Synergistic effects of colored polytunnels and fish effluent irrigation on growth, yield and phytochemical composition of Camarosa strawberry

The rising demand for sustainable, high-yield strawberry production calls for innovative practices that enhance growth and resource efficiency. Open-field cultivation exposes plants to environmental fluctuations, resulting in inconsistent growth, lower yield and reduced fruit quality. The current study investigates the synergistic impact of varying polytunnel colors (transparent, red, blue and yellow) and fish effluent irrigation on Camarosa strawberry plants. Twelve treatments were associated with the study and observation of yield and biochemical parameters were performed in November 2023-2024 at the Agricultural Farm of Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India. The results indicated that RPE (Red polytunnel + Pineapple peel fish feed effluent) exhibited the highest effects on fruit length (6.51 cm), fruit weight (23.33 g) and yield per plant (500.87 g). However, the lowest effect was recorded in TW (Transparent polytunnel + Absolute water irrigation). Similarly, for fruit quality attributes, RPE and RBE (Red polytunnel + Banana peel fish feed effluent) showed better results. Treatments based on red polytunnel i.e., RPE and RBE showed the highest nutrient uptake resulting in improved physiological performance and enhanced fruit quality and yield. Multivariate analysis helped in visualizing the data and its interpretation. Also, Pearson’s correlation measured the strength and direction of individual treatments and variables which showed the direct and indirect effects of variables. Thus, the study concludes that treatments RPE and RBE are best treatments for enhancing the yield, quality and nutrient uptake of Camarosa strawberries making them the most recommended for controlled production optimization.