Horticultural Science and Technology 원예과학기술지 ISSN:1226-8763(Print) 2465-8588(Online)

The objective of this research was to investigate the influence of bicarbonate (HCO₃-) concentrations in nutrient solution on the growth and physiological disorders in mother plants and occurrence of daughter plants in propagation of ‘Seolhyang’ strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.). To achieve this, the mother plants were transplanted to coir dust + perlite (7:3, v/v) medium and Hoagland solution was modified to contain 60, 90 (control), 120, 180, and 240 mg･L^-1 of HCO₃-. The symptoms of Fe, Zn and B deficiencies appeared on the mother plants in the HCO₃- of 240 mg･L^-1 from the 60th day after treatment. The symptoms spread to all plants in the 240 mg･L^-1 HCO₃- including daughter plants at 90 days after treatment. The HCO₃- concentrations higher than 120 mg･L^-1suppressed the growth of mother plants such as leaf number, chlorophyll content, fresh weight and other growth parameters. While the mother plants in 60 mg･L^-1 HCO₃- produced 23 daughter plants, while mother plants in 240 mg･L^-1 HCO₃- produced 13 daughter plants. The final pH 126 days after treatment in the HCO₃- of 60, 90, 120, 180 and 240 mg･L^-1 were 5.4, 5.8, 7.3, 7.9, and 8.3, respectively. The elevation of HCO₃- concentrations in nutrient solution resulted in the decrease of Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu contents of above ground tissue 126 days after treatment. These results indicate that the HCO₃- concentrations higher than 120 mg･L^-1 inhibited the growth of mother plants and occurrence of daughter plants in vegetative propagation of ‘Seolhyang’ strawberry.