-8-


17. Albregts, E. E., and C. M. Howard. 1985. Strawberry transplant quality for
 the fruit production field. Dover AREC Research Report DOV-1985-2. 4 pp.

 The quality of the strawberry transplant determines to a large extent its
 fruiting capability. Quality factors which are normally visible include the
 amount of foliage and its color, foliage diseases, root volume and color, and
 crown size. Hidden quality factors are amount of nursery chilling, length of
 storage in a cooler, and internal disease infections. Quality factors which
 may or may not be noticeable are nematode and mite infections, pesticide
 damage, excessive wilting or stress from time of digging to plant
 establishment, and plants which have gone through a 'heat' in transit and/or
 in storage. All of these factors can reduce plant growth and fruit yield.

18. Albregts, E. E., and C. M. Howard. 1986. Effect of runner removal on
 strawberry fruiting response. HortScience 21(1):97-98.

 Using the annual hill cultural system, runners of 2 strawberry cultivars were
 removed twice monthly, monthly, or left on the plants during each of 2 seasons,
 An additional treatment was the transplanting of runners into the planting
 slits of the original transplants followed by removal of the original
 transplants when the runners became established. 'Tufts' produced 2 to 8 times
 more runners than 'Dover', over a 2 to 3 month period instead of one month
 as with 'Dover'. Early marketable yields of 'Tufts' were reduced each season
 when runners remained attached to the fruiting plants, and the total
 marketable yield was reduced for the 2nd season as well. Yields were reduced
 because of fewer marketable-size fruit. 'Dover' yields were unaffected by
 runner removal treatments. Early and total marketable fruit yields of the
 runner plants of both cultivars were reduced each season compared to other
 treatments. Early yields of 'Dover' were greater than those of 'Tufts'.

19. Albregts, E. E., and C. M. Howard. 1986. Response of strawberries to
 soil and foliar fertilizer rates. HortScience 21(5):1140-1142.

 A 3 x 3 factorial study of soil and foliar-applied N, P, and K fertilizer
 was conducted on 'Dover' and 'Tufts' strawberries (Fragaria X ananassa
 Duch.) using the annual hill cultural system. Rates of soil-applied
 fertilizer were: a) 0, b) 112N-12P-93K, and c) 224N-24P-186K (kg/ha-1). Rates
 of weekly foliar fertilizer applications were a) 0, b) 1.20N-0.54P-1.02K, and
 c) 2.40N-1.08P-2.04K (kg/ha-1). Increasing rates of soil-applied fertilizer
 increased fruit yields, fruit number, foliar N and K, plant size, and
 foliage color. Rates of foliar N, P, and K had much less effect than soil-
 applied fertilizer. The greatest plant response to foliar fertilization was
 with inadequate rates of soil fertilizer. Foliage damage was evident with
 foliar fertilization, and damage was greatest' with'-t'hethfiight-foii.r-'aS&te.

20. Albregts, E. E., and C. M. Howard. 1986. Supplemental foliar fertilization
 of fruiting strawberries. Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 99:329-331.

 A foliar fertilization experiment was conducted on fruiting strawberries
 (Fragaria X ananassa Duch.) at AREC-Dover during the 1983-84 season.
 Fumigated and polyethylene-mulched beds were fertilized with 200N-16P-155K
 lb./acre of dry fertilizer prior to mulch application. Locally grown-'Dover'
 and 'Tufts' plants were set on 12 Oct. 1983. Foliar fertilizer was applied
 from 15 Nov. 1983 through 10 Apr. 1984. The rate at each application
 (1 x = 0.28M-0.09P-0.10K lb./acre) and frequency of application were: