ASHS 2024 Conference

As the interest in strawberry production in controlled environment agriculture is ascending, the demand for cultivars that yield premium-quality fruit is rising. To identify strawberry suitable for vertical farm production, 25 strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) cultivars were selected for premium flavor from USDA National Clonal Germplasm Repository. Fruit productivity and quality traits, plant vegetative phenotypes, and photosynthetic rates were evaluated using strawberries grown in a walk-in growth chamber where photoperiod altered between short day and long day to promote flowering and fruit production. Our results show that strawberry ‘Mara des Bois’ produced the earliest harvest, and ‘Hood’ had the highest maximum productivity coefficient. The largest fruit was produced by ‘Chandler’, and the reddest fruit was produced by ‘Marshall’. Among the 25 cultivars, 11 exhibited fruit Brix levels above 0.9, and 3 had a fruit Brix:TA ratio of 1.0. Ongoing fruit flavor analysis aims to identify unique flavor compounds within these strawberries. Correlations linked time to first harvest and maximum productivity coefficient with canopy area, shoot height, and photosynthetic rate per plant, revealing the intricate sink-source dynamics in strawberry plants. Interestingly, no correlation was found between maximum productivity coefficient and any fruit quality trait, challenging the commonly held belief in the constant competition between crop productivity and quality. The information of strawberry growth and production in vertical farm environment provided in this study can assist indoor growers in cultivar selection and potentially contribute to future strawberry breeding programs.