Garden strawberries – or pineapple strawberries (Fragaria ananassa) have been grown in the gardens of many countries since the 18th century, while the first information about the cultivation of strawberries dates back to the beginning of the 12th century. Speaking about it as a healing, wild plant, Ibn Sina writes about it, and the poets Virgil and Ovid mention it. Garden strawberries or pineapple strawberries are often called strawberries,” associate professor T.B. Fazylova shared the results of her scientific work.
“In 1962, planting material was brought to Tajikistan from Tashkent by plane – 62 thousand garden strawberry tendrils – varieties: “Kuller”, “Tashkent Early”, “Memory of Schroeder”. In the republic, at that time, there were only a few strawberry bushes in the botanical garden of Dushanbe and in the Pamirs, and this crop was at the stage of study. Since light loamy and sandy loam soils (PH5.5-6.5) with a humus content of at least 2.5% are most suitable for planting strawberries, on May 5, 1962, in the Gissar region, the imported varieties were planted on an experimental plot. Hailstorms began, but the harvest exceeded all expectations – 8 tons were harvested from one hectare! The very next year, planting material was distributed in the Sughd region, in Palass.
Garden strawberries are a very profitable crop, characterized by high yields, resistance to adverse environmental factors, yielding 2-3-4 harvests per year. Due to the high economic efficiency of production, stable and high consumer demand, garden strawberries are one of the most important crops in berry growing. The harvest can be harvested from May to November, depending on the weather conditions of the year.
Garden strawberries (strawberries) are perennial herbaceous plants. Its bush has a highly branched (up to 20-40) branches, a shortened (no higher than 10 cm) stem, a mass of trifoliate leaves on long petioles, peduncles and lateral cord-like shoots (ground stolons), which we call mustaches. Every year, new growths, short to 15 cm, called horns, are formed on the strawberry stem.
Strawberry fruits have rich beneficial properties: sugar content – up to 15%, organic acids – malic, citric, etc., essential oils, salts of phosphorus, iron, potassium, tannins, dyes, phytocides, a number of vitamins – C, B1, provitamin A and etc.
In terms of its usefulness, garden strawberries are a universal plant, used without waste – fruits, leaves, flowers, rhizomes.
Strawberries are one of the best medicinal berries, proven by many generations. Traditional medicine recommends strawberries for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, gastritis, kidney stones, vitamin deficiencies, etc. A complete list of all indications could take more than one page.
Mastering the technology of cultivating garden strawberries using industrial varieties will ensure an annual berry yield of at least 10 t/ha, the profitability of production (per 10 hectares) with a herbicide system for keeping rows between rows will be 155.4%, and with mulching the soil between rows – 199.6%. The payback period for capital investments ranges from 1.2 to 1.4 years. Associate Professor T.B. Fazylova, a scientist in the field of berry growing, shared this information with us, thanks to whose scientific work we have such a wonderful crop in the republic today – garden strawberries.
