The Effect of Different Mulching Material on the Fruit Size and Yield of the Strawberry under the Agro-Climatic Condition of Mansehra

The effect of different mulching materials on the fruit size and yield of Strawberry under the agro-climatic conditions of Mansehra was studied at the Agricultural Research Station Baffa, Mansehra during the growing season 2014. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block design with three replications. There were 6 treatments including T0 (control), T1 (Newspaper mulch), T2 (Black plastic mulch), T3 (Wheat straw), T4 (Pine needles mulch), and T5 (Saw dust). The row length was kept 4 meter while the row spacing 45 cm. The plot size was 5.4 m2. Results of the experiment showed that the maximum single fruit weight 13.66g was recorded for the saw dust mulch, maximum fruit diameter 3.83 cm was noted for saw dust mulch, followed by the 3.56 cm for the pine needle mulch, maximum number of fruit plant-1 24.60 was observed for the saw dust mulch, followed by the 19.80 for the pine needle mulch and the highest total yield 4.01 t ha-1 was recorded for the saw dust mulch , followed by 3.28 t ha-1 noted for the pine needle mulch. From the experiment it is concluded that strawberry crop mulched by straw dust gave maximum fruit size and yield under the agro-climatic conditions of Baffa, Mansehra, hence recommended for the said area for increase in the production of strawberry.