J. Expt. Biosci.

3(2):51-56, July 2012 ISSN 2223-9626 (Online), ISSN 2077-3358 (Print)

STRAWBERRY GROWTH AND YIELD RESPONSES TO GIBBERELLIC ACID

CONCENTRATIONS

A.F.M. Jamal Uddin1*, M.J. Hossan, M.S. Islam, M.K. Ahsan and H. Mehraj
*Corresponding author, E-mail: jamal4@yahoo.com

Abstract

Response of gibberellic acid concentrations on the growth and yield of strawberry

germplasm was studied at Horticulture Farm, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University,
Dhaka during the period from October 2010 to April 2011. The experiment consisted
of different GA3 concentrations viz. G0 = control (fresh water) G1 = 50 ppm, G2 = 75
ppm and G3 = 100 ppm. Tallest plant (31.4 cm), the maximum number of leaves
(11.1), maximum leaf area (64.5 cm2), maximum number of flower bud (30.0) and
highest number of flower (28.7) was recorded from G2 treated strawberry plant.
Maximum number of fruits (25.9/plant), fruit weight (13.2 g) and yield (336.6 g) per
plant were found with 75 ppm GA3 application, whereas the minimum was recorded in
control. Foliar application with 75 ppm GA3 showed the best performance on growth
and yield of strawberry. Application of GA3 also increased the sweetness of the berries
in comparison to control.

Keywords: Gibberellic acid, Foliar application and Fragaria x ananassa.

Introduction

Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) is a natural hybrid of Fragaria chiloensis L.P. Mill. and
Fragaria virginiana Duch. and has traditionally been a popular delicious fruit for its flavor, taste, fresh
use, freezing and processing. It is highly valued as dessert fruit. Strawberries have been introduced in
Bangladesh recently and getting popularity. In Bangladesh it can be grown everywhere during the
month of October to April. Its cultivation was successful in different zone of our country. However, our
farmers are new in this field for successful commercial production. In addition, due to lack
recommended production technology, farmers are facing some sorts of problem in commercial
production of strawberry. Horticulture farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University have started
research work on strawberry through foliar application of different growth regulators to enhance
production and quality of fruit. In the previous works elsewhere, foliar application of GA3 has been
successfully proved to have increased the yield and quality of different horticultural crops (Sharma and
Singh, 2009; Emongor, 2002; Vavrina and Armbrester, 1990; Anonymous, 1990). Foliar application of
gibberellic acid with optimum concentration increased the yield production compared to traditional
farming (Paroussi at el., 2002). Considering the above fact this study was conducted with three
different concentration of gibberellic acid to find out the optimum concentration(s) of gibberellic acid
for the improvement of yield and quality of strawberry.

Materials and Methods

The experiment was conducted at the Horticulture Farm, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka,
Bangladesh during the period from October, 2010 to April, 2011. The experiment consisted of three
different concentrations of gibberellic acid (50 ppm, 75 ppm and 100 ppm). The experiment was laid
out in the Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications. In the experiment 36 pots of 25

1
Department of Horticulture, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
51
Uddin et al.

cm diameter and 20 cm height were used. Loamy soil and cow dung were mixed and pots were filled 7
days before transplanting. Disease was controlled by spraying Dithane M-45. Fungicide was sprayed
two times at 15 days interval. Crop was also attacked by leaf feeder during the growing stage and
flowering stage. The larvae were controlled by Pyrethrum @ 1.5 ml/L. The insecticides were sprayed
one time after 7 days of seedling planting.
Application of GA3 was started from 40 days after transplanting of the seedlings and applied 3 times
with 15 days intervals. Observations were recorded on vegetative attributes like as plant height, leaf
number, leaf area; reproductive attributes like flowering, fruit set, fruit size, total yield, brix percentage
from each pot.
Collected data for various characters were statistically analyzed using MSTATC. Mean for all the
treatments were calculated and the analysis of variance for each of the characters were performed by F
test. Differences between treatments were evaluated by Duncan s Multiple Range test (Gomez and
Gomez, 1984).

Results and Discussion

Plant height of strawberry showed statistically significant differences for the application of GA3 at 45,
52, 59, 66 and 73 DAT. A gradual increasing trend of plant height with days after transplanting for
different concentration of gibberellic acid application was found (Fig. 1). Highest plant height (31.4
cm) was recorded from G2 (75 ppm) treated plants and smallest (17.2 cm) was found in G0 (control)
treatment at 73 DAT. There was no significant variation of plant height between G2 (31.4 cm) and G3
(31.0 cm) treated plant at 73 DAT. Probably, GA3 stimulated rapid cell division and elongation in plant
stems and shoots (Turner, 1963). El-Shabasi et al., (2008) reported that GA3 application increased
petiole length.

