Response of Strawberry Plants to Foliar Spraying of Chitosan

Abstract

The study was carried out to investigate the effect of foliar sprayings of chitosan extract (2.5 or 5.0 ml/l) with different number of applications (once, twice or three times) on growth, chlorophyll, mineral content of leaves, some fruit-quality parameters and yield of strawberry during the two successive seasons of 2009/2010 and 2010/2011. Results revealed that all tested foliar applications of chitosan increased all vegetative growth characteristics (plant length, number of leaves/plant, leaf area, root and vegetative growth fresh and dry weights), and yield attributes (fruit weight, early and total yields/plant). However, there was no significant effect for the tested treatments on leaf chlorophyll content and most of fruit quality characters. The most effective treatment in enhancing growth, fruit quality and yield of cold stored strawberry cv. Sweet Charlie was found to be 5.0 ml/l chitosan spraying three times.