Integrated fertilization with tropical orchard leaf extract biostimulants improves strawberry flowering and reproductive development

Introduction

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) is an important high-value soft fruit crop, valued for its distinctive flavour, appearance, and nutritional and antioxidant properties (Alvarez-Suarez et al., 2014; FAOSTAT, 2024). Global production exceeds nine million tonnes annually, with cultivation expanding across subtropical regions, including India, where it has become an important commercial horticultural crop (NHB, 2024). As yield is fundamentally reproductive, flowering timing, synchrony, and flower number strongly influence fruit-set potential, harvest earliness, and productivity (Rana et al., 2022; Zydlik et al., 2024). Intensive production relies heavily on synthetic mineral fertilizers, contributing to declining nutrient-use efficiency, nitrate leaching, soil organic-carbon depletion, and environmental deterioration (Quddus et al., 2025; Wang et al., 2025). Moreover, strawberry's shallow root system makes it sensitive to nutrient imbalance; both nitrogen deficiency and excess can disrupt floral bud differentiation and delay reproductive transition (Jiang et al., 2023; Choi et al., 2024). Balanced N, P, and K nutrition is therefore essential for floral initiation, flowering synchrony, and reproductive efficiency, highlighting the need for sustainable nutrient-management strategies that maintain productivity while reducing reliance on synthetic inputs [2,6,12,21,23,28,32] . Botanical leaf extracts have emerged as promising biostimulant components of integrated nutrient management (du Jardin, 2015; Yakhin et al., 2017) [7,27] . Rich in phenolics, flavonoids, antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and hormone-like substances, they function primarily as physiological signalling and biostimulatory inputs rather than bulk nutrient sources (Franzoni et al., 2022; Cardarelli et al., 2024). Their foliar application may modulate hormonal balance and meristematic activity, maintain chlorophyll and photosynthetic function, improve assimilate partitioning and nutrient uptake, and strengthen antioxidant defence, thereby supporting reproductive development (Soppelsa et al., 2019; Mosa et al., 2021). In strawberry, moringa leaf extract combined with potassium nitrate advanced flowering and improved yield attributes (Ismail and Ganzour, 2021), while seaweed biostimulants increased flower number, fruit set, and flowering duration (Al-Shatri et al., 2020; Rana et al., 2022; Bagh and Mishra, 2024; Zunic et al., 2024). Integrated organic-inorganic nutrition has also reduced days to first flowering and increased flower production relative to recommended fertilizer alone (Raj and Prasad, 2023), while combined moringa, calcium, and potassium silicate enhanced flower number and fruit set (Mohammed and Majeed, 2023). Furthermore, guava, mango, jamun, and jackfruit leaves contain phenolics, flavonoids, and hormone-like bioactives with demonstrated physiological activity (Zhang et al., 2022; Yuniarti et al., 2025) [1,4,5,9,11,13,14,22,23,25,28,29,31] . Despite these findings, comparative information on jamun, mango, guava, and jackfruit leaf extracts within the same strawberry system remains scarce. Most studies have examined single extracts or concentrations, leaving their relative efficacy at different concentrations and in combination with the recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) insufficiently explored, particularly for days to first flowering, days to 50% flowering, and number of flowers per plant. The integration of these locally available botanical extracts with conventional fertilization for sustainable improvement of strawberry reproductive performance has therefore not been systematically evaluated. The present study evaluated jamun, mango, guava, and jackfruit leaf extracts at 50% and 100% concentrations as foliar sprays, applied individually and in interaction with RDF, to determine their effects on flowering behaviour and reproductive potential in strawberry. The findings provide a basis for integrating botanical leaf extracts with recommended fertilization to support sustainable nutrient management and improved reproductive performance in strawberry cultivation.

