Synergistic Effects of Rhizosphere Temperature and Growing Media on Growth and Physiological Attributes of Strawberry cv. ‘Akihime’

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research paper

Authors

1 Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand

2 Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand

3 Economic Flower and Horticultural Crops Research Cluster, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand

4 Graduate School of Science and Technology, Niigata University, Niigata 950-2181, Japan

10.22059/ijhst.2025.388534.1006

Abstract

Strawberries are high-value crops prized for their nutritional and economic significance. This study hypothesized that root-zone temperature (RZT) and growing media (GM) influence strawberry growth and physiological responses. While individual effects of RZT or GM have been studied, little is known about their combined impact on hydroponic strawberries. To address this gap, we investigated how RZT and GM affect growth, stolon formation, and physiological changes in ‘Akihime’ strawberries. A factorial experiment was conducted using four RZT treatments (10 ± 2, 15 ± 2, 20 ± 2, and 25 ± 2 °C) and two growing media (peat moss + perlite and water culture). The greenhouse conditions were maintained at 25 ± 2 °C with 70–80% relative humidity and a photosynthetic photon flux density of 241 µmol m–2 s–1. The results indicated that RZTs of 15 ± 2 °C and 20 ± 2 °C improved overall plant growth and biomass accumulation, while 25 ± 2 °C promoted stolon and runner development but hindered daughter plant formation. Substrate-based media outperformed water culture in supporting stolon and runner production. Leaf nitrogen and potassium concentrations peaked at 10 ± 2 °C and 15 ± 2 °C, respectively, with water-culture medium enhanced nitrogen uptake. Leaf ATP concentration was highest at 20 ± 2 °C in substrate-grown plants, whereas root ATP peaked at 25 ± 2 °C in water culture. These findings demonstrate that careful management of RZT and GM can improve greenhouse strawberry productivity, and growers can tailor production strategies to meet specific cultivation goals.

Keywords

International Journal of Horticultural Science and Technology

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 20 October 2026

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History

  • Receive Date: 09 January 2025
  • Revise Date: 29 May 2025
  • Accept Date: 30 May 2025

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