Effect of Spraying with Seaweed Extract (Algae 600) and Cal-Boron on Some Vegetative Growth and Yield Characteristics of Two Strawberry Cultivars (Rubygem and Albion)

Volume 17, Issue 2
Spring 2026
Page 248-263

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Master’s Student, University of Salahaddin, college of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, Department of Horticulture

2 Department of Horticulture, College of Agricultural Engineering Science, Salahaddin Uni.-Erbil, Kurdistan-Iraq

Abstract
This study was carried out during (2024-2025) growing season in a plastic house at the Horticulture Department, College of Agricultural Engineering Science, University of Raparin in Qaladze/Iraq, the experiment examines the impact of Algae 600 and Cal-Boron at three doses on growth, blooming, and yield as a foliar spray and their interactions on growth, chemical composition, production, and quality of strawberry at two strawberry cultivars Rubygem and Albion. Six spraying during the experiment after transplanting in 1 November 2024, first spraying of Alga 600 was done in 21 November 2024 after (20) day of the transplanting. In addition, second spraying in 12 December 2024 and third spraying in 2 January 2024. The first spraying of Cal-Boron was done in 2 December 2024, 40 days after of transplanting, second spraying done after flowering and third spraying done during fruit development. The results showed that the fertilizers (Algae 600 and Cal-Boron) had a significant effect. Specifically, they significantly influenced leaf area, reaching a value of 78.45 cm² in the Rubygem cultivar with a treatment of (8 g/L algae and 1.0 ml/L Cal-Boron). They also significantly affected fruit size, with Rubygem producing a fruit size of 13.28 cm³ under the same treatment. Moreover, the same treatment recorded a significant anthocyanin content of 42.31 mg/100 g F.W. Additionally, the interaction between (Cultivars + Fertilizers + Concentration) significantly affected leaf area, with the highest value of 88.41 cm² observed in (Rubygem + 8 g/L algae + 1.0 ml/L Cal-Boron). It also significantly influenced fruit size, reaching 19.50 cm³ in the same treatment. In comparison to untreated strawberries, the interaction of (Rubygem + 8 g/L algae + 1.0 ml/L Cal-Boron) yielded an anthocyanin value of 31.49 mg/100 g F.W., while (Albion + 0.0 algae + 0.0 Cal-Boron) served as the control.

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