Evaluation of biostimulating products on strawberry in southern italy.

Modern techniques of fertilization, in a context of eco-compatible agriculture, are involved in a gradual reduction of the inputs of the chemical fertilizers and synthesised products, which if not correctly applied could become sources of environmental pollution. Biostimulating products derive from vegetables and are extremely specifically used to increase productive and qualitative traits of the fruits. To acquire further information on the action of these products in two years an activity of experimentation has been carried out concerning the employment of some commercial biostimulating products, applied on two strawberry cultivars, to assess their influence on the productive and qualitative characteristics of the fruits. These substances were applied in different doses in comparison with the normal organic-mineral fertilizers applied by the farmers. This research has furnished good indications on the capability of some products to increase the production of the fruits and some qualitative characteristics as the ascorbic acid. For these products other experimental examination would be desirable. It should be remarked, however, that all these products, despite the scarce knowledge on the matter, find wide employment in the normal fertilization practices of strawberry and other vegetable crops.