Effect of propagation material on some quality attributes of strawberry fruit (Fragaria x ananassa, var. Selva)

In the Mediterranean region, cold-stored plants (summer planting system) are used as the main strawberry planting material (plant establishing period July–August). However, recently fresh plants (winter planting system) have also started being used for strawberry production (plant establishing period October–November). As the plantations originated from cold-stored or fresh plants differ in plant growth and yield, some differences in fruit quality have also been expected; therefore, the objective of the current study was to compare fruit quality of plants originated from different propagation material. Cold-stored plants were well developed before the beginning of the spring harvest, while fresh plants continued growth concomitantly with fruiting. The harvesting period of cold-stored plants lasted 4–6 weeks (second week of April–second half of May). Fresh plants produced fewer and larger fruits than cold-stored plants, but for a longer harvest period, which lasted throughout all summer. Differences in soluble solids and dry matter content between the fruits from cold-stored and fresh plants were observed in the first three sampling dates in both years of the experiment. In some sampling dates, significant differences in anthocyanin, titratable acidity and ascorbic acid content, were observed between fruits of plants originated from different propagation material.