Scientia Agricola (2007) 64, 575-581

Regina Célia de Matos Pires, Marcos Vinícius Folegatti, Maria Aparecida de Souza Tanaka, Francisco Antonio Passos, Gláucia Maria Bovi Ambrosano and Emilio Sakai (2007)
Water levels and soil mulches in relation to strawberry diseases and yield in a greenhouse
Scientia Agricola 64 (6), 575-581
Abstract: The occurrence of diseases and its influence on strawberry yield in a greenhouse as well as its association with water management are still not well known. So, the aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of different water levels and soil mulches on strawberry plant health and yield in a greenhouse. The experiment was carried out at Atibaia, State of São Paulo, Brazil, from April to December 1995. The experimental design was a 2 × 3 factorial, in randomized blocks, with five replications, and consisted of two soil mulches and three water levels. The soil mulches consisted of clear or black plastic. Trickle irrigation was applied whenever the soil water potential reached -10, -35 and -70 kPa at a depth of ten centimeters. Cultivar Campinas IAC 2712 was used. Plants grown at a soil water potential of -10 and -35 kPa, with clear plastic mulch provided the best yields. A linear function fitted well considering total yield data and irrigation depths. The equation was y = -233.54 + 1.56x (R² = 0.78). The irrigation level of -70 kPa and the use of black plastic favored a greater incidence of soil-borne diseases late in the harvest season.
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Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
environment - cropping system/rotation
damage/losses/economics

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Phytophthora cactorum	Strawberry (Fragaria)	Brazil (south)
	Verticillium dahliae	Strawberry (Fragaria)	Brazil (south)
	Colletotrichum theobromicola	Strawberry (Fragaria)	Brazil (south)