Abstract:
The study was conducted at Madaymen, Kibungan, Benguet from November 2015 to April 2016, to evaluate the growth and yield performance of new potential varieties of strawberry under Madaymen, Kibungan, Benguet, to identify the varieties that are best adapted to the locality and to determine the economics of growing strawberries in Madaymen, Kibungan, Benguet.
Sweet Charlie (check variety), Strawberry Festival, Fern x Strawberry festival, Toyonoka x (Fern x Tonoyoka), Agsapa- (Selva x Toyonoka), BSU Pierre- (Sweet Charlie x Toyonoka) were used to evaluated in the study.
Results revealed that Sweet Charlie, Fern x (Fern x Toyonoka) and BSU Pierre (Sweet Charlie x Toyonoka) were the earliest to initiate flowering, the first to initiate fruit set and the first to harvest as compared to the other variety crosses. Agsapa x (Selva x Toyonoka) was noted to be more superior to Sweet Charlie in terms of total number and weight of strawberry fruits. On the other hand, Fern x (Fern x Toyonoka), Fern x Festival and Agsapa x BSU Pierre may be planted as an alternative strawberry variety crosses to Sweet Charlie in terms of number and weight of strawberry fruits.
Result revealed that Strawberry Festival the earliest strawberry plants to initiate flowering, fruit set to first harvest, highest sugar content (brix) and highest percentage of fruit set per plant were obtained by. While the Fern x Strawberry Festival obtained the heaviest fruit weight, longest diameter, heaviest total yield per plot, marketable yield per plot, highest number of inflorescence and it has the highest net income. There were no occurrence of insect pest and diseases for all the varieties during the vegetative stage to harvesting stage
Based on the results of the study, Fern x Strawberry Festival is recommended to be grown under Madaymen, Kibungan, Benguet condition as it performs well in terms of number, weight of strawberry fruits and net income. Fern x Strawberry Festival can be alternative strawberry variety for the check variety Strawberry Festival.
Further study is also recommended in other locations for verification of the performance of the strawberry varieties to determine the suitable crosses in the area.
