The relationship between yield and plant density in strawberry: competition does not impose an upper limit to population-level production

Abstract

In row crops, the number of the plants in each hectare of field influences productivity. This review examined the relationship between yield and plant density in strawberry. There were positive linear relationships between yield and density in annual hill culture, the main production system (N?=?24), under protected cultivation (N?=?15) and in matted rows (N?=?9). In annual hill culture, yield increased by 0.1270?±?0.1055 t/ha for each additional 1,000 plants/ha, while fruit weight decreased by 0.0183?±?0.0237?g. No optima were established in most of the experiments, suggesting that competition for light did not impose an upper limit to population-level production. This was possibly due to wide inter-rows and acceptable light interception by the plants at high densities. The effect of density on net returns is variable. Higher populations decrease the proportion of the crop that is marketable and increase the cost of establishment. Further research is required to determine if higher densities can counteract the impacts of global warming, with temperatures above 25° to 30°C decreasing plant growth and yields. The cost of new transplants varies across areas and will be a barrier to the adoption of high densities for some industries.