Fruit Quality and Resistance of Strawberry Cultivars and Hybrids and the Effect of Calcite Fertiliser

Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duchense ex Rozier) is an important horticultural crop grown in Latvia. The aim of this research was to evaluate some newly introduced strawberry cultivars and perspective hybrids and to evaluate the efficiency of natural calcite leaf fertiliser (Megagreen®) on strawberry fruit quality and spread of pests and diseases. The trial was established in 2012 at Pûre, Tukums Municipality. Cultivars ‘Saint Pierre’, ‘Annapolis’, ’Sonata’, ‘Chambly’, ‘Elegance’, ‘Rumba’, ‘Honeoye’, ‘Senga Sengana’ and two hybrids: 35-1 and 39-1 were included in the investigation. Calcite fertiliser was applied four times per season in 2013 and 2014 by spraying on leaves in concentration 0.5%. Strawberries were grown on two row beds with black plastic mulch and drip irrigation. The evaluation was done for two seasons. Most of the evaluated newly introduced cultivars and hybrids had better fruit quality and resistance to diseases than control cultivars. Cultivars ‘Annapolis’, ’Rumba’, ‘Sonata’, ‘Elegance’, and 39-1 were selected as the most promising related to fruit quality and resistance. The application of calcite fertiliser (Megagreen^®) on leaves had no statistically significant effect on strawberry fruit quality and resistance.