Cell size in trays for the production of strawberry plug transplants

The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of cell sizes used for strawberry plug production in trays compared to bare root transplants, regarding initial plant size, harvest timing, and total strawberry fruit yield. Plug transplants were produced from runner tips rooted in trays with cell sizes of 26.5, 50, 100 and 150 cm³ filled with Plantmax HA organic substrate. Bare root transplants (control) were produced in a closed soilless system using sand as substrate. A randomized block design was used, with four replicates with 16 plants per plot. Bare root transplants and plug transplants from 100-cm³ cells had larger crown and higher leaf and root dry mass. Early fruit yield was higher in plants propagated from plugs than in those propagated from bare root transplants. Spring and total fruit yield did not differ among treatments, with an average yield of 435 and 874 g per plant, respectively. Earlier strawberry fruit yield was obtained by using plug transplants, even from trays with small cells of 26.5 or 50 cm³.

Obstruction of drippers as a result of application of moisturized whitewash in irrigation water

Plug dynamics of non compensate drip tubes were evaluated, by the precipitation of moisturized whitewash [Ca(OH)2], which is used in the fertigation for the bulb pH control of the trademarks Azud, Amanco, Naandan, Netafim, Petroisa, Queen Gil, with flow rate varying between 0.4 to 3.0 L h-1 usually used in the country. For this matter, increasing doses of Ca(OH)² were applied in the irrigation water, from 0.01 g L-1 to 1.84 g L-1. The flow rate of each drip tube was measured in intervals of time initially of 7 days, later of 15 days of system operation, totaling a time of 100 days of operation, corresponding to nine applications or 432 hours. The coefficient of variation (CV), and relative rate flow (Qr) were evaluated. The results pointed differences among the evaluated emitter regarding the occurrence of the clogging, and the models G2 and G5 presented the smallest levels of flow rate variation comparing to the models G6, G7 and G9.