Material and Methods

Experimental Site and Experimental Design

The experiment was conducted over two consecutive winter seasons (2024-25 and 2025-26) under open-field conditions at the New Nursery, Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya (JNKVV), Adhartal, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India (23°12′09″ N, 79°57′29″ E; 300 m a.m.s.l.), a region with a subtropical climate and cool winters favorable for strawberry cultivation. A factorial randomized block design (FRBD) with three replications was used to assess the effects of botanical leaf extracts and the recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) on strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) cv. Camarosa. Factor A comprised nine levels: a watersprayed control and foliar extracts of jamun (Syzygium cumini), mango (Mangifera indica), guava (Psidium guajava), and jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) leaves, each at 50% and 100% concentration. Factor B comprised two fertilizer levels (with and without RDF), yielding 18 treatment combinations replicated thrice, with six plants per experimental unit. Composite soil samples (0-30 cm depth) collected before transplanting were clay in texture (19.6% sand, 30.4% silt, 50.0% clay), slightly acidic to neutral (pH 6.8), with normal electrical conductivity (0.47 dS m⁻¹), medium organic carbon (0.48%), low available nitrogen (256 kg ha⁻¹), high available phosphorus (24.4 kg ha⁻¹), and medium available potassium (248 kg ha⁻¹), indicating moderate fertility suitable for the crop.

Plant Material and Crop Establishment

Healthy, disease-free, tissue-cultured runners of cv. Camarosa, uniform in vigor with well-developed roots and 4-5 leaves, were procured from Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd., Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India. Damaged leaves and roots were trimmed, and plants were briefly field-acclimatized before transplanting on raised beds pre-laid with silver polyethylene mulch during the third week of October in both seasons, at 60 × 30 cm spacing. RDF (120:60:80 kg N:P₂O₅:K₂O ha⁻¹) was applied as a single basal dose through urea, single super phosphate, and muriate of potash before transplanting in the respective treatments. Irrigation, manual weeding, runner removal, and plant protection were applied uniformly across treatments to maintain healthy crop growth. Observations were recorded from six plants per unit and averaged for analysis.

Preparation and Application of Botanical Leaf

Extracts: Fresh, fully expanded, mid-canopy leaves of jamun, mango, guava, and jackfruit were harvested (≈100 g per species) from disease-free trees on the JNKVV campus during early morning under dry conditions, excluding young, senescent, or damaged foliage. Leaves were washed, rinsed, shade-dried to remove surface moisture, and processed separately by species to avoid cross-contamination. Extracts were prepared by the aqueous decoction method, with minor modifications following Mukherjee (2019), Nafiu et al. (2017), and Persic et al. (2019): chopped leaves were boiled in 1 L water for 15 min, reducing to ≈500 mL, cooled for 5 min, and filtered through muslin cloth followed by Whatman No. 1 paper. The resulting filtrate constituted the 100% extract; the 50% concentration was prepared immediately before spraying by diluting the stock 1:1 (v/v) with water. Extracts were freshly prepared for each species and concentration before each application. Foliar sprays were applied with a knapsack sprayer at 15-day intervals (30, 45, 60, and 75 DAT) during calm morning conditions until runoff; the control received an equivalent water spray on the same schedule [15,16,20] .

Measurement of Flowering Parameters

Observations were recorded from six permanently tagged plants per unit. Days to first flowering were recorded as days after transplanting (DAT) to opening of the first flower per plant; days to 50% flowering as DAT when approximately half the plants in a unit bore at least one open flower. Total flowers per plant were counted at 5-day intervals throughout the flowering period, and cumulative means per plant were derived from the tagged plants for analysis.

Statistical Analysis

Data were analyzed in RStudio (v2025.05.0+496) using R (v4.6.0; R Core Team, Vienna, Austria). Normality and homogeneity of variance were assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk and Levene's tests, respectively. As no significant Year ×Treatment interactions were detected for the flowering traits evaluated, data from both seasons were pooled for analysis. Treatment effects were evaluated using Type III analysis of variance (ANOVA) under a factorial randomized block design, with botanical leaf extract, recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF), and their interaction as fixed effects. Effect sizes were expressed as partial eta squared (η²p). When ANOVA indicated significant treatment effects (P ≤ 0.05), estimated marginal means (EMMs) were compared using Tukey's honestly significant difference (HSD) test implemented in the emmeans package. Relationships among flowering traits were examined using Pearson's correlation analysis. Results are presented as EMMs ± standard error (SE) with statistical significance declared at P ≤ 0.05.

Results

Effects of Botanical Leaf Extracts and Recommended Fertilizer Dose (RDF) on Flowering Traits

Type III ANOVA indicated significant main effects of leaf extract and RDF, as well as a significant Leaf Extract × RDF interaction, for days to first flowering, days to 50% flowering, and number of flowers per plant (Table 1). Partial η² values were consistently high for both main effects across all three traits, with leaf extract accounting for a greater proportion of explained variation than RDF. The Leaf Extract × RDF interaction also explained a substantial proportion of the total variation, with the largest interaction effect observed for days to first flowering. Complete F-values, P-values, and partial η² estimates are presented in Table 1.

