How strawberry plants cope with limited phosphorus supply: Nursery‐crop formation and phosphorus and nitrogen uptake dynamics |
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| Authors: | Hong Li Tingxian Li Gang Fu Kelin Hu |
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| Institution: | 1. Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Science, Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Haikou, Hainan 571101 China;2. Former Research Chair, Nova Scotia Agricultural College, Department of Plant and Animal Sciences. Truro, Nova Scotia, B2N 5E3 Canada;3. Danzhou Scientific Observation and Agro‐Environmental Experimental Station, Chinese Ministry of Agriculture, Danzhou 571737 China;4. Ministry of Environment, Parks and Sustainable Development of Quebec, Sustainable Development Services, Quebec City, Quebec, G1R 5. 5V7 Canada;6. Former Visiting Professor, Nova Scotia Agricultural College. Permanent address: Guangzhou University, Department of Physics. Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006 China;7. China Agricultural University, Department of Soil and Water Sciences, Beijing 100094, China |
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| Abstract: | Healthy, well‐rooted planting stocks are important for profitable fruit production of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.). Adequate nutrient inputs and crop‐rotation practices are among the most important measures to insure a successful, rapid development of strawberry nursery plants. However, relationships between macronutrient use and strawberry‐nursery‐plant formation in different rotation environments are not well understood. Our objectives were to assess strawberry plant P : N nutrition and nursery development under various limited and unlimited P inputs applied at different growth stages and to examine how nursery plants cope with limited P inputs. The field studies were conducted in a wheat–ryegrass–ryegrass–strawberry (WRRS) system in 2008 and in another corn–ryegrass–ryegrass–strawberry (CRRS) system in 2009 in Nova Scotia, Canada. The nursery crop was cv. Strawberry Festival and the experimental treatments consisted of three mother‐stock P (MSP) rates (0, 6.6, and13.2 P kg ha–1) and five daughter‐plant P (DPP) rates (0, 13.2, 26.4, 39.6, and 52.8 kg P ha–1), representing 0%–125% of the regional recommendations for strawberry nursery. The P treatments were arranged with three blocks in a split‐plot design in each field. The results showed that the effects and interactions of the MSP and DPP treatments were significant (P < 5%) on whole‐plant P and N acquisition and nursery productivity. Two‐year whole‐plant total P and N acquisition varied between (13.2 ± 2.0) kg P ha–1 and (46 ± 7.3) kg N ha–1 (n = 270) in both nursery systems. There was a quadratic regression relationship between nursery runners and daughter plants with plant P and N acquisition (0.33 < R2 < 0.42, P < 5%). Soil pH levels declined with time and were positively correlated with nursery‐plant formation. Too many runners (18–22 per mother stock) might reduce nursery‐plant formation. Limited P inputs (37.5%–62.5% of regular recommendation) might result in a suitable plant P : N ratio (0.12–0.13) and adequate daughter plant‐to‐runner ratios (1.4–1.7) for optimum nursery formation (14–16 daughter plants per mother stock). Nutrient P was the single controlled factor influencing the N acquisition of nursery plants. High P inputs (> 39.6 P ha–1 or > 75% of regular recommendation) may harm the crops. Therefore, this study implies that low‐input horticulture can improve the nutrition management of strawberry nursery. |
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| Keywords: | crop P‐nutrient management limited‐input horticulture nursery‐crop biology plant P– N interactions strawberry‐nursery productivity |
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