Effect of Foliar Application of Boron, Salicylic Acid, and Chitosan on Growth and Fruiting of “Festival” Strawberry

The effects of boron, salicylic acid, and chitosan on growth, yield components, and fruit quality of a strawberry variety (Festival) were investigated during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. A randomized complete block design was used.The results showed that application of boron, salicylic acid and chitosan significantly increased plant height, number of leaves/plants, number of elongations, leaf area, total chlorophyll, number of fruits per plant and yield per plant compared to water spraying (control).The results also showed that fruit physical characteristics, i.e., fruit weight, fruit height, fruit diameter, and fruit hardness increased significantly due to the application of boron, salicylic acid, or chitosan compared to the sprayed water (control).The results also showed that spraying with boron, salicylic acid and chitosan significantly improved the chemical composition of the fruits in terms of increasing the percentage of total soluble solids, sugar content, and vitamin C in addition to decreasing acidity compared to the control treatment.It was suggested that foliar application of chitosan or boron may significantly improve plant growth, yield, and fruit quality.