HALL HUNTER PARTNERSHIP

UNITED KINGDOM

International Horticulture and Management Programme

Bachelor for International Horticulture and Management Programme

Markos, Octavian

University of Applied Sciences, CAH Dronten

2014

The importance of irrigation and fertilizers for the strawberry

variety “Sweet Eve”

Markos OctavianDronten, 28/08/2014

International Horticultural ManagementUniversity of Applied Sciences, CAH Dronten

“The doctrines presented in this document are the exclusiveresponsibility of the author”

I Abstract

The present paper was conducted on behalf of Hall Hunter Partnership and presents the use of irrigation on a variety of strawberry plants (Sweet Eve), created and developed by Edward Vinson. Sweet Eve is an important variety for Hall Hunter Partnership, being grown on many fields for its great quality, high yield and shelf life.

This study had as purpose to track, monitor and evaluate the dynamics of nutrient uptake by strawberry plants grown under field conditions, storage and remobilization by soilless and soil grown plants. The portioning and uptake of nutrients were determined by successive analysis sets of water, substrate material, soil samples and parts of plant organs of the grown variety. The analysis samples were taken at different developing stages, following the evolution of the main nutrients and elements used for the present strawberry plant. The content and uptake of minerals in the samples were monitored to have a better understanding about the feeding requirements of this variety (Sweet Eve).

It was very important to follow and maintain the EC and pH levels within target limits, be aware of the deficiencies or lack of uptake by the plants, adjusting the fertilizers used so there would be efficient use of the resources. The quality of the water used is also very important, monitoring the drip-in and out sum to be in the proper limits required for growing the crop, using the water resources in an efficient way.

Seeking the optimum requirements and characteristics necessary to obtain the best results, the influence of the irrigation method, nutrients and local conditions, it is important to see which method of growing is more efficient – growing on soil or growing on substrate.

Before being enrolled at the International Horticulture and Management Course I was aware of plant sciences in a broad sense, but my previous studies do not overlap completely with the ones from CAH Vilentum.

It was a chance for me, by taking part in this course, to find out more about this important domain for our society.

Plant nutrition is a new topic and field of activity for me, having the placement at Hall Hunter Partnership represents a very good opportunity to see how activities take place in soft fruit production. I consider it is an important domain for The United Kingdom and also because it is a growing market.

It was a challenge for me, I tried my best to make everything understandable as easy as possible to read through, even for the ones who do not know much about this field to understand the essence about the important factors for growing soft fruit.

Maybe something new is yet to be discovered, future research having the potential of leading to a conclusion.

II Acknowledgments

This paper is the result of a collaboration with Hall Hunter Partnership, having access directly to data and also contributing to gathering information in hopes to find relevant results for the benefit of the company.

Staff members also guided the procedures and process that made this report be what it is right now, answering questions and giving information of great importance whenever needed. Gratitude towards to Irrigation Department members of the farm for their time and patience, also to all department members of this farm and members of higher departments within the company.

Being a recently introduced variety and not a great amount of information is available when it comes to Sweet Eve, but on a short term the results can offer an answer to an important question, in order to obtain better yields and therefore better margins.

Having for the first time access to this new to this domain, it was tried to find the best results possible with all the availabilities, giving it a coherent form and trying to achieve a positive outcome. Working first with the Irrigation Department in a big farm has changed the views and perspectives of soft fruit production.

Kind regards to CAH Vilentum Dronten for the opportunity to be part of their program, reaching new boundaries and going beyond any perceivable expectations.

Last but not least, I would like to thank my family for their continuous and unconditional moral support. I wouldn’t be anywhere without you.

