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Essay on Strawberry
Essay Contents:
- Essay on the Introduction to Strawberry
- Essay on the Origin and Distribution of Strawberry
- Essay on the Area and Production of Strawberry
- Essay on the Importance and Uses of Strawberry
- Essay on the Choice of Varieties of Strawberry
- Essay on the Plant Protection Measures of Strawberry
- Essay on the Diseases of Strawberry
- Essay on the Disorder of Strawberry
Essay # 1. Introduction to Strawberry:
The cultivated strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) is a result of hybridization of two American octoploid species F. chiloensis and F. virginiana (Virginian Strawberry). Strawberry is a fruit of temperate climate but its cultivation can be done successfully in sub-tropical climate.
It is one of the most preferred fruit in different parts of the world. The growing of strawberry is restricted in semi-arid regions of India due to variable climatic conditions. The fruit of strawberry is different from other fruits as their seeds are produced on the outside of the fruit.
Strawberry is a quick growing plant and is cherished in home gardens and in commercial land for its beautiful, nutritious and bright red coloured fruits. The fruit is highly perishable and yet grown on a small scale in India.
It has tremendous scope for its cultivation near the towns, cities and processing units where the fruit can be utilized immediately after harvest. Plasticulture technique used in strawberry cultivation can play important role in the manipulation of microclimate favourable for its successful growing.
Essay # 2. Origin and Distribution of Strawberry:
The cultivated strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) originated in France in 17th Century. It is now grown commercially all over India. Its progenitors are native to the new world. F. chiloensis is found to occur in Chile and coastal areas of South America. F. virginiana is located in Canada and United States of America and introduced in Europe in 1624.
Natural population of F. ananassa is restricted to coastal California, Oregan and Washington. F. versa is the most broadly distributed natural species which is found in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Hawaii.
Pine Strawberries [hybrid of F. virginiana (Male) and F. chiloensis (Female)] culture spread to other European nations particularly England where the first cultivars were produced during the early 1800. In America, the strawberry cultivation was started in the beginning of 18th century. In India, many strawberry cultivars were introduced in early 1960.
Strawberry is grown extensively throughout the Europe, Canada, South America and many other countries. The major producing centers are USA, Span, Japan, Mexico, Italy, Russia and Turkey. Now, it is also cultivated on large scale in China, Japan, Israel, Australia, Turkey and New Zealand. In India, it is mainly cultivated in Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand.
Strawberry is one of the most widely distributed fruit crop due to its genotypic diversity, highly heterozygous nature and broad range of environmental adaptations.
Essay # 3. Area and Production of Strawberry:
Strawberries are produced in 73 countries in the world on 2.4 lakhs hectare area. The annual production of strawberry in the world is estimated 45.9 lakhs mt. The leading strawberry producing countries are USA, Turkey, Spain, Egypt, Mexico, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Poland and Germany. In USA, California and Florida are the chief strawberry producing states. In India, Maharashtra is the leading state in strawberry cultivation. Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal (Darjeeling), Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana are other strawberry growing states.
In India, Satara district (Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani) in Maharashtra is the major strawberry producing area. Nearly 880 hectares are under strawberry cultivation in Mahabaleshwar. The annual production of strawberry in this area is around 18000 tonnes. The other strawberry growing areas in the country are Bangalore, Ooty, Ratlam (Madhya Pradesh), Kunnoor (Karnataka) and Nilgiri hills.
India export strawberry mainly to Austria, Bangladesh, Germany, Jordan and USA. In 2006, some 600 tonnes strawberries were exported to France and Belgium among other countries. This is attracting growers to undertake strawberry cultivation.
Essay # 4. Importance and Uses of Strawberry:
Strawberry fruit is a rich source of vitamins and minerals. It is a good source of vitamin C and contains 60 mg ascorbic acid per 100 g of pulp. The fruit contain 5 per cent total sugars, 0.9 -1.8 per cent acidity in terms of maleic and citric acids, protein 0.7 g, carbohydrates 8.4 g, vitamin A 601U, Iron 1 g, calcium 21 mg, phosphorus 21 mg and potassium 164 mg per 100 g fruit.
