Freezing Performance and Quality of Strawberries Grown in Peat and Mineral Soil

Comparative tests over 5 seasons (1972-76) on the freezing performance of strawberries grown under field conditions showed that fruit from peat soil gave consistently higher drip losses on thawing than fruit from mineral soil for all cultivars tested. The effect could not be repeated when plants were grown at another location in troughs filled with peat, mineral, or 1: 1 peat: mineral soil. The difference in freezing performance of field-grown strawberries may be due to the very rapid vegetative growth of the plants in peat resulting in a looser cell structure which could be more easily damaged during freezing. The climate prevailing on the peatlands may also be a contributing factor. Tests in 1975 and 1976 showed only small differences in the element content of the leaves or of the fruit of plants grown from the two soil types. Pectin contents of the fruits were also similar. Dry matter content was much lower in leaves of plants grown in peat than in those of plants from mineral soil. Tests on the fruit for soluble solids, acidity and colour indicated that peat soil may influence these aspects of fruit composition in certain conditions, but that the effect is by no means consistent.