III Table of Contents

I AbstractII AcknowledgmentsIII Table of Contents IV Index of table V Index of table VI Index of graphics1 Introduction …………………………………………………………... page 11.1 Description of the soft fruit production at Hull Hunter ……………… page 11.2 The Strawberry Plant: Anatomy and Morphology ………………….. Page 41.3 Frost Protection ……………………………………………………… Page 62 Research Questions and Approach…………………………………… Page 9 3 Research methodology and setting…………………………………… page 113.1 Drip irrigation……………………………………………………….. Page123.2 Photosynthesis……………………………………………………….. Page 133.3 The Essential Elements in Plant Nutrition……………………………. Page 133.4 Leaf analysis ………………………………………………………. Page 163.5 Soil pH………………………………………………………………... Page 173.6 Irrigation availability…………………………………………………. Page 183.7 Sweet eve ……………………..……………………………………… Page 204 Implementation of the research………………………………………. Page 214.1 Water…………………………………………………………………. Page 214.2 Coir compost substrate……………………………………………….. Page 214.3 Soil……………………………………………………………………. Page 234.4 Drip ………………………………………………………………….. Page 244.5 Growing degree hours – GDH……………………………………….. Page 274.6 Leaf…………………………………………………………………… Page 284.7 Electrical conductivity – EC…………………………………………. Page 294.8 Run – off……………………………………………………………… Page 304.9 Hydrogen ion level - pH……………………………………………... Page 305 Conclusions…………………………………………………………… Page 316 Bibliography……………………………………………………………

.Page 33

7 Appendice…………………………………………………………….. Page 34

IV Index of table

Table 1 Critical temperatures (Celsius degrees) for cold damage of flower buds depending on development stage……………………………….. Page 6

Table 2 Provide information about the names………………………………… Page 12Table 3 Major nutrients and role……………………………………………… Page 14Table 4 Secondary nutrients and role …………………………………………. Page 14Table 5 Micronutrients and role……………………………………………….. Page 14Table 6 Leaf analysis standard ………………………………………………... Page 16Table 7 Positive and negative niches on Sweet Eve……….………………... Page 20Table 8 The characteristics of source water …………………………………. Page 21Table 9 B-compost summary analysis…….………………………………… Page 22Table 10 A- Fresh compost summary analysis………………………………… Page 23Table 11 Soil analisys ………………………..………………………………… Page 25Table 12 Drip comparison between field A and B ………………………… Page 29Table 13 Set of guiding …………………………..…………………………….. Page 30Table 14 Suitable run-off percentrages depending on the development stage…. Page 30Table 15 Efficiency of water use between March 25 and June 6…………….. Page 32

V Index of figures

figure 1 Location of West Sussex Page 2figure 2 Geology of West Sussex – marking the area of interest Page 2figure 3 Location of the farm Page 3figure 4 The strawberry plant Page 4figure 5 Arrangement of strawberry blossoms on fruit truss Page 5figure 6 Sweet Eve berry Page 9figure 7 Studied areas within the farm Page 11figure 8 Nutrient sufficiency for strawberries Page 15figure 9 Proper range for soil pH and nutrient availability Page 17figure 10 Light blue – position of the two water reservoirs within the farm Page 18figure 11 Green – irrigation working area Page 18figure 12 Irrigation of the soil beds Page 19figure 13 Sweet Eve (a) Page 20figure 14 Sweet Eve (b) Page 20figure 15 Typical bag for coir compost or soil sample Page 24figure 16 Typical bag for keeping the leaf sample Page 28

VI. Index of chaters

Chater1 B Compost analisys Page 22Chater 2 A Compost analisys Page 22Chater 3 Compost analisys comparison Page 23Chater 4 Soil-Compost analisys Page 24Chater 5 Comparison between macroelement content of the drip in and drip

out for field BPage 25

Chater 6 Comparison between macroelement content of the drip in and drip out for field A

Page 26

Chater 7 pH value comparison for fields A / B Page 26Chater 8 EC value comparison for fields A and B Page 26Chater 9 GDH growth Page 27Chater 10 Leaf analisys B Page 28Chater 11 Leaf analisys A Page 28Chater 12 Leaf analisys C Page 28Chater 13 Leaf analisys E Page 28Chater 14 Drip and runoff interpretation for filed B Page 29Chater 15 Run-Off Page 30Chater 16 Average water Page 32Chater 17 Percentage of total plants per field Page 32