الفهرس 
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Abstract
This study was divided to two experiments: First experiment was carried out at the experimental site of Arid Land Agricultural graduate studies and Research Institute (ALARI), Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Qalyobia Governorate. Second experiment was carried out at Central Laboratory for Agricultural Climate (CLAC), Agriculture Research Center (ARC), Giza Governorate.
The experiments were carried out during the two successive seasons of 2013/2014 and 2014/2015. Fresh bare root strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) transplants cv. Festival were used in both experiments.
The aim of the study was to determine the best irrigation scheduling and better strawberry density to get the best production and quality of strawberry fruits grown in soilless culture systems (A-shape ‘NFT system’, substrate system ‘Bed system’).
First experiment: Five irrigation schedule have been tested in relation to production and quality of strawberry as follow (Control 24 hours), Sched 1(¼ / ½ hour), Sched 2 (¼ / 1 hour), Sched 3 (¼ / 2 hours), Sched 4 (¼ / 3 hours) and two plant densities per square meter have been tested in this experiment as follow (21 plants / m2 “PD-1”, 32 plants / m2 “PD-2”) and the combinations among them were tested in this experiment.
Five irrigation schedules and two plant densities per square meter were tested to perform 10 interactions as follows:-
1. 24 hours + PD-1 (control 1)
2. 24 hours + PD-2 (control 2)
3. Sched 1+ PD-1
4. Sched 1+ PD-2
5. Sched 2+ PD-1
6. Sched 2+ PD-2
7. Sched 3+ PD-1
8. Sched 3+ PD-2
9. Sched 4+ PD-1
10. Sched 4+ PD-2
Second experiment: Two irrigation schedule have been tested in relation to production and quality of strawberry as follow (Sched 1 (¼ / 2 hours), Sched 2 (¼ / 3 hours) and two plant densities per square meter have been tested in this experiment as follow (12 plants / m2 “PD-1”, 18 plants / m2 “PD-2”).
Two irrigation schedules and two plant densities per square meter were tested to perform 4 interactions as follows:-
1. Sched 1+ PD-1
2. Sched 1+ PD-2
3. Sched 2+ PD-1
4. Sched 2+ PD-2
The EC of the nutrient solution was adjusted at the range of 2.0 – 2.5 m.mhos-2 and pH was maintained at the range of 5.5-6.0 throughout the experimental time.
The measurements recorded were as follows: vegetative growth measurements include number of leaves, total chlorophyll of leaves, leaves fresh weight, leaves dry weight, root fresh weight and root dry weight. Productivity measurements include number of flowers/plant, number of fruits/plant, % of fruit set, early yield (g/plant), total yield (g/plant), mean fruit weight (g), marketable yield (g/plant), marketable yield (%), unmarketable yield (g/plant) and unmarketable yield (%). Quality measurements include total soluble solids (TSS), ascorbic acid and titratable acidity. Chemicals measurements include macro and micro-nutrient concentration in the leaves. Water measurements include water consumption.
The obtained results could be summarized in the following:
Results indicated that, First experiment: irrigating plants for 15 min every ½ hour (Sched 1) increased productivity (mean fruit weight (g), early yield (g/plant) and total yield (g/plant)) and quality (TSS) but reduced vitamin C and fruit acidity of strawberry. While the irrigating plants every 1 hour ( Sched 2) reduced number of leaves, set %, early & total yield, mean fruit weight, TSS. However using 32 plant/m2 recorded higher number of strawberry leaves, total chlorophyll of leaves, early and total yield, vitamin C and titratable acidity but recorded the lowest water consumption (L/plant). Second experiment: results illustrated that irrigating plants for 15 min every 2 hours (Sched 1) increased vegetative growth parameter (number of strawberry leaves and total chlorophyll of leaves), productivity parameter (early yield (g/plant), total yield (g/plant) and mean fruit weight (g) ) and quality parameter (titratable acidity). On the other hand Sched 2 increased TSS and vitamin C but recorded the lowest water consumption (L/plant). However using 18 plants/m2 recorded higher number of strawberry leaves, total chlorophyll of leaves, total yield, vitamin C and lower water consumption (L/plant). Regarding the interaction between irrigation scheduling and plant density, results showed that the interaction between Sched 1 and PD-2 recorded the highest number of strawberry leaves, total chlorophyll of leaves, total yield, mean fruit weight (g) and titratable acidity. The lowest water consumption was obtained by the plants cultivated in Sched 2 combined with PD-2 followed by Sched 1 combined with PD-2 with significant difference.
CONCLUSION
from the overall results of the first experiment it’s clear that using Sched 1 (¼ / ½ hour) combined with PD-2 (32 plants / m2) in NFT for producing strawberry increased the productivity and quality of strawberry fruits. Second experiment: from the overall results of the second experiment it’s clear that using irrigating substrate culture Sched 1 (¼ / 2 hours) combined with PD-2 (18 plants/ m2) increased the productivity and quality of strawberry fruits.