Consumptive water use and irrigation performance of strawberries

In south-west of Spain, the strawberry crop generates high economic value goods and high rate of employments. However, strawberry is cultivated in the vicinity of the Doñana National Park, a wetland with the maximum European environmental protection. Hence, minimize agricultural water use is of considerable interest in this area. Two experiments were conducted in order to determine strawberry (Fragaria×ananassa) irrigation requirements. The experiments were carried out with Sabrina and Antilla cultivars without deficit irrigation. Three irrigations amounts were applied with different water volumes. Drainage lysimeters were installed in order to measure crop evapotranspiration. In Sabrina trial, seasonal crop evapotranspiration ranged from 430 to 453mm, whereas in Antilla it reached 352mm. The crop coefficient reached maximum values of 1.1 and 0.8 in Sabrina and in Antilla, respectively. In Sabrina trial, irrigation efficiency of 81% was achieved when an irrigation volume of 5500m3ha−1 was applied. In all Sabrina trial treatments, marketable fruit production exceeded 1000g plant−1 and crop productivities were above 74tha−1, with no significant differences among treatments (P<0.05). In Antilla trial, the maximum irrigation efficiency reached was 58%. The yield was around 750g plant−1, whereas land productivity was above 48tha−1, with no significant differences between treatments. Water productivity was higher in Sabrina trial. The results suggest that following an irrigation schedule based on meteorological data and estimated crop coefficients, can result in significant water savings without losses in yield.