Horticultural Science and Technology ISSN:1226-8763(Print) 2465-8588(Online) 원예과학기술지

This study was carried out to investigate the controlling effects of volumetric water content (VWC) in a medium consisted of peat moss and perlite (7:3, v/v) on the growth of mother plants and occurrence and growth of daughter plants in ‘Seolhyang’ strawberry propagation. The medium was treated with a solution of 20-20-20 compound fertilizer (20-20-20 + 2MgO + micronutrients) with the concentration of 250 mg·L^-1 N as a pre-planting fertilizer. Each of the square shaped containers [64.3 cm (L) × 23.5 cm (W) × 17 cm (H)] were filled with the root medium and four mother plants were transplanted, then all the containers were placed in a glasshouse. VWC of the medium was measured by GS3 moisture sensor and the treatment set-up points in VWC were 30, 39, 48, 57, and 66%. When the VWC was lower than the value set in each treatment, the nutrient solution was supplied for 5 minutes. On the 110 days after the transplanting, the growth of mother plants as well as the occurrence and growth of daughter plants were investigated. The growth of mother plants in plant height, fresh and dry weights all indexes except leaf width and SPAD value were significantly influenced by the VWC set-points. As the VWC set-points were elevated from 30% to 66%, the plant heights, petiole lengths and fresh weights tended to get longer and heavier. Petiole lengths in the treatments of 57% or 66% showed 4 cm longer than those in the treatments of 48% or lower in VWC set-points. The elevation of VWC set-points also influenced significantly on the number of daughter plants occurred from mother plants and their fresh weights with the increasing tendencies. The drastic increases were also observed in number and length of runners per mother plant when the VWC set-points were raised from 48% to 57%. The amount of fertilizer solution supplied to each plant per day increased drastically when the VWC set-points were 48% or higher compared to 30 or 39%. In conclusion, the higher the VWC set points, the better the growth of mother and daughter plants. However, considering the nutrient and water consumption, it is reasonable to control VWC set-point to 57%.