35.0 G0 12.0
G0
G1
G1
30.0 G2
G2
G3 10.0
G3
Leaf number/ plant
Plant height (cm)

25.0
8.0
20.0

6.0
15.0

10.0 4.0
38 45 52 59 66 73 38 45 52 59 66 73
Days after Transplanting (DAT) Days after Transplanting (DAT)
Fig. 1. Effect of gibberellic acid concentration on Fig. 2. Effect of gibberellic acid concentration on
plant height at different days after leaf number at different days after
transplanting of strawberry seedlings transplanting of strawberry seedlings

When the plants treated with different concentration of GA3 maximum leaf number was produced over
control as it increased the plant height. At 73 DAT, the maximum (11.1) number of leaves per plant was
recorded from G2 (75 ppm) which was statistically similar to G1 and G3 treatments. Lowest leaf number
J. Expt. Biosci. 3(2):51-56, July 2012 ISSN 2223-9626 (Online), ISSN 2077-3358 (Print)

(9.6) was obtained from control (Fig. 2). Waithika et al. (1978) also reported that leaf number was also
increased with increasing the concentration of Gibberellic acid.
Foliar application of GA3 showed a significant variation in leaf area of strawberry at 45, 52, 59, 66 and
73 DAT (Fig. 3). Maximum (64.5 cm2) leaf area was recorded in G2. On the other hand the minimum
(50.3 cm2) leaf area was recorded from G0 at 73 DAT. This finding is in agreement with the reports of
Paroussi et al. (2002) and Sharma and Singh, (2009).
Maximum number of runner (4.0/plant) was obtained from the plant treated with G2 treatment whereas;
the minimum (3.0/plant) was recorded from G0 treatment at 73 DAT (Fig. 4). Similar opinion was
expressed by Choma and Himelrick (1984). Treatments had similar effect on the number of runner at 73
DAT (3.7, 4.0 and 3.8 respectively).

70.0 4.5
G0
G0
G1
4.0 G1
60.0 G2

Number of runner/ plant

G3 G2
3.5
Leaf area (sq. cm)

G3
50.0

3.0
40.0
2.5

30.0
2.0

20.0 1.5
38 45 52 59 66 73 38 45 52 59 66 73
Days after Transplanting (DAT)
Days after transplanting (DAT)
Fig. 3. Effect of gibberellic acid concentration on Fig. 4. Effect of gibberellic acid concentration on
leaf area at different days after number of runner at different days after
transplanting of strawberry seedlings transplanting of strawberry seedlings

Significantly the longest (33.4 cm) length of runner was found in G2 which also statistically similar to
G1 and G3 treatment (33.3 cm and 32.2 respectively). Smallest length of runner (28.7 cm) was found in
G0 (Fig. 5).
Foliar application of GA3 concentrations showed increasing trends of number of stolon at 45, 52, 59, 66
and 73 DAT (Fig. 6). Maximum number of stolon (2.9) was recorded in G2 which was significantly
higher than others. Significantly minimum number of stolon (1.8) was recorded from G0 at 73 DAT.
This finding is an agreement with the report of Singh et al., 1960; Prolingis and Boynton (1961).

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Uddin et al.

35.0 3.5
G0 G0
G1 G1
3.0
G2 G2
30.0
Length of runner (cm)

G3 G3

Number of stolon/ plant

2.5

25.0 2.0

1.5
20.0
1.0

15.0 0.5
38 45 52 59 66 73 38 45 52 59 66 73
Days after Translanting (DAT) Days after Transplanting (DAT)

Fig. 5. Effect of gibberellic acid concentration on Fig. 6. Effect of gibberellic acid concentration on
length of runner at different days after number of stolon at different days after
transplanting of strawberry seedlings transplanting of strawberry seedlings

Significantly the maximum days to flower bud initiation (96.5) were recorded from G0. Again the
minimum days (77.0) was obtained from G2 (Table 1). Similar opinion was also put forwarded by
Paroussi et al., (2002), who reported that GA3 reduced the time to inflorescence emergence.
Significantly the maximum (30/plant) number of flowers bud per plant was recorded from G2 which
was closely followed (28.2, 28.8) by G1 and G3. The minimum (23.3) number of flowers bud per plant
was recorded from G0 (Table 1). These findings were supported by those of Tafazoli and Vince-Prue
(1978) who reported that 50-75 ppm GA3 increased number of flower bud having similar statistical
difference.

