Journal of Bio-Environment Control ISSN:1229-4675(Print) 2765-3641(Online) 생물환경조절학회지

This study was conducted to examine the effects of defoliation levels during winter season on the yield and soluble solid contents of fruits. To achieve this strawberry ‘Seolhyang’ cultivated forcingly in the year of 2013 to 2014 as well as 2014 to 2015. The three treatments include periodical removing of leaves remaining 6 fully expanded leaves, those remaining 9 leaves, and only removing of old and infected leaves during the period from early December to end of February. In the early marketable fruit yield until the end of February and total marketable fruit yield, the treatment of non-defoliation was significantly higher than those of the treatment of 6 and 9 leaves in the year of 2014 to 2015 cropping season. Soluble solid contents of fruits among January and March increased significantly as the number of leaves get higher. Soluble solid contents were higher and stable around 12°Brix in the treatment of non-defoliation. Assimilation of photosynthetic products into plant tissue are insufficient due to the lack of irradiation and short day in winter season forcing cultivation of strawberry. Thus, it is considered to manage the leaves with defoliation for only old and infected leaves from December to February for increasing of fruit yield and improvement of fruit quality.