The latest factors affecting flower bud differentiation of strawberry

We potted strawberries, in addition to ornamental, more importantly, hope to harvest delicious ripe fruit, and want strawberries to bear fruit smoothly, flower bud formation and differentiation is the key. Only when potted strawberries successfully develop flower buds can they further blossom. The quantity and quality of flower bud formation often play a direct role in the fruit bearing of strawberry. So, what are they?

The flower bud formation and differentiation of strawberry are often restricted by the selected varieties and growth conditions, light, temperature, nutrition and growth regulators. Therefore, Xiaobian analyzes these aspects for everyone.

I. Quality of seedlings

The quality of strawberry seedlings will directly affect the formation and differentiation of flower buds, especially the quantity and quality of flower buds. If the seedlings develop well, the number of flower buds differentiated will be more and the quality will be higher. Moreover, the number of leaves of strawberry seedlings often affects the time, speed and number of flower bud differentiation. Under normal circumstances, it is necessary to ensure that there are more than 4 leaves, because seedlings with less than 4 leaves have a shorter growth time and less nutrient accumulation, which often has a certain negative impact on flower bud differentiation.

The seedling age of strawberry also has certain influence on flowering induction, because it is often an important factor for sensing temperature and sunshine, and has a great influence on flower bud differentiation and formation. Usually, the older the plant age, the weaker the growth, the time of flower bud formation lags behind, and even the flower bud formation cannot be promoted smoothly.

Strawberry young plants are generally planted in early September in autumn, usually in cloudy days or sunny evenings, because the time of planting often affects the formation and differentiation of flower buds to a certain extent.

II. Cultivation Management

As potted strawberries, scientific and reasonable cultivation and management methods will greatly promote the formation and differentiation of flower buds in the late stage of plants. Generally, flower bud differentiation process can be reasonably regulated from seedling process, pot planting, pot soil preparation, water and fertilizer management and so on.

Seedling stage generally need to avoid direct light, can receive weak light short sunshine, at the same time appropriately reduce the temperature, this can promote the differentiation of tiger teeth; and appropriate root pruning treatment, control nitrogen intake, not only can promote flower bud differentiation, but also can make flower bud formation appear more orderly.

III. Nutrient elements

The amount of nutrient elements often restricts flower bud formation. Especially in the flower bud differentiation period, sufficient carbohydrates, appropriate nitrogen, high carbon and nitrogen ratio will be more conducive to promoting flower bud formation to a large extent; if the carbon and nitrogen ratio is relatively low, it will often delay flower bud differentiation to a certain extent.

Relatively speaking, the plants with strong growth will be earlier in flower bud differentiation than the plants with weak growth, but the number of flowering flowers will also increase correspondingly, mainly due to excessive nitrogen intake, resulting in excessive growth of plants, thus not inhibiting flower bud differentiation. The moderate growth of plants and seedlings is more conducive to promoting flower bud differentiation. The plant growth can be controlled properly by pruning roots, which can accelerate the differentiation of flower buds.

IV. Environmental factors

The main environmental factors affecting flower bud differentiation and development of potted strawberries are temperature and light. If these two conditions are suitable, they will accelerate flower bud formation and differentiation of strawberries. Usually the best temperature for flower bud differentiation is between 10-20℃, and it is best to keep the average ambient temperature at 15℃; when the temperature drops below 5℃, flower bud differentiation is often inhibited or stopped. At the same time, the differentiation process of flower buds needs to ensure that the daily light time is 10-12 hours.

However, the differentiation and development conditions of flower buds are often different, and even there may be greater contrast. Flower bud differentiation needs to go through low temperature and short day process, while flower bud development needs to go through high temperature and long day process, the latter needs to receive no less than 12 hours of light in temperature environment above 20℃. After the normal differentiation of flower buds, we need to adjust the temperature and light in time to make the environment more conducive to promoting the development and growth of flower buds.

V. Growth regulators

For strawberries, abscisic acid is generally chosen over gibberellin for the application of growth regulators. Because abscisic acid can promote flower bud differentiation of strawberry, but gibberellin can inhibit flower bud formation and differentiation. If some paclobutrazol can be sprayed at strawberry seedling stage, it often helps to promote flower bud formation to a certain extent.