Table 1. Effect of different gibberellic acid concentration on bud initiation and flowering of
strawberryx

Treatmenty Days to Number of flower bud Number of flower plant-1

flower bud plant-1
initiation
G0 95.6 a 23.3 b 21.1 b
G1 87.0 ab 28.2 a 26.4 a
G2 77.0 b 30.0 a 28.7 a
G3 84.0 ab 28.8 a 27.3 a
LSD(0.05) 16.5 2.2 2.4
CV(%) 11.3 4.7 5.5
x
In a column means having similar letter(s) are statistically identical and those having dissimilar
letter(s) differ significantly at 0.05 level of significance
y
G0=Control, G1=50 ppm GA3, G2=75 ppm GA3, G3=100 ppm GA3

Significantly the maximum (28.7/plant) number of flowers per plant was recorded from G2 which was
closely followed (27.3) by G3. The minimum (21.1) number of flowers per plant was recorded from G0
(Table 1). Similar opinion was also put forwarded by Tafazoli and Vince-Prue (1978).
J. Expt. Biosci. 3(2):51-56, July 2012 ISSN 2223-9626 (Online), ISSN 2077-3358 (Print)

Significantly the maximum (25.9) number of fruits per plant was recorded from G2 which was closely
followed by G3 and G1, while the minimum (19.6) was recorded from G0 (control) (Table 2). Similar
trend was also observed by Miranda-stalder et al. (1990).
G2 recorded the maximum (336.6 g) yield per plant was recorded from G2 while the minimum (248.9 g)
yield per plant was recorded under control condition (Table 2). Previous observation revealed that
repeated applications of GA3, or one GA3 spray in warm conditions, might cause excessive elongation
of the fleshy receptacle, bringing about fruit size reduction and/or fruit malformation (Porlingis and
Boynton, 1961; Turner, 1963; Castro et al., 1976; Tehranifar and Battey, 1997).

Table 2. Effect of different gibberellic acid concentration on yield of strawberry x

Numbers of -1 Fruit length Diameter of Fruit weight

Treatmenty Brix (%)
fruit plant-1 Yield (g) plant (mm) fruit (mm) (g)
G0 19.6 b 248.9 b 28.3 b 21.8 c 12.3 b 4.2 a
G1 24.1 a 319.6 a 31.1 ab 23.9 a 13.0 a 4.6 a
G2 25.9 a 336.6 a 32.7 a 25.0 a 13.2 a 4.7 a
G3 25.0 a 327.9 b 28.8 b 23.6 b 12.6 b 4.8 a
LSD(0.05) 2.3 32.8 2.2 2.0 1.6 0.2
CV(%) 5.8 7.6 9.6 8.6 7.7 5.5
x
In a column means having similar letter(s) are statistically identical and those having dissimilar letter(s) differ
significantly at 0.05 level of significance
y
G0=Control, G1=50 ppm GA3, G2=75 ppm GA3, G3=100 ppm GA3

The fruit length was highest (32.7 mm) in G2 while the shortest (28.3 mm) in Go (Table 2). The fruit
diameter was significantly maximum (25.0 mm) in G2 which was statistically similar with G1 (23.9
mm) while the lowest (21.8 mm) diameter of the fruit was recorded from G0 (Table 2).
Likewise, significantly the maximum fruit weight (13.2 g) was recorded from G2 and the minimum
(12.3 g) was recorded under control condition (Table 2).
Maximum percentage of brix (4.7) was recorded from G2 although was statistically similar with G1.
The minimum value (4.4) was recorded under control (Table 2). Perkins-Veazie (1995) reported that
SSC (soluble solid content) of strawberry fruits varied from 4-11% depending on cultivars and
environment.
It may be summarized that the best vegetative growth parameters (plant height, leaves, runner, and
stolon) were found with G2. The maximum number of flower bud, flower, fruits number, fruits weight,
fruits length, and diameter of fruits were also shown in G2. Between the concentration of 75 ppm and
100 ppm of GA3 there was no significant difference on vegetative growth. So it might be concluded that
among the three gibberellic acid concentrations 75 ppm performed the best result for yield and quality
of the harvest product.

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