Argentina, one of the main South American strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) producers, shows an increasing trend to reduce the use of agrochemicals (pesticides and fertilizers), and incorporate bio-inputs. In this context, the objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of MO.14 (a liquid organic amendment, rich in humic and fulvic acids), applied alone or combined with a biological activator (Biomix), on the yield and fruit quality of four strawberry cultivars. A trial was carried out in the 2016 productive season and part of 2017, in Famaillá (Tucumán). Treatments: MO.14 (drench), MO.14 (drench) + Biomix (foliar) and untreated control (T). Cultivars: Benicia, Camino Real, Merced and San Andreas. Yield (total fruit weight/plant, Yld), number of fruits/plant (NF), marketable fruit average weight (MFAW) and percentage of rotten fruits (%RF) were evaluated. Experimental design: CRD with three replications of 30 plants per cultivar and treatment. Data were subjected to ANOVA. Treatments improved Yld and NF, but not %RF and MFAW (genotypic effects prevailed). MO.14 showed Yld and NF values higher than MO.14 + Biomix. Treatment-cultivar interactions were significant for NF. Regarding the cultivars, Merced stood out (Yld, MFAW). In May 2017, when the first harvests of the 2nd year started, biostimulants exceeded T in Yld. Biostimulant treatments could reduce the use of chemical fertilizers in strawberry, contributing to agroecosystem sustainability, although new studies (dose, concentration, number of applications) should validate that.

In order to improve the quality of stone fruit propagation material, the San Pedro Experiment Station began a program of diagnosis and monitoring of its collections, in order to know its status regarding  three Ilarvirus and one Potyvirus, and to identify healthy varieties. The diagnosis was made using the DAS-ELISA technique, with the recommended protocol for the corresponding kits. Samples were analyzed in duplicate and the results were read on a Multiskan MS Labysistem reader. Absorbance readings (A 405) greater than three times the mean of the healthy controls were considered positive. Consistent composite samples of 8 leaves / 2 plants / variety selected from the four main branches were analyzed. PNRSV had an approximate average incidence of 30%, in the different collections monitored. PDV and ApCLSV were detected in less than 5%. No varieties or hybrids were affected by PPV or ApMV. 38 varieties of peach, 25 of nectarine and 37 of plum were negative to the analyzed viruses.

In Mendoza province, Argentina, sweet cherries cv. Royal Dawn have been introduced recently, however no published data exist of this cultivar performance under Mendoza agroclimatic conditions. The aims of this work were to characterize the productive performance and to evaluate the effect of crop load regulation on yield, through dormant pruning and fruit spur, shoot growth and fruit quality as well. In a four-year-old plantation, crop load management was studied in the first year. In the second year the treatments were: dormant pruning (P, 35% of fruiting wood was eliminated); dormant pruning+30% fruit spur extinction (P+E30%); dormant pruning+50% fruit spur extinction (P+E50%) and 30% fruit spur extinction (E30%). In the third year, shoot growth was measured in each treatment. In year 1 total yield was high but 99.86% of the fruit was small (≤24mm) and not exportable. In P+E30% and P+E50% treatments, total yield was reduced significantly compared with P and E30% treatments. All crop load regulation treatments improved fruit size distribution and increased the proportion of fruits >24 mm. In P+E30% and P+E50% small fruit (≤24 mm), was reduced to very low levels: 3.68% and 1.92% respectively and yield of fruit >28mm was also promoted to 18.05%. In the treatment of lower crop load P+E50%, the highest shoot growth was obtained. Royal Dawn is a productive sweet cherry cultivar, in Mendoza, under favorable agroclimatic conditions. In crop load regulation treatments, where vegetative growth is high, a large number of high quality fruit is obtained. 

The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of different training systems of Stella/Colt sweet cherries (pruned vase, modified (tied) vase, central leader and tatura), on yield and fruit quality in the Lower Valley of Chubut River. In the 2006/2007 season, pruned vase showed the lowest yield and its low F/LA ratio was an important factor for better fruit quality (weight, soluble solids content (SSC) and firmness). Even when modified vase presented a high yield similar than tatura’s, this last one showed a better fruit quality (SSC and firmness). Central leader presented a mid-point situation. In the 2007/2008 season, the yield was lower in pruned vase than in the other three training systems. This system showed lowest LAI value and also the lowest fruit number to leaf area (F·LA-1) ratio. The higher LAI was observed in tatura. The yield was positively related to both LAI and to F·LA-1 ratio and fruit quality (fruit weight, SSC and firmness) decreased as F·LA-1 ratio increased.