Flowering Responses to Botanical Leaf Extracts and RDF:

Across the three flowering traits, Jackfruit leaf extract at 50% consistently ranked as the superior treatment, recording the fewest days to first flowering, the fewest days to 50% flowering, and the maximum number of flowers per plant, with Jackfruit leaf extract at 100% forming a statistically comparable group in most instances (Table 2).

Mango leaf extract at 50% and Jamun leaf extract at 50% also performed favourably for one or more traits, whereas the untreated Control consistently registered the poorest performance, showing the maximum number of days to first flowering and to 50% flowering together with the minimum number of flowers per plant. The effect of RDF depended on the leaf extract treatment; however, RDF generally promoted earlier flowering and higher flower production, with the most pronounced responses observed with Jackfruit 50%. Among treatment combinations, Jackfruit leaf extract 50% with RDF consistently produced the most favourable response across all three traits, while Control without RDF consistently produced the least favourable response; several combinations involving Mango, Jamun, and Jackfruit extracts with RDF formed statistically comparable clusters at the favourable end of the response range (Figures 123).

Relationship among Flowering Traits

Pearson correlation analysis among the flowering parameters revealed a distinct pattern of positive and negative associations (Figure 4). Days to first flowering and days to 50% flowering were strongly and positively correlated (r = 0.84), representing the strongest relationship among the three traits. In contrast, number of flowers per plant was negatively correlated with both days to first flowering (r = -0.71) and days to 50% flowering (r = -0.62), with the former representing the strongest negative association in the matrix. The two flowering-time parameters were strongly and positively associated with each other, while both were moderately to strongly and negatively associated with number of flowers per plant, indicating a consistent inverse correlation structure between flowering time and flower number.

Discussion 4.1 Botanical Leaf Extracts and RDF Shape Flowering Behaviour and Reproductive Potential in Strawberry

Flowering marks the transition from vegetative to reproductive growth, and its timing and intensity directly influence fruit set, yield formation, and harvest earliness. Across all flowering traits, botanical leaf extracts, the recommended fertilizer dose (RDF), and their interaction significantly influenced reproductive development. Leaf extracts advanced flowering and enhanced reproductive capacity, while RDF reinforced these effects through improved nutritional status; their interaction indicated complementary physiological action. The responses suggest coordinated improvements in photosynthetic function, carbon partitioning, nutrient availability, hormonal regulation, source-sink relations, and meristem activity. Jackfruit leaf extract, particularly at 50%, consistently produced the most favourable reproductive response, especially when combined with RDF, whereas untreated, unfertilised plants showed the greatest delay and lowest reproductive capacity. [3,4,10,19,24,30,32] . [4,6,13,17,22] .

Days to

Days to 50%

Flowering: Days to 50% flowering extends the interpretation of flowering earliness by indicating the progression of flowering within the plant population. Leaf extract, RDF, and their interaction significantly affected this trait. Jackfruit leaf extract at its optimum concentration again produced the most favourable response, while RDF reduced the time to 50% flowering relative to unfertilised conditions. Jackfruit 50% × RDF produced the earliest progression to 50% flowering, whereas the untreated control was slowest. Unlike first flowering, therefore, this response reflects not only earlier reproductive initiation but also more rapid progression of flowering within the plant population. (2024). The earlier progression to 50% flowering may be associated with sustained source-sink and nutritional coordination rather than with an additional increase in vegetative growth. Importantly, the interaction represents enhanced utilisation of supplied mineral nutrition rather than fertiliser substitution [4,13,17,22] . [3,4,12,13,19,22,24,32] .

