Causes and Solutions for Strawberry Seedling Death in Greenhouses

After transplanting, greenhouse strawberries need a period of time to recover before they can grow and develop normally, but many growers report that serious seedling death occurs after transplanting. So what are the causes of strawberry seedling death in greenhouses? How should it be prevented and controlled? Let's find out together.

1. Strawberry seedlings carrying pathogens

Rainfall during seedling raising caused the young plants to be infected with fungal diseases, so seedling death is extremely likely to occur after transplanting. Therefore, once diseased seedlings are found, the diseased plants should be pulled out promptly and taken outside the greenhouse, and a fungicide should be sprayed for prevention. In addition, because the symptoms of strawberry anthracnose and red stele root rot are very similar, they must be distinguished during prevention and control. Generally, anthracnose occurs mostly in high-temperature and high-humidity environments, while red stele root rot occurs mostly under low-temperature and high-humidity conditions, so the right treatment should be applied for each condition.

2. Soil not properly treated

Strawberry seedling death occurs mostly in continuous cropping land or plots where soil treatment has not been carried out. The soil in continuous cropping land carries more pathogens, and the pathogens can easily invade through root wounds, causing the plants to become infected with disease. Therefore, crop rotation should be implemented; generally, after two consecutive years of planting, the crop needs to be rotated. Before planting, calcium cyanamide can be used to disinfect the soil in continuous cropping land, which can provide a certain preventive effect.

3. Improper fertilizer application

When applying base fertilizer to strawberries, if undecomposed fertilizer is used, it contains large amounts of pathogens and insect eggs, which may cause seedling burn, and pests and diseases will then take advantage of the weakness. This is especially true for chicken manure; using undecomposed chicken manure year after year will have a great impact on strawberry growth. Therefore, the base fertilizer must be fully decomposed organic fertilizer or farmyard manure.

4. Planting too deep

The quality of planting also has a great impact on strawberry growth and management, so care must be taken during planting. First, pay attention to directional transplanting, placing the arched back of the seedling facing outward so that the flower clusters grow on the outer side for easy picking. The planting depth for strawberries should be such that the top of the stem and the base of the crown bud are level with the soil. It must not be too deep, otherwise the crown of the seedling will be buried by soil, making it very prone to crown rot and seedling death; if planted too shallow, the root crown is exposed, new roots are not easily produced, and the strawberry seedlings are also prone to drying out and dying.

  The above is an introduction to the causes and solutions for strawberry seedling death in greenhouses. We hope it helps you. To learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.