Causes of and Preventive Measures for Strawberry Button Fruit

Strawberry button fruit is a fairly common phenomenon in strawberry cultivation. Under normal pollination, strawberry fruits will rapidly expand, but if they have not expanded for a long time after pollination and the fruit shows signs of blackening, it is very likely to be a symptom of button fruit. So what should be done about strawberry button fruit? Let's take a look together.

I. Causes of Button Fruit

1. Temperature

Temperature has a relatively large effect on the growth of strawberries. During the seedling stage, if the temperature is too high or too low, it will cause poor flower bud differentiation, and thin, weak flowers are very likely to form, which will later develop into button fruit and small fruit. The temperature during the flowering period also affects the pollination of strawberries. Poor pollination may hinder the formation of the gelatinous substance between the seeds and the flesh. When the fruit expands, because nutrients cannot be supplied in time, expansion is slow and button fruit is easily formed.

2. Insufficient light

When the fruit is expanding, if there is continuous rainy weather, it will affect the photosynthesis of strawberries, causing nutrient synthesis to be reduced, so that the fruit cannot be supplied for growth, leading to button fruit in some fruits.

3. Improper fertilization

Applying too much nitrogen fertilizer during the seedling stage causes strawberries to grow excessively, nutrition to lose balance, and reproductive growth to be inhibited. It also affects the plant's absorption of other elements, such as the trace elements zinc and boron that are essential for fruit growth. When the fruit is developing and lacks them, it stops growing and forms button fruit.

4. Improper management

If irrigation and fertilization are done too late, or the flowers and fruits grow too vigorously, and flowers and fruits are not thinned in time, the third and fourth inflorescences will fail to develop properly. This is because they develop too late, nutrients are taken by the first two layers of inflorescences, and the later layers lack nutrients and gradually become stunted. In addition, when the plant is short of water, button fruit can also occur.

5. Pests and diseases

Some pests suck the water and nutrients inside the fruit, causing the fruit to form button fruit because it does not have enough water and nutrients to grow.

II. Preventive Measures

Throughout the entire growth period of strawberries, temperature should be reasonably controlled. When the temperature is too high during the seedling stage, ventilation should be strengthened to lower the temperature and reduce humidity; at low temperatures, insulation measures should be taken well, and the same applies during the flowering and fruiting periods. Applying more organic fertilizer can improve root vitality and promote plant growth. During rainy weather, artificial supplementary lighting should be carried out appropriately to strengthen the plant's photosynthesis, promote nutrient synthesis, and prevent button fruit. Water management should also be strengthened: water during drought and drain promptly after rain. The prevention and control of pests and diseases should not be neglected; once pests and diseases are found, they should be controlled in time.

The above are the causes of and preventive measures for strawberry button fruit. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please keep following us.