Intermittent sprinkler irrigation during the establishment of strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa Duch.) bare-root transplants conserves water without loss of yield and fruit quality

Commercial strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa Duch.) production in Florida relies heavily on bare-root transplants, which typically have 3–5 leaves with partially desiccated roots. Successful establishment requires sprinkler irrigation during daylight hours for the first 10–14 days, leading to substantial water consumption. To address this issue, we evaluated the efficacy of intermittent sprinkler irrigation as a water conservation strategy. We conducted field experiments over two growing seasons [Season 1 (2021–22) and Season 2 (2022–23)] in west-central Florida using three major strawberry cultivars, ‘Florida127’, ‘Florida Brilliance’, and ‘FL 16.30–128’. Plants were subjected to four different intermittent irrigation programs during establishment: 10/0 (continuous irrigation), 10/10, 10/15, and 10/20 min (on/off) from 0800 to 1800 HR for 12 days after transplanting. The impact of intermittent irrigation on marketable yield was cultivar- and season-dependent. 'Florida Brilliance' exhibited a 27 % yield increase in Season 1 but no significant difference in Season 2. By contrast, the other two cultivars exhibited no significant yield response in either season. In ‘Florida Brilliance’, marketable yield was strongly correlated with early canopy growth, suggesting that the yield increase was due partly to accelerated canopy establishment. This surprising result could be explained by the role of stress-induced leaf senescence in enhancing acclimation to adverse environmental conditions. It is speculated that increased heat stress from intermittent irrigation promotes senescence of initial leaves, facilitating nutrient translocation to the crown and subsequently accelerating the formation of new leaves and roots. Our results demonstrate that, without significant yield loss, intermittent sprinkler irrigation can reduce water use by 50–67 % during the establishment of strawberry bare-root transplants, accounting for 322–429 mm of water saving (3.2–4.3 million liters per hectare). Importantly, this water-conservation practice is easy to implement and does not negatively impact fruit quality.