Strawberry under sodium and chloride stress: +20.8% yield and lower leaf chloride — Holden Research, California 2014-15
Irrigation water with excess sodium and chloride.
+20.8%
Marketable yield under
+30.0%
Market utilisation under
+824 $/acre
Net revenue under
Products certified CE 2018/848, NOP USDA and JAS — suitable for certified organic production
Trial protocol
Product / dose
Application timing
Methodology
Portola strawberry in 2-litre containers with commercial potting media, controlled nursery. Completely randomised block design with two Ecoganic programmes overlaid on the grower standard, exposed to increasing salt loads in the irrigation water. All treatments received controlled-release fertiliser at planting; products were delivered by drench. Four treatments: grower standard (control), Ecoganic standard, grower standard + NaCl, and Ecoganic high-rate + NaCl. Products: ECOGANIC CALCIUM 40% PLUS and ECOGANIC BOOST UNIVERSAL. 18-24 sampling periods over 9-12 weeks at peak production. No phytotoxicity observed. The figures shown compare the two salt-stressed arms.
Source
Holden Research and Consulting (D. Holden) — Camarillo, California, USA. Protocol 15frtclstraw01, Ventura County, 2014-2015 season. Portola variety, randomised complete block design, confidence level 90-95%. (2015)
Quantitative results
Values measured in the trial.
Marketable yield under salt stress
flats/acreControl
1200
Ecoganic
1450
Gain
+20.8%
Market utilisation under salt stress
%Control
35
Ecoganic
45.5
Gain
+30.0%
Net revenue under salt stress
$/acreControl
4505
Ecoganic
5329
Gain
+824 $/acre
Leaf chloride under salt stress (lower is better)
% MSControl
1.23
Ecoganic
1.11
Gain
−9.8%
Leaf sodium under salt stress (lower is better)
% MSControl
0.77
Ecoganic
0.73
Gain
−5.2%
Leaf nitrogen under salt stress
% MSControl
2.18
Ecoganic
2.36
Gain
+8.3%
Leaf potassium under salt stress
% MSControl
1.65
Ecoganic
1.89
Gain
+14.5%
| Parameter | Unit | Control | Ecoganic | Gain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marketable yield under salt stress | flats/acre | 1200 | 1450 | +20.8% |
| Market utilisation under salt stress | % | 35 | 45.5 | +30.0% |
| Net revenue under salt stress | $/acre | 4505 | 5329 | +824 $/acre |
| Leaf chloride under salt stress (lower is better) | % MS | 1.23 | 1.11 | −9.8% |
| Leaf sodium under salt stress (lower is better) | % MS | 0.77 | 0.73 | −5.2% |
| Leaf nitrogen under salt stress | % MS | 2.18 | 2.36 | +8.3% |
| Leaf potassium under salt stress | % MS | 1.65 | 1.89 | +14.5% |
Visual comparison
Marketable yield under salt stress (flats/acre)
+20.8%
Market utilisation under salt stress (%)
+30.0%
Net revenue under salt stress ($/acre)
+824 $/acre
Leaf chloride under salt stress (lower is better) (% MS)
−9.8%
Leaf sodium under salt stress (lower is better) (% MS)
−5.2%
Leaf nitrogen under salt stress (% MS)
+8.3%
Leaf potassium under salt stress (% MS)
+14.5%
Trial conclusions
With salt added to the irrigation water, the Ecoganic programme recovered 1,450 flats/acre against 1,200 for the conventional programme under the same stress: 20.8% more marketable yield. Market utilisation rose from 35.0% to 45.5% and net revenue by $824/acre. The agronomically decisive figure is in the tissue: treated plants accumulated less chloride (1.11% vs 1.23%) and less sodium (0.73% vs 0.77%) while holding more nitrogen and potassium in the leaf. Under salt stress the programme does not just yield more — it lets less salt into the plant.
Verified source
Holden Research and Consulting (D. Holden) — Camarillo, California, USA. Protocol 15frtclstraw01, Ventura County, 2014-2015 season. Portola variety, randomised complete block design, confidence level 90-95%. — 2015
Validated by Ecoganic agronomic team · Francisco Tomás Krinner
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