Characterizing the growth, morphology, productivity, and fruit quality of twenty-three strawberry cultivars in an indoor environment with sole source electric lighting

Indoor farming enables consistent production of superior-quality strawberries through optimized conditions. As strawberry growth, production, and quality can be largely affected by both genotype and environment, it is important to identify cultivars with traits desirable for indoor production. Twent...

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Main Authors: Yiyun Lin, Changhyeon Kim, Nahla V. Bassil, James M. Oliphant, Michael A. Hardigan, Chieri Kubota
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Horticulture
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fhort.2025.1621763/full
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author Yiyun Lin
Changhyeon Kim
Nahla V. Bassil
James M. Oliphant
Michael A. Hardigan
Chieri Kubota
author_facet Yiyun Lin
Changhyeon Kim
Nahla V. Bassil
James M. Oliphant
Michael A. Hardigan
Chieri Kubota
author_sort Yiyun Lin
collection DOAJ
description Indoor farming enables consistent production of superior-quality strawberries through optimized conditions. As strawberry growth, production, and quality can be largely affected by both genotype and environment, it is important to identify cultivars with traits desirable for indoor production. Twenty-three publicly available strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) cultivars were selected from the USDA-ARS National Clonal Germplasm Repository as possible genetic resources for future breeding for indoor production and evaluated in a walk-in growth chamber with sole source electric lighting. Among strawberry cultivars examined, ‘Mara des Bois’ had desirable traits for indoor farming, including long-day photoperiodic response, early production, higher average weekly yield, and low sensitivity to dormancy-inducing photoperiod. Fruit quality traits, including size, calyx area, shape, color, total soluble solid content (Brix), titratable acidity (TA), and firmness were evaluated. ‘Chandler’ produced the largest fruit, ‘Sweet Sunrise’ showed the lowest calyx-to-fruit area ratio, and ‘Benton’, ‘Hood’, ‘Mara des Bois’, ‘NW 90054-37’, and ‘Puget Beauty’ fruit had a relatively high Brix-to-TA ratio. Correlations among productivity, quality, and morphological characteristics revealed the potential to enhance both productivity and quality by optimizing environmental conditions. The information on strawberry plant growth, development, and fruit production provided in this study can assist indoor growers in cultivar selection and potentially contribute to the development of new strawberry cultivars that thrive in indoor production environments.
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spelling doaj-art-497d58c17dea402ba463a0f72a64d2da2025-08-20T02:24:14ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Horticulture2813-35952025-06-01410.3389/fhort.2025.16217631621763Characterizing the growth, morphology, productivity, and fruit quality of twenty-three strawberry cultivars in an indoor environment with sole source electric lightingYiyun Lin0Changhyeon Kim1Nahla V. Bassil2James M. Oliphant3Michael A. Hardigan4Chieri Kubota5Department of Extension, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United StatesDepartment of Horticulture and Crop Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United StatesUS Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, National Clonal Germplasm Repository, Corvallis, OR, United StatesUS Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, National Clonal Germplasm Repository, Corvallis, OR, United StatesUS Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Horticultural Crops Production and Genetic Improvement Research Unit, Corvallis, OR, United StatesDepartment of Horticulture and Crop Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United StatesIndoor farming enables consistent production of superior-quality strawberries through optimized conditions. As strawberry growth, production, and quality can be largely affected by both genotype and environment, it is important to identify cultivars with traits desirable for indoor production. Twenty-three publicly available strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) cultivars were selected from the USDA-ARS National Clonal Germplasm Repository as possible genetic resources for future breeding for indoor production and evaluated in a walk-in growth chamber with sole source electric lighting. Among strawberry cultivars examined, ‘Mara des Bois’ had desirable traits for indoor farming, including long-day photoperiodic response, early production, higher average weekly yield, and low sensitivity to dormancy-inducing photoperiod. Fruit quality traits, including size, calyx area, shape, color, total soluble solid content (Brix), titratable acidity (TA), and firmness were evaluated. ‘Chandler’ produced the largest fruit, ‘Sweet Sunrise’ showed the lowest calyx-to-fruit area ratio, and ‘Benton’, ‘Hood’, ‘Mara des Bois’, ‘NW 90054-37’, and ‘Puget Beauty’ fruit had a relatively high Brix-to-TA ratio. Correlations among productivity, quality, and morphological characteristics revealed the potential to enhance both productivity and quality by optimizing environmental conditions. The information on strawberry plant growth, development, and fruit production provided in this study can assist indoor growers in cultivar selection and potentially contribute to the development of new strawberry cultivars that thrive in indoor production environments.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fhort.2025.1621763/fullcontrolled environment agriculture (CEA)Fragaria × ananassahydroponicsplant factorysoilless cultivation
spellingShingle Yiyun Lin
Changhyeon Kim
Nahla V. Bassil
James M. Oliphant
Michael A. Hardigan
Chieri Kubota
Characterizing the growth, morphology, productivity, and fruit quality of twenty-three strawberry cultivars in an indoor environment with sole source electric lighting
Frontiers in Horticulture
controlled environment agriculture (CEA)
Fragaria × ananassa
hydroponics
plant factory
soilless cultivation
title Characterizing the growth, morphology, productivity, and fruit quality of twenty-three strawberry cultivars in an indoor environment with sole source electric lighting
title_full Characterizing the growth, morphology, productivity, and fruit quality of twenty-three strawberry cultivars in an indoor environment with sole source electric lighting
title_fullStr Characterizing the growth, morphology, productivity, and fruit quality of twenty-three strawberry cultivars in an indoor environment with sole source electric lighting
title_full_unstemmed Characterizing the growth, morphology, productivity, and fruit quality of twenty-three strawberry cultivars in an indoor environment with sole source electric lighting
title_short Characterizing the growth, morphology, productivity, and fruit quality of twenty-three strawberry cultivars in an indoor environment with sole source electric lighting
title_sort characterizing the growth morphology productivity and fruit quality of twenty three strawberry cultivars in an indoor environment with sole source electric lighting
topic controlled environment agriculture (CEA)
Fragaria × ananassa
hydroponics
plant factory
soilless cultivation
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fhort.2025.1621763/full
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