Impact of different mulching material on growth, yield and quality of strawberry (Fragaria X ananassa Duch.)

A field experiment was carried out during 2005–2006 to study the impact of different mulching materials on growth, yield and quality of strawberry. Experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with ten treatments consisting of T₀ control (no mulch), T₁ (Wheat straw), T₂ (Paddy straw) T₃ (Cut grass), T₄ (Green polyethylene), T₅ (Red polyethylene), T₆ (Pine needles), T₇(Black polyethylene), T₈ (Clear polyethylene) and T₉ (Coconut husk) and all the treatments replicated thrice. Results of the investigation revealed that strawberry is very responsive to the different mulching materials. All the treatments improved the vegetative growth, yield and quality of strawberry, but treatment T₈ (Clear polyethylene) gave the best results in terms of plant height (21.10cm), plant spread (28.99cm), petiole length (26.10cm), leaf per plant (11.77), flower per plant (22.76), fruit per plant (18.10), yield (20.44t/ha), length diameter ratio (1.49cm), specific gravity (1.18), juice content (94.35%), total soluble solid (9.00%), total sugar (8.59%), vitamin C (62.65mg per100ml juice) and acidity (69.00%) of strawberry cultivar Sweet Charlie.