Strawberry

Garden strawberry
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This article is about the most commonly cultivated strawberry. For other species, see Fragaria.
Garden strawberry

Garden strawberries grown hydroponically
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae

Division: Magnoliophyta

Class: Magnoliopsida

Order: RosalesManuring and harvesting
Most strawberry plants are now fed with artificial fertilizers, both before and after harvesting, and often before planting in plasticulture.[15]

The harvesting and cleaning process has not changed substantially over time. The delicate strawberries are still harvested by hand.[16] Grading and packing often occurs in the field, rather than in a processing facility.[16] In large operations, strawberries are cleaned by means of water streams and shaking conveyor belts.[17]

[edit] Pests
Around 200 species of pests are known to attack strawberries both directly and indirectly.[18] These pests include slugs, moths, fruit flies, chafers, strawberry root weevils, strawberry thrips, strawberry sap beetles, strawberry crown moth, mites, aphids, and others.[18][19]

A number of species of Lepidoptera feed on strawberry plants; for details see this list.

[edit] Diseases
See also: List of strawberry diseases
Strawberry plants can fall victim to a number of diseases.[20] The leaves may be attacked by powdery mildew, leaf spot (caused by the fungus Sphaerella fragariae), leaf blight (caused by the fungus Phomopsis obscurans), and by a variety of slime molds.[20] The crown and roots may fall victim to red stele, verticillium wilt, black root rot, and nematodes.[20] The fruits are subject to damage from gray mold, rhizopus rot, and leather rot.[20] The plants can also develop disease from temperature extremes during winter.[20] When watering your strawberries, be sure to water only the roots and not the leaves, as moisture on the leaves encourages growth of fungus. Ensure that the strawberries are placed in a windy area to prevent the fungus from occurring
Production trends

Strawberry output in 2005World strawberry production in tonnes[21] Country 2005 2006 2007 2008
Egypt 100,000 100,000 104,000 200,254
Germany 146,500 173,230 158,658 150,854
Italy 146,769 131,305 57,670 155,583
Japan 196,200 190,700 193,000
Mexico 162,627 191,843 176,396 207,485
Morocco 118,600 112,000 100,000 130,000
Poland 184,627 193,666 174,578 200,723
Russia 221,000 227,000 230,400 145,000
Korea, South 201,995 205,307 203,227
Spain 320,853 333,485 263,900
Turkey 200,000 211,127 250,316 261,078
United Kingdom 68,600 73,900 87,200
USA 1,053,242 1,090,436 1,133,703 1,148,530
Total world 3,782,906 3,917,140 3,824,678 4,068,454

[edit] Agronomy

A diorama created from beeswax by Dr. Henry Brainerd Wright at the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum in Shreveport, Louisiana depicts strawberry harvesting. Strawberries are particularly grown in the southeastern portion of the state about Hammond.Strawberries are an easy plant to grow, and can be grown almost anywhere in the world. The best thing to do is to buy a plant in early to middle spring. Place the plant preferably in full sun, and in somewhat sandy soil. Strawberries are a strong plant that will survive many conditions, but, during the time that the plant is forming fruit, it is important for it to get enough water. Strawberries can also be grown as a potted plant, and will still produce fruit.
Uses
In addition to being consumed fresh, strawberries can be frozen, made into preserves, as well as dried and used in such things as cereal bars. Strawberries are a popular addition to dairy products, as in strawberry-flavored ice cream, milkshakes, smoothies, and yogurts. Strawberries and Cream is a popular dessert, famously consumed at Wimbledon. Strawberry pie is also popular. Strawberries can be dipped in melted chocolate fondue as a Allergy
Some people experience an anaphylactoid reaction to the consumption of strawberries.[27] The most common form of this reaction is oral allergy syndrome, but symptoms may also mimic hay fever or include dermatitis or hives, and, in severe cases, may cause breathing problems. Some research suggests that the allergen may be tied to a protein involved in the ripening of fruits, which was named Fra a1 (Fragaria allergen1). Homologous proteins are found in birch and apple, which suggests that people may develop cross-reactivity to all three species.
healthier way to enjoy chocolate.[22]Gallery
Ready to eat Strawberries
Closeup of the surface of a strawberry shows achenes with style and stigma attached
Strawberry flowers and developing fruit
Halved strawberry showing internal structure

Ripe and unripe strawberries
Organic strawberry in Romania

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garden_strawberry



Family: Rosaceae

Subfamily: Rosoideae

Genus: Fragaria

Species: F. × ananassa

Binomial name
Fragaria × ananassa
Duchesne

The garden strawberry, Fragaria × ananassa, is a hybrid species that is cultivated worldwide for its aggregate accessory fruit, the (common) strawberry. The fruit is widely appreciated, mainly for its characteristic aroma but also for its bright red color, and it is consumed in large quantities, either fresh or in prepared foods such as preserves, fruit juice, pies, ice creams, and milk shakes. Artificial strawberry aroma is also widely used in all sorts of industrialized food products.

The garden strawberry was first bred in Brittany, France, about 1740 via a cross of Fragaria virginiana from eastern North America , which was noted for its flavor, and Fragaria chiloensis from Chile and Argentina brought by Amédée-François Frézier, which was noted for its large size.[1
The strawberry is, in technical terms, an aggregate accessory fruit, meaning that the fleshy part is derived not from the plant's ovaries (achenes) but from the receptacle that holds the ovaries.[3]
Cultivation

Fragaria × ananassa 'Gariguette,' a cultivar grown in southern FranceStrawberry cultivars vary remarkably in size, color, flavor, shape, degree of fertility, season of ripening, liability to disease and constitution of plant.[4] Some vary in foliage, and some vary materially in the relative development of their sexual organs. In most cases the flowers appear hermaphroditic in structure, but function as either male or female.[5]

For purposes of commercial production, plants are propagated from runners (stolons) and, in general, distributed as either bare root plants or plugs. Cultivation follows one of two general models, annual plasticulture[6] or a perennial system of matted rows or mounds.[7] A small amount of strawberries are also produced in greenhouses during the off season.[8]
The bulk of modern commercial production uses the plasticulture system. In this method, raised beds are formed each year, fumigated, and covered with plastic to prevent weed growth and erosion. Plants, usually obtained from northern nurseries, are planted through holes punched in this covering, and irrigation tubing is run underneath. Runners are removed from the plants as they appear, to encourage the plants to put most of their energy into fruit development. At the end of the harvest season, the plastic is removed and the plants are plowed into the ground.[6][9] Because strawberry plants more than a year or two old begin to decline in productivity and fruit quality, this system of replacing the plants each year allows for improved yields and denser plantings.[6][9] However, because it requires a longer growing season to allow for establishment of the plants each year, and because of the increased costs in terms of forming and covering the mounds and purchasing plants each year, it is not always practical in all areas.[9]

The other major method, which uses the same plants from year to year growing in rows or on mounds, is most common in colder climates.[6][7] It has lower investment costs, and lower overall maintenance requirements.[7] Yields are typically lower than in plasticulture.[7]

A third method uses a compost sock. Plants grown in compost socks have been shown to produce significantly higher oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), flavonoids, anthocyanins, fructose, glucose, sucrose, malic acid, and citric acid than fruit produced in the black plastic mulch or matted row systems.[10] Similar results in an earlier 2003 study conducted by the US Dept of Agriculture, at the Agricultural Research Service, in Beltsville Maryland, confirms how compost plays a role in the bioactive qualities of two strawberry cultivars.[11]