DETERMINATION OF THE YIELD AND QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF SOME STRAWBERRY VARIETIES GROWED IN THE OPEN FIELD OF YAHYALI (KAYSERI) ECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the performance of 6 different day-neutral varieties (Albion, Monterey, Portola, Sweet Ann, Kabarla and San Andreas) and 1 local genotype in open field in the ecological conditions of Yahyalı (Kayseri/Türkiye) in the 2021-2022 growing season. In the research, the first flowering date of the varieties was 19 March (local genotype) and 27 March (Portola), the harvest start date was 19 May (Kabarla) and 25 May (Albion), the end of harvest date was August 17 (local genotype) and 20 September (San Andreas). The harvest period was determined between 87 days (local genotype) and 122 days (Kabarla). In the experiment, the highest fruit weight and fruit firmness were determined in Sweet Ann variety with 11.74 g and 0.75 kg-force, respectively. It was determined that the total soluble solid (TSS) content amount in the cultivars varied between 6.16% (Sweet Ann) - 13.16 (local genotype), titratable acid content ranged between 0.48% (Sweet Ann) - 0.77 (San Andreas), pH value varied between 3.23 (San Andreas) - 4.03 (local genotype). While the highest lightness (L) fruits were obtained from Portola variety (31.09) in the experiment, the color intensity (chroma) varied between 31.22 (Albion) and 40.75 (Portola), the color angle value (hº) ranged between 38.61 (Albion) and 50.34 (Monterey and Portola). As a result, in Yahyalı (Kayseri) ecological conditions, in terms of yield and fruit quality characteristics such as fruit weight, color, firmness and TSS amount, Albion variety was found to be suitable, and then Sweet Ann and Kabarla varieties were important.