as per the methodology described by Yadav et al. (2020).

2.4.2 Physical attributes

To ascertain the berry weight, ten berries from each treatment were randomly selected and average weight of berry was recorded on electronic balance and expressed as mean fruit weight in gram. The length ten randomly selected fruits from each replication was measured from calyx plug to the pointed end or apex of the fruit. The results were expressed as millimeters (Bakshi et al. 2014).

2.4.3 Total soluble solids and acidity

Total soluble solids (TSS) of the fruits were measured using a hand refractometer (Atago Co. Ltd., Tokyo; Japan) and the outcomes were expressed as percentage. The fruit acidity was determined by sodium hydroxide titration method (Haghshenas et al. 2020) and the results were expressed as percentage. TSS/Acid ratio was calculated by dividing total soluble solids (TSS) by titratable acidity.

2.4.4 Juice

Juice percentage of ripe fruits was estimated after crushing and squeezing with muslin cloth and expressed as percentage (Pandey et al. 2015).

2.4.5 Vitamin C

To measure the vitamin C content of the fruit, 1 g of strawberry fruit was extracted using 5 mL of 10% trichloroacetic acid. The extract was centrifuged at 3500 rpm for 20 min. 0.5 Ml of supernatant was removed and 1 ml of 6 mM ditrophenylhydrazine was added and placed in a 37° C water bath for 3 h. After removing the samples from the water bath, 0.75 mL of 65% cold sulfuric acid was added and allowed to stand in the water bath for 30 min at 30° C. After cooling the samples to room temperature, their absorbance was read at 520 nm using a spectrophotometer. Ascorbic acid content was measured according to the standard curve prepared with ascorbic acid and expressed as mg 100 g^-1 fresh weight (Haghshenas et al. 2020).

2.4.6 Sugar content

The sugars content in strawberry fruits including (reducing, non-reducing and total sugars) was measured by the standard protocols outlined by (AOAC, 2005) and the outcomes were expressed as percentage.

2.4.7 Anthocyanin

Total anthocyanin content extract was prepared by the method defined by Rababah et al. (2010), and total anthocyanin content was calculated according to Rabino and Mancinelli (1986) and the results were expressed as mg/100g.

2.4.8 Leaf nutrients composition

The leaf nutrient composition in strawberry was estimated by the protocols described by (Kachwaya and Chandel, 2016) and the results were expressed as percentage.

2.4.9 Post harvest attributes

Postharvest attributes of strawberry fruits viz., weight loss, spoilage and shelf life was measured by the methodology provided by Tariq et al. (2016)

2.5 Experimental details and data analysis

The experiment was carried out in 2023-24 using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with nine treatments viz.: paddy straw (T₁), black polyethylene mulch (T₂), silver black polyethylene mulch (T₃), saw dust (T₄), wheat straw (T₅), cut grass (T₆), transparent polythene (T₇), newspaper mulch (T₈) and control (T₉) with three replications. All the treatments were replicated thrice. The watering was done for seven continuous days with watering cane and gap filling was done up to one week. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) using the statistical analysis software (SPSS) version 22.0 for Windows. The Tukey HSD test was utilized to compare means with differences considered significant at the (p≤0.05).

3.1 Plant height

The data highlighted in (Table 1) showed significant variation in plant height under different mulch treatments. Among the different mulches tested, the maximum height of plant was observed in plants treated with black polyethylene mulch (24.54cm), followed by silver-black mulch. However, the minimum height of plants was recorded in control (14.32cm). The increase in plant height under black polyethylene mulch might be due to the favourable environment it creates, including reduced soil moisture loss, suppressed weed emergence, increased nitrogen availability, nutrient recycling, and the addition of organic matter to the soil (Qureshi et al. 2012; Soliman et al. 2015).

3.2 Number of leaves per plant

The significance difference was observed in number of leaves per plant under different mulches (Table 1). The highest number of leaves per plant was recorded in the plants under black polyethylene mulch (22.88), followed by silver black mulch (21.75). Plants without any mulch (control) had the minimum number leaves per plant (16.88). The black polyethylene mulch may have conserved more soil moisture and temperature, as well as reduced nutrient loss by suppressing weed growth. These results are in agreement with the findings of Ali and Radwan (2008), and Bakshi et al. (2014), who reported similar results in strawberry plants cv. Chandler.

3.3 Number of runners per plant

The data in Table 1 clearly indicate significant effects of mulching material on number of runners per plant. The highest number of runners (3.77) per plant was observed in plants under black polyethylene much, followed by silver-black mulch. In contrast, plants without any mulch (control) produced a significantly lower number of runners (1.22) per plant. The maximum number of runners/plant under black polyethylene mulch may be attributed to the reduction in weed population and the physical barrier to photosynthetic activity created by the mulch. Similar results were recorded in strawberries, where plants mulched with black polyethylene showed the maximum number of runners per plant (Ali and Gaur, 2013).

