Advances in soilless culture strawberry production

Abstract

The majority of strawberries produced in the world are grown in the open field, and only in the past 50 years has protected cropping become established as a commercially viable system. Soilless culture (hydroponics) is an important component of this form of intensive production because it enables the strawberry crop to be grown above the ground (table top system) which can provides an improved root environment, nutrition and irrigation and at the same time easier fruit harvesting. Solid media systems predominate over liquid based systems with peat and coir being the most popular media. Future production appears to be increasingly towards year round production by the improved control of the plant environment, combined with reducing harvesting costs by robotic harvesting.