The fruits are consumed mostly fresh. However, various products like jam, fruit juice, pies, syrup, candy, ice-creams, preserve etc. are prepared. The fruits of cultivated strawberry are considered for diarrhea, gout, stomachache and kidney stones. The fruits are used as astringents, diuretics and mild laxatives. Strawberries contain high quantities of ellagic acid which inhibit cancer and HIV onto cells and HIV enzyme activity on DNA and function as antioxidants and free-radical scavengers.
Essay # 5. Choice of Varieties of Strawberry:
A good number of strawberry varieties are grown in temperate and sub-tropical climate.
A salient characteristic of some of the important varieties are as follows:
i. Chandler:
The fruits are conical (ovate) to sometimes long flat, skin shiny, glossy and attractive. Flesh colour same as that of the skin and firm throughout. Plant is semi-erect, medium in runner production, self-fertile. It is resistant to damage caused by rain and highly resistant to viral diseases. The fruit is large with average weight of 15-20 g. Total soluble solids 8.0 per cent, acidity 0.85 per cent and vitamin C is 55 mg/100 of fruit.
ii. Tioga:
The fruits are large in size and flesh and skin firm. It is a good dessert variety and has good processing quality. Total soluble solids are 7.0 per cent, acidity 0.7 per cent and TSS/ acid ratio 9.97. It is tolerant to viruses. This variety is grown under long day lengths in autumn and moderate winter conditions.
iii. Torrey:
The fruits are large in size and flesh and stem firmness medium. It is a good dessert variety and has excellent quality. Total soluble solids are 7.4 per cent, acidity 0.7 per cent and TSS/acid ratio 10.68. Ripening starts by the first week of April in temperate zone. It has good processing quality.
iv. Senga Sengana:
It is a hybrid between Markee x Sieger. Plants are healthy. Fruits are attractive with red skin. Flesh firmness medium. It has good freezing quality. Runners begin to form in late August. It grows under short day lengths in autumn and severe winter conditions.
v. Pazaro:
It is resistant to plant viruses and grow well under summer conditions. The plants are susceptible to rain damage. Fruit weight is approx 7.5 g. Its sugar content is 5.5 per cent. Srinagar, Dilpasand and Royal Sovereign are best varieties for hilly areas. Polka, Gilbert, Oso Grand, Cavalier, Arking, Bangalore, Belrubi, Pusa Early Dwarf and Sweet Charlie are other promising varieties.
Essay # 6. Plant Protection Measures of Strawberry:
Insect-Pests:
i. White Grubs and Cut Worms:
These insects cut the roots and stems of young plants.
Drench the soil with chlorpyriphos 0.1 per cent (5 ml Durmet/Dursban 20 EC per litre water) during March. Give deep ploughing and treat the soil with insecticidal dust.
ii. Hairy Caterpillars:
These pests defoliate the plants during June-July. Spray malathion 0.05 per cent (200 ml cythion/malathion 50 EC in 2001 water) on the appearance of the insects. Harvest berries 7-10 days after Malathion spray.
iii. Fruit Borer (Helicoverpa Armigera):
Larvae bore into the developing fruits and make them unfit for consumption.
Spray malathion 0.05 per cent (300 ml malathion in 200 l water) when the pest is noticed.
Essay # 7. Diseases of Strawberry:
i. Leaf Spot (Mycosphaerella Fragariae):
Deep, purple brown spots with white centre appear on leaflets. Elongated lesions develop on petioles and fruit stem. Entire leaflet may be killed, thus, affecting the yield.
