University of Jordan - Plant Growth, Nutrient Uptake, and Water Conservation for Strawberry Production
Experiments evaluating strawberry productivity were carried out in greenhouse plots at the University of Jordan using silty clay loam soil media with addition of manure.
H2OLD ® amendments improved water retention of the soil, due to increased infiltration and permeability.
H2OLD ® enhanced plant growth and provided nutrients for plant uptake, even when greenhouse irrigation and fertilizer applications were reduced 20%.
- Strawberry yield and plant height increased, while mortality decreased.
- Plant nutrient content was significantly increased for N, P, Mg, Ca, and Fe; indicating that these macro- and micronutrients were more available in the root zone.
Table 1: Average Percent Increases Between Treated and Untreated Strawberry Beds for standard irrigation and fertilizer rate, and for 20% less than the standard rates.
| 100% Irrigation and Fertilizer | 80% Irrigation and Fertilizer | |
|---|---|---|
|
Yield |
71.4 | 59.2 |
|
Plant Height |
24.4 | 21.5 |
|
Mortality |
-81.9 | -53.7 |
|
N |
38.9 | 2.6 |
|
P |
4.0 | 7.6 |
|
Mg |
8.9 | 6.7 |
|
Ca |
26.0 | 1.3 |
|
Fe |
4.0 | 4.1 |
|
Zn |
16.7 | -- |