3.4 Berry weight

The application of various mulches significantly improved the fruit weight of strawberries (Table 1). Plants treated with black polythene mulch produced the maximum fruit weight (36.77g) followed by plants under silver-black mulch. However, the plants under control (without mulch) produced minimum fruit weight (26.55g). The improvement in fruit weight could be attributed to the fact that these treatments promoted better vegetative growth and flower development, which resulted in a higher number of flowers and an increased berry set percentage. This effect may also be due to improved water retention in the soil, enhanced uptake of nutrients and water, and an increase in photosynthetic activity, all of which contributed to the greater fruit weight. Similar results, with larger fruits resulting from mulching with black polythene, have also been reported by Mathad and Jholgiker (2005) and Kumar et al. (2012).

3.5 Berry length

The mean berry length of strawberry fruits varied across different mulch treatments, indicating that the type of mulch used had a significant impact on berry development (Table 1). The maximum berry size (53.44mm), was produced in plants under black polyethylene mulch, followed by silver black mulch as compared to other treatments. On the other hand, the smallest berry size (45.66 mm) was produced in plants under control (without any mulch). The increase in fruit size observed in present investigation might be attributed to the enhanced photosynthetic ability of plants under black polyethylene mulch, which in turn may have promoted increased dry matter accumulation. The improvement in strawberry fruit length was also noted by Pandey et al. (2015).

3.6 Berry width

The data highlighted in (Table 1) showed significant variation in strawberry width under various mulching materials. Among the different mulch treatments, the plants under black polyethylene mulch produced maximum berry width (43.04mm), followed by silver black mulch, while the plants in the control group (without mulch) produced smallest width (35.09mm). The increase strawberry fruit width under black polyethylene mulch might be due to the enhancement in both fruit length and width. The another reason for improvement in fruit width could be better plant growth due to favorable hydrothermal regime of soil and completely weed free environment (Singh et al. 2006; Pandey et al. 2015).

3.7 Soluble solid and titratable acidity content

The application of various mulches significantly improved the soluble solid content and reduced titratable acidity content in strawberry fruits compared to control (Table 2). Among the different mulching materials tested, black polyethylene mulch showed the highest soluble solid (9.33%) and the lowest titratable acidity content (0.31%) compared to control, where the lowest soluble solid content (6.91%) and maximum titratable acidity content (0.70%) were recorded. The improvement in soluble solid content and reduction in titratable acidity content are related to a weed free environment, higher moisture conservation and maximum nutrient uptake under black polythene mulch treatment. These results align with the findings of Singh et al. (2007).

3.8 TSS: acid ratio

The results revealed significant variations in the TSS: acid ratio among the different mulching treatments (Table 2). The highest TSS: acid ratio was observed in strawberry fruits grown with black polyethylene mulch (30.10), followed by silver black mulch (26.94). On the other hand, plants in the control group (without any mulch) exhibited the lowest minimum TSS: acid ratio (9.87). These findings suggest that black polyethylene mulch and silver black mulch may enhance the sweetness of the strawberry fruits, as indicated by the higher TSS values relative to the acid content. These results are in conformity with the findings of Kumar et al. (2018), where black polyethylene mulch significantly improved the TSS: acid ratio in strawberry fruits.

3.9 Juice and vitamin C content

The juice and vitamin C content in strawberry fruits was significantly improved by the application of various mulches as compared to control (Table 2). The application of black polyethylene mulch significantly improved the juice and vitamin C content in strawberry fruits, where maximum amount of juice (89.10 %) and vitamin C (56.78 mg/100 gm) content was recorded, followed by plant under silver black polyethylene mulch. However, the minimum juice (72.34%) and vitamin C (40.23 mg/100 gm) content was recorded in the control (plant without any mulch). Black polyethylene mulch improves soil moisture retention in strawberry fields, resulting in larger, juicier fruits compared to non-mulched fields. It enhances vitamin C content by raising soil temperature and boosting plant metabolism, but extreme heat can reduce this benefit. Mulch also improves light exposure, aiding photosynthesis and ascorbic acid production. Effective irrigation and temperature management are essential to optimize these benefits without overwatering or overheating. Black polythene enhanced the fruit juice and vitamin C content in strawberry were also recorded by Pandey et al. (2016).

3.10 Sugars content

The data highlighted in (table 2) showed a significant improvement in reducing, non-reducing and total sugars content in strawberry fruits. The plants under black polythene mulch noted maximum reducing (4.11%), non-reducing (0.78%) and total sugars (4.89%) content, followed by plants under silver black polyethylene mulch as compared to the rest of treatments. However, the plants under control (plants without any mulch). Among the mulches tested, black polyethylene mulch appears to be the most effective in increasing reducing, non-reducing and sugars contents, followed by silver black polyethylene mulch. This suggests that these mulches might contribute to the accumulation of sugars in strawberry fruits, potentially enhancing their flavor and sweetness. Similar observations have been reported on reducing sugar (Das et al. 2007), non-reducing sugar and total sugars. Highest sugar content in strawberry cv. Winter Dawn was recorded under black polyethylene mulches (Singh et al. 2023).

