EFFECT OF FOLIAR SPRAY WITH CHITOSAN AND SOME ORGANIC ACIDS ON PRODUCTIVITY AND FRUIT QUALITY OF STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL CULTIVAR

Abstract

This work was carried out during 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 seasons in a strawberry Private Farm, Kafr El Sahaby, Shebin El Kanater District, Qalubia Governorate, Egypt , to study the effect of chitosan  and some organic acids on yield and fruit quality of strawberry Festival cultivar under sandy soil conditions. This experiment included nine treatments as follows: Control (spraying with water), chitosan (Ch) at 0.5 and 1%, ascorbic acid (AsA) at 100 and 200 mg/l, folic acid (FA) at 100 and 200 mg/l and salicylic acid (SA) at 100 and 200 mg/l. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Spraying strawberry cv Festival grown in sandy soil with chitosan and some organic acid at different concentrations  increased early, total yield and fruit quality (vit C, TSS, glucose, fructose, anthocyanin and pH) compared to control. Spraying with SA at 200 ppm  gave the highest values of average fruit weight, yield/plant, total yield,  marketable yield  and reduced  deformed fruits  (total , shape and color) followed by spraying with SA at 100 ppm. Conclusion: Treating  strawberry  cv Festival grown in sandy soil with chitosan  and some  organic acid at different  concentrations  increased early, total yield and fruit quality (vit C, TSS, glucose, fructose, anthocyanin and pH) compared to control. Spraying with SA at 200 ppm  gave the highest values of  average fruit weight , yield / plant, total yield, marketable yield, followed by SA at 100 ppm. Foliar spray with SA at 200 reduced deformed fruits followed by SA at 100 ppm.