Wild strawberry production on innovative sediment- based growing media: a reality challenging the traditional concept of “soilless” cultivation

Marine sediments are a critical compartment of coastal ecosystems due to their environmental risk linked to the accumulation of pollutants, often exceeding the legal limits for their reuse in civil constructions and agriculture. Even though there are no explicit legislative references to the possibilities of using dredged sediments, these residues might represent a new valid alternative to peat in soilless culture if opportunely remediated. This research aimed to assess the plant yield of wild strawberry production on sediment-based growing media. The phytoremediated and landfarmed marine sediment dredged from the Leghorn port (Italy) was used as a constituent of growing media in the percentage of 0, 50 and 100. The blends of peat and sediment were analyzed to evaluate their physico-chemical properties. Certified wild strawberry plants of Fragaria vesca (‘Regina delle Valli’) were grown under greenhouse conditions for two years. Different water regimes were applied throughout each growing cycle. The productivity of plants and the pomological quality of the fruits were evaluated. Results showed that growth was influenced by the substrate mixture, as shoot development and crown diameter were significantly greater when obtained on sediment-based growing media. Nevertheless, fruits obtained from plants cultivated on the different substrates displayed similar pomological characteristics. The remedied sediment proved to be a valid alternative to peat for wild strawberry production.