Effects of Rock Phosphate, Triple Super Phosphate and Biochar on Strawberry Monoculture, Strawberry-Cucumber and Strawberry-Tomato Intercrops in Two Southern-Alberta Greenhouse Soils

Intercropping increases food production and reduces the risk of crop failure. However, using combination of rock phosphate and biochar in greenhouse intercrop is limitedly adopted by the growers. Two years trials were conducted in the greenhouse. In 2022 trial, varying levels of rock phosphate and biochar soil amendment were applied to the two soil types in southern Alberta grown with two varieties of strawberry in each of the soil types. In 2023 trial, the same treatments were applied with higher rates than that of 2022 trial, grown with strawberry-cucumber intercropped in standoff soil while strawberry was intercropped with tomato crop in St Mary soil. The 2022 results showed that high rock phosphate fertilizer application at a rate of 250 Kg ha−1 supported strawberry biomass production while low rock phosphate at a rate of 100 Kg ha−1 supported fruit production. In 2023 trial, the application of low rock phosphate and high rock phosphate at a rate of 120 and 500 Kg ha−1, respectively with medium application of biochar at a rate of 1 ton ha−1 positively influenced the number of fruit and biomass production. There was an interspecific competition between strawberry and tomato intercropped in the same pot. Tomato crops performed better than strawberry in the intercrop, combination of tomato and strawberry is not suited for intercropping. This study reveals the potential of rock phosphate over triple super phosphate in greenhouse fruit crop production, as well as to adopt good cropping system in greenhouse crop production.