Optimization of alternative cultivation practices for transplant production of day-neutral strawberry

麦吉尔大学和Ferme Onésime Pouliot公司。为了优化替代生产系统中使用的特定栽培实践的性能，NSERC合作研究和开发补助金（CRD）正在联合起来，这些生产系统目前正在该部门实施，用于白天中立的草莓，这些草莓有能力连续开花。例如，在开阔地或遮阳伞下使用无土系统增加了提高草莓产业生产力的潜力。将研究在这些生产条件下改变草莓植株形态发育的做法，以优化果实产量和质量。在草莓移栽生产的前期，将采用不同的人工光照处理和调整施肥组合。将测试光照处理的时间和长度以及氮肥比率和比率。将绘制整个种植周期的植物发育图，以建立草莓移植生产的预测模型。整个项目将遵循可持续原则，长期目标是提高投入使用效率，同时提高无土种植系统的生产潜力。这项工作将在项目期间培训总共三名研究生，并在一个充分发展的高技能劳动力需求旺盛的部门每年培训一名本科生。除了提高生产力带来的经济效益外，该项目的成果还将对提高养分利用效率产生重大的环境影响。这不仅对参与该项目的公司具有重要意义，而且从长远来看，随着新做法的实施，对整个草莓行业也具有重要意义。

McGill University and Ferme Onésime Pouliot inc. are joining forces for this NSERC Collaborative Research and Development Grant (CRD) in order to optimize the performance of specific cultural practices used in alternative production systems that are currently being implemented in the sector for day-neutral strawberries, which have the ability to flower continuously. For example, using soilless systems in open fields or under umbrella shelters have increased the potential to improve productivity for the strawberry industry. Practices aimed at modifying the morphological development of strawberry plants under those production conditions will be studied to optimize fruit yield and quality. Different combinations of artificial lighting treatments and adjusted fertilization will be applied in the early stages of strawberry transplants production. Timing and length of light treatments as well as nitrogen fertilizer ratios and rates will be tested. A mapping of the plant development throughout the cropping cycle will be conducted in order to develop a prediction model of production for strawberry transplants. This entire project will be conducted following sustainable principles with the long-term objective of increasing input use efficiency while increasing the productivity potential of soilless cropping systems. This work will train a total of three graduate students for the duration of the project as well as an undergraduate student on an annual basis in a sector in full development in which high-skilled labor is in high demand. In addition to economic benefits resulting from a higher productivity, results from this project will also have significant environmental impacts related to improved nutrient use efficiency. This not only has important implications for the company involved in the project but also, in the long term, for the entire strawberry industry as new practices will be implemented.