Planting of strawberry should be done in well-drained soil. Wider spacing can reduce the leaf spot injury. Check weeds in strawberry plantation. During growth period, give 2-3 sprays with Bordeaux mixture (copper sulphate 800 g + lime 800 g in 10 l water) at 10-15 days interval. In between these sprays, give one spray with carbendazim (100 g in 200 I water).
ii. Leaf Spot Complex (Phyllosticta Fragaricola, Phyllosticta Sp., Pestalotia Sp., Robillarda Sp., Hainesia Lythri, Pestalotiopsis Sp.):
Spots of different shapes and sizes appear on the leaves during rainy season which results in drying and defoliation.
With the appearance of disease, give 2-3 sprays of hexaconazol (100 ml in 200 l water) or 5 sprays of carbendazim (100 g per 200 I water) at 21 days interval.
iii. Gray Mold or Fruit Rot (Botrytis Cinerea):
The fungus primarily starts as blossom infection by air borne spores or by contact with infected material. The infected fruits reduce to a soft mass covered with velvety grey dusty spores of the fungus. Fruit rot occur due to attack of this disease as fruit ripen.
Proper sanitation of strawberry field is needed as fungus survives in dead leaf material. Do not allow fruits to touch the soil. Apply black polythene or straw mulch before flowering. Spray carbendazim or thiophanate methyl @ 100 g or captan 50 WP @ 600 g in 200 I water just after the blossom open and repeat after 15 days.
iv. Yellow Leaf Spot (Dendrophoma Abscurans):
Minute, purplish spots appear scattered on the upper surface of leaf during July to September. The spots soon attain a characteristic halo with yellow brown center surrounded by a purplish zone. Later on spots become oblong or irregular blotches. The affected area dies up and leaves become puckered or develop shot holes.
The disease can be controlled by spraying mancozeb @ 200 g/100 I water or carbendazim @ 50 g/100 I water.
v. Antrhacnose (Colletotrichum Gloeosporioides):
Minute, dull, violet-black or black spots appear on leaf surrounded by yellow region. Spots coalesce forming bigger spots thus causing defoliation.
Plantation should be done in well-drained and weed free soils. Spray copper oxychloride (300 g in/100 l water) or carbendazim (50 g in 100 I water) at 10 – 15 days interval. Two or three sprays should be given repeatedly.
vi. Leaf Blight and Dry Stalk (Rhizoctonia Bataticola):
Circular spots with ashy grey centre and purplish margins appear on leaves. Later on, spots become oval or irregular. Leaf puckering and curling takes place and defoliation occurred. Runners and stalks turn dark brown or black with irregular lesions.
Disease free plant material should be planted. Water-logged and silk soils should be avoided for strawberry plantation. Spray mancozeb (300 g in 100 l water) or copper oxychloride (300 g in 100 l water) when disease is noticed. Sprays should be repeated twice-thrice at 15 days interval.
vii. Black Root Rot Complex (Fusarium Orthoceras, Pythium Sp., Leptosphaeria Coniothyrium, Corticium Vagum):
Uneven patches appear on plants due to dwarfing of affected plants, Roots develop brown areas. Small and fibrous rootlets are killed. Lesions extend and entire root is blackened. Leaves turn yellowish, remain small with short petioles. Old leaves wither. Berries remain small or wither before ripening.
Virus free plant material should be procured. Plantation on the same field should be avoided. Treat the soil before sowing with 40 per cent formaldehyde (40 ml per I water). Use 5 l solution per square metre area and cover with polythene sheet. These sheets are removed after 48 hours. Rake the soil before transplanting.
Essay # 8. Disorder of Strawberry:
Albinism is a physiological disorder in the fruit of strawberry. Disorder occurred due to lack of fruit colour during ripening. Probably, this disorder is caused by certain climatic conditions and nutrition excess.
Fruit remain white or irregularly pink and swollen in certain cases. The fruits become less firm and have acid taste. Such fruits often damaged during harvesting, become susceptible to Botrytis and decayed during storage.