Key Technical Points and Methods for Promoting Flowering in Greenhouse Strawberries
The purpose of facility forcing cultivation of strawberries is to achieve early fruiting and early marketing. The key measures are promoting flower bud differentiation and promoting flowering. Measures to promote flower bud differentiation are implemented during the seedling stage, while after transplanting, flowering must be promoted. The methods for promoting flowering include the following: 1. Temperature and humidity management in the greenhouse. The air temperature inside the greenhouse should be 30 degrees during the day and above 10 degrees at night...
The purpose of facility forcing cultivation of strawberries is to achieve early fruiting and early marketing. The key measures are promoting flower bud differentiation and promoting flowering. Measures to promote flower bud differentiation are implemented during the seedling stage, while after transplanting, flowering must be promoted. The methods for promoting flowering include the following:
1. Temperature and humidity management in the greenhouse. The air temperature inside the greenhouse should be 30 degrees during the day and above 10 degrees at night. Increase the soil temperature as much as possible to promote root activity. Air humidity should be 50%-60%. Low humidity is beneficial both for flowering and pollination and for preventing diseases. Covering with black plastic film can both reduce humidity inside the greenhouse and increase soil temperature.
2. Supplemental lighting. Hang energy-saving lamps of about 20 watts 1 m above the plants, with one lamp every 4 m. Turn on the lights after sunset and turn them off at 10 PM. Alternatively, provide lighting for 10 minutes every hour until sunrise. Intermittent lighting and continuous lighting have the same effect, and this can save electricity.
3. Supplemental hormones. If the plants show dwarfing and dormancy due to low temperatures, use gibberellin to break dormancy. Spray 10 ppm gibberellin once before bud emergence, and spray once more after a week. If the plants are not dormant and are still growing normally, do not spray gibberellin, so as to avoid excessive vegetative growth and adverse effects.
4. Plant training. Plant training can concentrate nutrients to promote flowering. Before the terminal inflorescence emerges, keep only one terminal bud. After the terminal inflorescence emerges, select and keep two axillary buds, and remove excess axillary buds that sprout at any time. Plants with three buds generally have 3 to 5 inflorescences. Keep about 15 leaves and remove excess old leaves and diseased or damaged leaves at any time.