The Influence of Exogenous Hormone on the Flowering and Fruiting of Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch)

Abstract

The influence the exogenous hormone on flowering and fruiting of strawberry was conducted at the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) station in Cameron Highlands. Factorial experiment with three replications was designed in randomized completed block design (RCBD) where two factors, cultivars and exogenous hormone were used. Two strawberry cultivars, Camarosa and Camaroga cvs., were grown under green house and treated with 0 and 50 ppm of auxin (IBA), gibberellins acid (GA3) or cytokinin (6-BA) either singly or in combination by foliage application. The results showed that, there are significant different between the mean of flowering parameter, percentage of fruit set and average of fruit weight among the two cultivars. The result also showed that the number of the flowers per plant was greatly increased by about 138% comparing with the control plants when treated with 50 ppm GA3. 6-BA and IBA shows an antagonized effect on the role of GA3 in producing the flowers. The percentage of fruits set had increased by about 97.24 % and 81.5 % after treated with IBA and GA3, respectively. Combined application of GA3+6BA had increased the fruit weight by 33.85% compared with the control plants. The result also indicated that these two cultivars of strawberry response differently to the exogenous hormones in the producing flowers and fruits. The first bud of the plant treated with IBA+6-BA formed to flower as compared with the plants treated with GA3. The result obtained from of the present study could be used to control the flowering and fruiting of strawberry.

Keywords: Strawberry, exogenous hormone, flowering, fruiting.