The Effect of Rooting Date on Fruit Production in the Strawberry

The crops harvested from maiden plants of Redgauntlet, Cambridge Vigour and Cambridge Favourite, rooted at intervals from April to November, have been examined in detail. Total crop decreased with later rooting dates, but average berry weight increased. This is attributed to the initiation of potentially larger receptacles on the flowers, to a higher proportion of primary flowers and to better berry development on the later-rooted plants. Usually the heavier total yield of early-rooted runners was due to the production of greater numbers of smaller berries, which adversely affected the profitability of the crop.

The actual yield of the plants examined was only one half to two-thirds of the possible yield had all the flowers initiated produced full-sized berries. The shortfall has been examined and attributed to a serious failure of some flowers to produce berries of any sort, coupled with poor berry development resulting in the formation of fruits that were only two-thirds to four-fifths of their possible size. Fields for study are indicated that offer the prospect of substantial increases in yields.