Impact of integrated weed management practices on physico-chemical attributes of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) cv. Chandler

Under the study of physico-chemical attributes of strawberry, different weed control treatments were employed for the year 2007–08 which revealed that weed free treatment proved superior in improving the physicochemical attributes of fruit which was at par with black polythene mulch treatment and oxyfluorfen @ 0.55 kg a.i./ha. Maximum fruit length(31.31 mm), fruit diameter (22.70 mm), fruit weight (12.26 g),fruit volume(12.59cc), highest total soluble solids (6.83° Brix), total soluble solids/acid ratio (9.61 per cent), total sugars (4.72 per cent), ascorbic acid (71.05/100 g) of fresh berries were obtained under weed free plots. Black polythene mulch treatment also proved economical with benefit-cost ratio of 1.56 as compared to other weed control methods.