No abstract

Establishing bare-root transplants in Florida, United States, is an inefficient water-consuming activity. Between 3500 and 5500 m 3 /ha are applied with sprinkler irrigation to lower temperatures around the transplant crown and aid early root development, but more than 97% of the water volume runs off the polyethylene-covered beds. Research has been conducted to evaluate the feasibility of producing containerized (plug) short-day cultivar transplants under Florida conditions, the effect of continuous and intermittent low-volume sprinklers on transplant establishment and the use of kaolin clay to reduce stress on young transplants. Research results demonstrated that growers may have alternatives to reduce water use and pumping costs during strawberry transplant establishment by the following: (a) plug transplants can be produced from mother plants from Florida's subtropical weather without chilling conditioning and still be competitive in the winter market; (b) using continuous and intermittent low-volume sprinkler irrigation saves between 16% and 33% of the water volumes for strawberry establishment; and OPEN ACCESS

Two field studies were conducted to determine whether foliar kaolin clay applications would reduce water volumes during the establishment of bare-root strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa) transplants. Transplant establishment treatments resulted from combinations of duration of sprinkler irrigation and foliar application of kaolin clay were: a) 4 days of sprinkler irrigation, b) 4 days of sprinkler irrigation plus kaolin clay on day 5, c) 6 days of sprinkler irrigation, d) 6 days of sprinkler irrigation plus kaolin clay on day 7, e) 8 days of sprinkler irrigation, f) 8 days of sprinkler irrigation plus kaolin clay on day 9, and g) 10 days of sprinkler irrigation (control). One day of sprinkler irrigation was defined as the application of 8 hours per day of irrigation to ensure plant establishment, using ≈6000 gal/acre per hour of water. Kaolin clay treatments were applied using a rate of 25 lb/acre and on the early morning of the following day after sprinkler irrigation was suspended. Treatments influenced the number of established plants and diameter at 4 and 8 weeks after transplanting (WAT), leaf greenness at 8 WAT, and early and total fruit weight. There were no differences in the number of established plants among treatments that received 10 days of sprinkler irrigation (control), 8 days of sprinkler irrigation followed by kaolin clay on day 9, and 6 days of sprinkler irrigation followed by kaolin clay on day 7, ranged between 97% and 98% plant survival. The highest strawberry early and total fruit weights (3.6 and 15.7 tons/acre, respectively) occurred in plots transplanted with either 6 days of sprinkler irrigation plus kaolin clay on day 7, 8 days of sprinkler irrigation plus kaolin clay on day 9, or 10 days of sprinkler irrigation. These data indicated that the addition to kaolin clay after 6 or 8 days of sprinkler irrigation improved strawberry establishment, growth, and yields to the same levels as the control treatment, while saving at least 20% of the water volume needed for establishment.