3.11 Anthocyanin content

Anthocyanin content in strawberry fruits were significantly altered by the application of various mulches (Table 2). The maximum anthocyanin (38.92 mg/100gm) content in strawberry fruits was recorded in plants under black polythene mulch as compared to rest of the treatments. On the other hand, the minimum anthocyanin (29.08 mg/100gm) content was recorded in plants under control. The improvement in anthocyanin content of strawberry fruits might be due to the higher moisture, and nutrient availability, higher root activities including higher uptake of water and nutrients, high photosynthesis and other enzymatic activities. Similar outcomes were also obtained by Pandey et al. (2016), where the black polyethylene mulch significantly enhanced the anthocyanin content in strawberry cv. Winter dawn.

3.12 Leaf nutrient composition

A significant variation was recorded in leaf nutrients composition of strawberry under different mulches (Fig. 1A, B & C). The plants under black polyethylene mulch recorded maximum nitrogen (3.20 %), phosphorus (0.48 %) and potassium (2.27 %) content in the leaf, which was followed by silver black polyethylene mulch than the other mulches. On the other hands, plants without any mulch (control) noted significantly minimum nitrogen (2.48 %), phosphorus (0.22 %) and potassium (1.55 %) content in the strawberry leaf. Black polyethylene mulch creates a warmer soil microenvironment, which accelerates root growth and enhances the plant’s overall nutrient absorption capabilities. The mulch helps maintain a stable soil structure, reduces compaction, and improves root aeration, all of which contribute to efficient nutrient uptake, including NPK. Moreover, black polyethylene mulch prevents nutrient runoff and minimizes nutrient losses through erosion or evaporation.

3.13 Shelf life

The postharvest shelf life of strawberry fruits were significantly influenced by the application of various mulches (Fig. 2 A, B & C). The shelf life of strawberry fruits was highest in organic mulches as compared to other mulches. The minimum weight loss (30.11%), spoilage (44.54%) and maximum shelf life (3.1 days) of strawberry fruits was recorded under wheat straw, followed by the application of paddy straw as compared to the rest of treatments. However, the maximum weigh loss (50.98%), spoilage (69.77%) and minimum shelf life (1.8 days) was recorded in plants under black polyethylene mulch. The increase in weight loss in strawberry fruit produced under plastic mulches could be due to high soil temperature which affects the growth inhibitory hormone and ethylene stress might be increased under high soil temperature produced by these mulches (Tariq et al. 2016).

It can be concluded from the present investigation that the application of various organic and inorganic mulches significantly improved the vegetative, physio-chemical properties, and shelf life of strawberry fruits. Among the different mulches, plants grown under black polythene mulch showed the greatest improvement in plant height, number of leaves per plant, number of runners per plant, berry weight, berry diameter, soluble solids content, acidity, TSS: acid ratio, juice content, vitamin C, sugars, anthocyanin content, and leaf nutrient composition. Meanwhile, the application of wheat straw mulch reduced weight loss, decreased fruit spoilage, and improved the shelf life of the fruits. Further investigation is needed to explore how organic mulches can enhance the shelf life of fruits without compromising their quality attributes, and to identify the specific microorganisms responsible for fruit spoilage.

No conflict of interest

Acknowledgment

All the authors are thankful to Career Point University for providing necessary facilities during the experiments.

Data availability statement

The data generated or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Table 1: Influence of various mulches on vegetative and physical characteristics of strawberry.

