The objective of this research was to determine the effects of cold storage of strawberry runner tips used for production of plug plants and fruit yield in the field. The experiment was conducted in Santa Maria, RS, using plug plants rooted after 0; 7; 14; 21; 28 and 35 days of cold storage of runner tips at 0,5±0,3°C temperature and 95±1% air humidity. After the cold storage period, runner tips were rooted for plug plant production and planted in the field for fruit production. The survival rate and number of leaves of plug plants were recorded after rooting. Fruit and stolon number and fruit yield were determined from June to December 2010. It was concluded that the cold storage of runner tips for further rooting and plug plant production did not affect growth and survival of plug plants. Fruit yield of plants originated from such plug plants is reduced when the cold storage period is increased while emission of stolons is linearly enhanced, but these effects are cultivar dependent.
Fragaria x ananassa; propagation; runner tips; plug plants
