Effect of Growing Media, Humic Acid and Boron on Storage Life of Strawberry Fruits (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) cv. Albion

Abstract

A study was conducted during the (2019-2020) growing season in the plastic house and cold room of the Horticulture Department, College of Agricultural Engineering Science, University of Sulaimani, Sulaimani –Iraqi, aiming to investigate the effect of three factors including growing media (M1, M2, and M3), boric acid at a concentration (0 and 20 mg. L-1) and humic acid at a concentration (0, 2.5 and 5 mg. L-1), on fruit quality and storability of strawberry fruits stored for 20 days in a cool room at storage (2±2°C) with relative humidity 85-90%. The results showed that growing media affected total soluble solid and anthocyanin content. Boric acid at 20 mg. L-1 gave the highest value of total sugars and berry firmness was 6.861% and 486.877g, respectively. Humic acid decreased fruit decay%, while caused an increase in total soluble solid, anthocyanin, and ascorbic acid. The interaction effect between growing media (M3) and 20 mg. L-1 boric acid recorded the highest value of firmness, TSS%, Total sugar%, and ascorbic acid content, but the interaction effect between growing media (M2) and 20 mg. L-1 boric acid gave the lowest fruit weight loss%. Application of growing media (M1) without boric acid showed the highest value of anthocyanin content. On the other hand, the interaction effect between growing media (M3) and 5 mg. L-1 of humic acid gave the lowest fruit weight loss% but the highest value of firmness and ascorbic acid content, as well as, growing media (M1) with 5 mg. L-1 of humic acid gave the lowest decay% and highest value TSS%. The same growing media with 2.5 mg. L-1 of humic acid gave the maximum value of anthocyanin content. The interaction effect between 20 mg. L-1 boric acid and 5 mg. L-1 of humic acid recorded the lowest value of fruit weight loss% and decay%, otherwise, the same treatment gave the highest value of firmness and ascorbic acid content. Finally, the interaction effects of the three factors obtained the lowest fruit weight loss% was observed by growing media (M3), 20 mg. L-1 boric acid and 5 mg. L-1of humic acid, while the same treatment realized the highest value of firmness and ascorbic acid content.