# Strawberry research programme

Canonical HTML: https://flavorotor.com/research/strawberry
Machine-readable index: https://flavorotor.com/research/data/chapters/index.json



A later-stage programme that separates root-zone system suitability, nutrient strength, N×K interaction, fruit chemistry and sensory quality.

In brief

A later-stage programme that separates root-zone system suitability, nutrient strength, N×K interaction, fruit chemistry and sensory quality.

## Why strawberry is phase two

Strawberry requires a longer cycle, flowering and fruit set, stronger root-zone oxygen control, pollination management and post-harvest standardisation. A 2025 system comparison found the tested substrate system outperformed the tested water-culture systems, so the FlavoRotor root zone must be validated before flavour treatment claims. [R14]

## Two different literature anchors

 |
 Anchor | pH / EC | Correct interpretation

 | [R14] system comparison | pH 5.5–6.5; EC 0.75–1.25 mS/cm | operating range used in that multi-system study, not a taste optimum
 | [R13] Kuemsil nutrient strength | 1/3: pH 6.2, EC 1.1; 1/2: 6.0, 1.5; 2/3: 5.9, 1.9; full: 5.8, 2.5 | exact treatment combinations for cultivar Kuemsil and that formulation/system

[R13] reported the two-thirds treatment as the best compromise for the tested Kuemsil crop, but that result is not universal. [R13]

## Programme sequence

- Validate survival, flowering, fruit set and root-zone oxygen under one conservative recipe.
- Compare root support/medium configurations before nutrient-strength optimisation.
- Test nutrient strength in one named cultivar.
- Run an N×K factorial only after stable baseline production.
- Measure yield, °Brix, titratable acidity, firmness, volatiles and blinded sensory profile together.

[R12] supports the N×K interaction design; [R28] supports combining volatile, quality and sensory analysis across cultivars. [R12] [R28]

Preciado-Rangel et al. (2020), Plants, 9(4), 441, Table 1, PDF p. 2. Values transcribed without interpolation. [R12]

 Zebro et al. (2025), Frontiers in Plant Science, 16, 1685755, Table 5, PDF p. 7. Values transcribed without interpolation. [R13]

## References

- [R12] Preciado-Rangel, Pablo; Troyo-Diéguez, Enrique; Valdez-Aguilar, Luis Alonso; García-Hernández, José Luis; Luna-Ortega, José Guadalupe (2020). Interactive Effects of the Potassium and Nitrogen Relationship on Yield and Quality of Strawberry Grown Under Soilless Conditions. *Plants*. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9040441
- [R13] Zebro, Mewuleddeg; Baek, Jeong-Hyeon; Kim, Minkyung; Jeong, Youngae; Rabbani, M. G.; Choi, Ki-Young (2025). Nutrient solution strength affects growth, physiology, biochemistry and fruit quality of Korean strawberry 'Kuemsil' in a recycling hydroponic system. *Frontiers in Plant Science*. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2025.1685755
- [R14] Hutchinson, George Kerrigan; Nguyen, Lan Xuan; Ames, Zilfina Rubio; Nemali, Krishna; Ferrarezi, Rhuanito Soranz (2025). Substrate system outperforms water-culture systems for hydroponic strawberry production. *Frontiers in Plant Science*. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2025.1469430
- [R28] Malorni, Livia; Di Renzo, Tiziana; Matarazzo, Cristina; Petriccione, Milena; Ferrara, Elvira; Capriolo, Giuseppe; Baruzzi, Gianluca; Sbrighi, Paolo; Cozzolino, Rosaria (2026). Strawberry Production in Soilless Culture Systems: A Comparative Analysis of Volatile Metabolites, Quality, and Sensory Traits in Three Cultivars. *Foods*. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15061072