Determination of the effects of differently colored plastic mulch and deficit irrigation on yield and quality parameters in greenhouse strawberry cultivation

One of the most important impacts of climate change, which has been a serious threat globally in recent years, is drought. The significant effects of drought on plant production, such as yield and quality reduction, are increasing daily. The cultivation of strawberry plants, whose production and consumption values are constantly growing, is also affected by the adverse climate conditions experienced. Precautions should be taken to rinse arid and semi-arid regions without experiencing yield losses. The research was carried out in the glass greenhouse located in the Research and Application Area of Akdeniz University Faculty of Agriculture between 2021-2022. In the study, the effects of different colored plastic mulch applications (brown, green, red, yellow, blue and black) and different irrigation treatments; (100% Full Irrigation, 80% Deficit Irrigation, 60% Deficit Irrigation) on the vegetative development of plants as well as their physiological and pomological parameters in greenhouse strawberry cultivation were evaluated. At the end of the study, in terms of vegetative growth parameters plant height and stem diameter, the effectiveness of black mulch among different mulch applications was found to be lower than mulches in other colors. It was determined that KS80 irrigation application had the highest average plant height (19.37 cm). While the highest average values in terms of plant fresh (39.44 g) and dry (15.89 g) weights were determined in blue mulch application, a higher average plant fresh weight (38.69 g) was determined in the TS100 application compared to other irrigation applications. The highest average values in terms of TSS (%9.04) and firmness (0.67 kg) ratios were determined in black mulch application. The highest average fruit firmness value among different irrigation applications was determined in the KS60 irrigation application (0.66 kg).