Treatment	Height of plant (cm)	Number of leaves per plant	Number of runners per plant	Berry weight (g)	Berry length (mm)	Berry width (mm)
Paddy straw	17.11 ± 0.14^c	20.65 ± 0.20^c	2.54 ± 0.02^c	31.55 ± 0.38^cd	51.56 ± 0.46^ab	41.98 ± 0.38^ab
Silver black mulch	22.34 ± 0.19^b	21.75 ± 0.21^b	3.21 ± 0.02^b	34.23 ± 0.41^b	50.06 ± 0.45^bc	42.67 ± 0.38^a
Black mulch	24.54 ± 0.20^a	22.88 ± 0.22^a	3.77 ± 0.03^a	36.77 ± 0.44^a	53.44 ± 0.48^a	43.04 ± 0.39a
Saw dust	15.50 ± 0.13^e	18.50 ± 0.18^d	2.30 ± 0.02^d	32.87 ± 0.40^bc	49.67 ± 0.44^bc	40.33 ± 0.36^bc
Wheat straw	16.19 ± 0.13d^e	19.10 ± 0.18^d	2.53 ± 0.02^c	31.65 ± 0.38^cd	47.87 ± 0.43^cde	39.87 ± 0.36^c
Cut grass	16.82 ± 0.14^cd	20.23 ± 0.20^c	2.10 ± 0.02^e	30.34 ± 0.37^d	48.43 ± 0.43^cd	41.76 ± 0.38^abc
Transparent polythene	15.50 ± 0.13^e	18.77 ± 0.18^d	1.95 ± 0.02^f	29.88 ± 0.36^d	49.56± 0.44^cd	42.23 ± 0.38^ab
Newspaper mulch	16.82 ± 0.14^cd	18.58 ± 0.18^d	1.77 ± 0.01^g	31.67 ± 0.38^cd	46.78 ± 0.42^bc	41.76 ± 0.37^abc
Control	14.32 ± 0.12^f	16.88 ± 0.16^e	1.22 ± 0.00^h	26.55 ± 0.32^e	45.66 ± 0.41^e	35.09 ± 0.31^d
Tukey HSD (p≤0.05)	0.74	0.95	0.10	2.00	2.30	1.90

Table 2: Influence of various mulches on bio-chemical attributes of strawberry.

Treatment	TSS (%)	Acidity	TSS: acid ratio	Juice %	Vitamin C (mg/100 gm)	Reducing sugar (%)	Non-reducing sugar (%)	Total sugars (%)	Anthocyanin (mg/100g)
Paddy straw	8.00 ± 0.06^c	0.42 ± 0.00^g	19.05 ± 0.16^c	80.23 ± 0.77^bc	51.23 ± 0.39^d	3.10 ± 0.03^f	0.67 ± 0.00^ef	3.77 ± 0.03^e	35.43 ± 0.25^cd
Silver black mulch	8.89 ± 0.06^b	0.33 ± 0.00^h	26.94 ± 0.23^b	87.23 ± 0.84^a	55.23 ± 0.42^ab	3.98 ± 0.03^ab	0.74 ± 0.00^b	4.72 ± 0.03^ab	37.34 ± 0.27^b
Black mulch	9.33 ± 0.06^a	0.31 ± 0.00ⁱ	30.10 ± 0.25^a	89.10 ± 0.85^a	56.78 ± 0.44^a	4.11 ± 0.03^a	0.78 ± 0.00^a	4.89 ± 0.04^a	38.92 ± 0.28^a
Saw dust	7.88 ± 0.06^cd	0.47 ± 0.00^e	16.77 ± 0.14^e	78.87 ± 0.76^bc	44.34 ± 0.34^f	3.33 ± 0.02^d	0.70 ± 0.00^cd	4.03 ± 0.03^d	33.56 ± 0.24^e
Wheat straw	7.65 ± 0.05^de	0.49 ± 0.00^d	15.61 ± 0.13^f	77.45 ± 0.74^c	46.80 ± 0.35^e	3.78 ± 0.03^c	0.66 ± 0.00^f	4.44 ± 0.03^c	34.76 ± 0.25^de
Cut grass	7.77 ± 0.05^cde	0.44 ± 0.00^f	17.66 ± 0.15^d	82.22 ± 0.79^b	52.76 ± 0.41^cd	3.26 ± 0.02^de	0.68 ± 0.00^def	3.94 ± 0.03^de	37.12 ± 0.26^b
Transparent polythene	7.55 ± 0.05^e	0.51 ± 0.00^c	14.80 ± 01.2^g	77.66 ± 0.74^c	53.54 ± 0.41^bc	3.88 ± 0.03^bc	0.69 ± 0.00^cde	4.57 ± 0.03^bc	36.55 ± 0.26^bc
Newspaper mulch	7.20 ± 0.05^f	0.56 ± 0.00^b	12.86 ± 0.11^h	79.87 ± 0.77^bc	50.88 ± 0.39^d	3.14 ± 0.02^ef	0.71 ± 0.00^c	3.85 ± 0.03^e	33.87 ± 0.24^e
Control	6.91 ± 0.05^g	0.70 ± 0.00^a	9.87 ± 0.08ⁱ	72.34 ± 0.69^d	40.23 ± 0.30^g	2.20 ± 0.01^g	0.60 ± 0.00^g	2.80 ± 0.02^f	29.08 ± 0.21^f
Tukey HSD (p≤0.05)	0.28	0.02	0.80	3.83	1.92	0.14	0.03	0.17	1.24

Note: Mean with same alphabets do not vary significantly (p≤0.05).

The authors declare no competing interests.

Efficacy of various mulches for modulation of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) yield, quality and shelf life

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Abstract

Figures

1. Introduction

2. Materials And Methods

3. Results

4. Conclusion

Declarations

References

Tables

Additional Declarations

Status:

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