​Research analyzes alternatives to improve strawberry quality

The color, aroma and flavor of strawberries, as well as their nutritional properties, make this fruit a value-added product that is highly appreciated by consumers. Furthermore, there is great commercial interest in strawberries in many countries. These factors drove the sixth-level Agronomy student at the University of Passo Fundo (UPF), Natália Carolini Loesch Spengler, 21, to research alternatives to improve the quality and production of strawberries by reducing the use of chemical fertilizers.

The research entitled “Strawberry Inoculated with Acaulospora morrowie guarantees fruit quality” was guided by the professor, agronomist Dr. Eunice Oliveira Calvete, and had as co-authors: Gregori Caglioni Durante, Nicolas Trentin, José Trevisan Chiomento, Rosiani Castoldi da Costa and Fabiola Stockmans De Nardi. The work came first in the 2016 Student Researcher Award during the UPF Knowledge Week in the area of ​​Agricultural Sciences.

The traditional production system requires the use of chemical fertilizers, which, in addition to being expensive, have consequences for the environment. Thus, the academic used Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) aiming to reduce the use of these compounds in order to minimize damage to the environment, maintaining and/or improving fruit production and quality. “The objective of the work was to test whether mycorrhizal inoculation changes the production and quality of strawberry fruits grown in substrate. Inocula are small amounts of the fungi of interest, sufficient for their development. The inoculation was carried out with the fungi mixed in distilled water and placed in the holes (holes) using syringes, where the strawberries were planted”, explained the researcher.

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) are symbiotic fungi that colonize roots and function as extensions of the root system. When used in the rehabilitation of degraded areas, they increase the absorption rate of low-mobility nutrients in the soil, as well as minerals and water, in addition to promoting plant protection against attacks by possible pathogens. They also contribute significantly to plant growth. “These fungi benefit the plant because their hyphae spread in the soil, functioning as an extension of the root system, so that the fungus helps in the absorption of water and nutrients, especially phosphorus. The majority of wild and cultivated plants are associated with these fungi”, explained the academic.

There are hundreds of fungi with this natural characteristic of symbiosis with roots, however, those used in the research were: Acaulospora morrowiae, Claroideoglomus etunicatum e Rhizophagus clarus. The experiment was carried out in a protected environment, in the Horticulture Sector and in the Plant Ecophysiology Laboratory, at UPF. Seedlings from in vitro cultivation produced at the Plant Biotechnology Laboratory of the Faculty of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine (FAMV/UPF), of the Camarosa cultivar, were used.

Research showed better fruit quality
According to the results of Anova (Analysis of variance), there was no significant difference for final colonization data of plant roots. For total and commercial number of fruits, total and commercial weight of fruits, the month of October stood out. “Plants that came into contact with and were colonized by Acaulospora morrowie they obtained better fruit quality, especially in October, due to lower temperatures, which favors colonization, as well as the accumulation of sugars”, highlighted Natália.

A new alternative
The use of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi can be an alternative for strawberry production. “This technique helps the plant absorb nutrients, which reduces the use of chemical fertilizers, in addition to being a natural technique, guaranteeing food security”, assured the researcher.

For the cultivation of strawberries, the first research was carried out in Spain in the 1990s, continuing to the present day. In Brazil, there are three groups that work with mycorrhizal fungi, however, in substrate and horticulture, only the UPF group from the Ecophysiology Laboratory. According to the academic, the other groups work with identification and fruit growing.

The academic emphasizes that this technique is not yet available to producers, but that this research is an incentive to make it viable in the future. “There is a commercial product in Brazil, which has been tested, but does not show good results. Abroad, there are also commercial products that are still in the testing phase. Our group has been carrying out work to offer producers a quality alternative in the future”, said the young researcher.

The award
The research won first place in the Student Researcher Award in the area of ​​Agricultural Sciences at the XXVI Scientific Initiation Exhibition (MIC), which took place during the UPF Knowledge Week, at the beginning of October. The event also included the X Extension Exhibition. There were approximately 900 works presented in the area of ​​research, extension and postgraduate studies, and 13 students were awarded awards.