The Impact of Arginine on the Fruit Quality Attributes of Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) cv. Queen Eliza

Strawberries are one of the most important fruits in horticulture. In this research, the effects of arginine application timing and different concentrations on some qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the strawberry cultivar 'Queen Eliza' were investigated. Plants were treated with arginine at concentrations of 0, 250, and 500 µM at two stages (30 days after planting and at the first blooming) in a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with four replications under greenhouse conditions. The results showed that the fruits of plants treated with arginine exhibited improved qualitative characteristics compared to the control treatment. Specifically, the application of different levels of arginine increased yield, primary and secondary fruit weight, and the number of achenes (quantitative characteristics). Additionally, it enhanced total soluble solids, reducing sugars, titratable acidity, anthocyanin, phenol, and vitamin C content (qualitative characteristics). The most effective treatment and optimal spraying time were 500 µM arginine and 30 days after planting, respectively, for improving both qualitative and quantitative characteristics. This study provides the first evidence that arginine enhances the quantitative characteristics of strawberry fruits, thereby improving overall fruit quality.