Optimizing Strawberry Quality: Comparative Analysis of Chemical Fertilizers, Biofertilizers, and Their Combination

Abstract

The experiment conducted at Farm Unit - 02, Department of Agriculture, Integral Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology (IIAST), Integral University, spanned two consecutive years, 2022-23 and 2023-24, to investigate the Economizing chemical fertilizer Through biofertilizers on Strawberry Production (Fragaria × ananassa Duch) cv. Winter Down. The study comprised 10 treatments, each replicated thrice in a randomized block design, with treatments consisting of various combinations of mineral and bio-fertilizers at different levels. All doses of mineral and bio-fertilizers were administered at the time of planting. The data collected over both years of the experiment were pooled and subjected to comprehensive analysis. Notably, Treatment 8 (T8) emerged as the most promising, exhibiting superior performance across multiple parameters. In terms of nutritional content, T8 demonstrated the highest levels of total sugars (8.25%), total soluble solids (14.45°Brix), reducing sugars (5.25%), and non-reducing sugars (2.87%). Additionally, it displayed elevated levels of ascorbic acid (55.56 mg), indicating enhanced vitamin C content, a crucial nutritional aspect in strawberries. Furthermore, T8 exhibited an extended shelf life (4.58 Days), which is desirable for marketability and consumer satisfaction. T8 demonstrated favorable attributes in terms of acidity, with lower titratable acidity (0.54%) and a higher TSS: acid ratio (26.67%). These parameters contribute to the overall sensory appeal and palatability of strawberries. In contrast, the control group yielded minimal results across all the aforementioned parameters, underscoring the significance of biofertilizers in optimizing strawberry production while reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers