The effect of plant biochemical regulators on strawberry production in field trials under drip irrigation management at 5 locations in Norway

In the period from 1996-1999, strawberry field trials have been carried out under drip irrigation management at The Plant Biocentre (PBC) in Trondheim. Different cultivars (Korona, Bounty and Polka) were tested by applying plant biochemical regulators (PBR). New trial fields were established at Strand, (Sør-Trøndelag) and on Askøy (Hordaland) in 1998, and two large-scale trial fields at Lensvik (Sør-Trøndelag) and Tornes (Mør- og Romsdal) in 1999. Depending on the cultivar, vegetative growth, berry morphology and yield were substantially affected. In Trondheim in 1997, an increase in yield for Korona (30 %) and Bounty (15 %) were recorded. Analyses of soluble sugars, pH and titratable acidity indicated that no changes in marketable fruit quality could be observed.