Impact of Soil-Applied Biopesticides on Yield and the Postharvest Quality of Strawberry Fruits in Southeast Texas.

The production of organic strawberries ( × ) in Texas is becoming more popular because consumers prefer locally grown berries and are willing to pay premium prices. However, local climatic conditions pose a high risk for insect problems and fungal diseases; hence, effective pest and disease management strategies are needed. Developing effective and safe methods of producing organic strawberries is necessary for meeting local consumer demand. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the impacts of selected commercially available soil-applied biopesticides on yield and the quality of Camino Real strawberries established using bare roots on plastic mulch-covered beds with drip irrigation. The ten biopesticide treatments were replicated three times in a completely randomized design. The berries used for this study were subsampled from harvests made in mid-April, late April, and mid-May 2019. Yield, biometrical characteristics, and physicochemical analyses such as pH, acidity, total soluble solids, sugars and organic acid contents, firmness, and instrumental color were determined for fresh strawberries after each harvest period. Experimental data were analyzed using the PROC Mixed model procedure. The effects of the soil-applied biopesticide treatments on strawberry yield varied. The results of strawberry yield suggest that biopesticides applied at the right time and frequency have the potential to perform at similar levels to their conventional counterparts. Camino Real strawberries treated with biopesticides, harvested during mid-April, late April, or mid-May, exhibited acceptable flavor based on the recommended values of TA and TSS for strawberries. The biopesticides showed no negative effects on yield and fruit quality and thus they could serve as alternatives to conventional products used.