Number of

Coordination among Flowering Traits

Correlation analysis revealed strong relationships among flowering traits. Days to first flowering and days to 50% flowering showed a strong positive association (r = 0.84), indicating closely linked progression of flowering. In contrast, days to first flowering was strongly negatively associated with flower number (r = -0.71), while days to 50% flowering showed a similar negative relationship (r = -0.62). Thus, plants that flowered earlier and progressed more rapidly toward 50% flowering tended to produce more flowers, indicating coordinated reproductive development rather than independent trait responses. This pattern is consistent with shared hormonal and metabolic regulation of floral initiation, flowering progression, and subsequent flower production. Common influences of hormonal regulation, photosynthetic capacity, carbohydrate availability, and assimilate allocation may therefore contribute to the observed covariation among flowering traits. The strong association between flowering earliness and flower number has practical value because days to first flowering, and potentially days to 50% flowering, may serve as early indicators of subsequent reproductive performance. This relationship warrants further evaluation across cultivars to determine whether flowering earliness can serve as an early indicator of reproductive performance.

Integrating Botanical Leaf Extracts with RDF for Sustainable Reproductive Management

Strawberry reproductive performance, reflected in flowering initiation, progression, and flower number, was significantly influenced by botanical leaf extracts, RDF, and their interaction. Jackfruit leaf extract produced the most consistent reproductive response, while the positive extract × RDF interaction suggests a beneficial interaction between botanical stimulation and adequate nutrient supply. Botanical extracts may enhance nutrient-use efficiency, assimilate partitioning, and reproductive development, thereby strengthening the response to RDF. The association among flowering earliness, synchrony, and flower number further indicates their interconnected roles in reproductive performance. From an agronomic perspective, botanical extracts may serve a supplementary role within RDF-based nutrient management. The Jackfruit-RDF combination showed potential to promote earlier progression of flowering and greater floral production, which may favour pollination, fruit set, and more uniform harvesting. However, the effects of these responses on productivity and economic returns require direct validation. Further research should evaluate the Jackfruit-RDF combination across cultivars and environments and optimise extract concentration and application timing. Phytochemical, hormonal, transcriptomic, and metabolomic studies, including investigation of flowering-related genes such as FT, SOC1, LFY, and AP1, could clarify the underlying mechanisms and support integration with precision nutrient management (Wang et al., 2025) [28] .

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that botanical leaf extracts, RDF, and their interaction significantly influenced flowering behaviour and reproductive potential in strawberry. Jackfruit leaf extract 50% + RDF (A₈B₂) was the most effective treatment, while Jackfruit leaf extract 100% + RDF (A₉B₂) also performed among the best. Mango leaf extract 50% + RDF (A₄B₂) and Jamun leaf extract 50% + RDF (A₂B₂) showed favourable responses, whereas the untreated control without RDF (A₁B₁) recorded the poorest reproductive performance. The integrated application of botanical extracts with RDF promoted earlier flowering progression and reproductive potential, indicating a beneficial interaction between botanical biostimulation and nutrient supply. Correlation analysis further indicated coordinated reproductive development, with earlier flowering associated with greater flower production. Botanical leaf extracts can serve as supplementary biostimulants within integrated nutrient management for sustainable strawberry production. Further validation across cultivars and agro-climatic conditions is warranted to establish the consistency and practical applicability of these responses.

Acknowledgement

AcknowledgementsThe authors gratefully acknowledge the Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya (JNKVV), Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India, for providing the facilities and support necessary to conduct this research. The first author sincerely acknowledges Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, for providing the opportunity to pursue doctoral research, of which the present study forms a part.

References

1. Al-Shatri AH, Pakyürek M, Yaviç A. Effect of seaweed application on the vegetative growth of strawberry cv. Albion grown under Iraq ecological conditions. Applied Ecology and Environmental Research. 2020;18(1):12111225. DOI:10.15666/aeer/1801_12111225
2. Alvarez-Suarez JM, Mazzoni L, Forbes-Hernandez TY, Gasparrini M, Sabbadini S, Giampieri F. The effects of pre-harvest and post-harvest factors on the nutritional quality of strawberry fruits: A review. Journal of Berry Research. 2014;4(1):1-10. DOI:10.3233/JBR-140068
3. Amadi JA, Ihemeje A, Afam-Anene OC. Nutrient and phytochemical composition of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) pulp, seeds and leaves. International Journal of Innovative Food, Nutrition & Sustainable Agriculture. 2018;6(3):27-32.
4. Bagh AS, Mishra S. Foliar application of seaweed extract and micronutrients on plant growth and yield of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) cv. Winter Dawn. Journal of Advances in Biology & Biotechnology. 2024;27(6):708-716. DOI:10.9734/jabb/2024/v27i6931
5. Cardarelli M, El Chami A, Rouphael Y, Ciriello M, Bonini P, Erice G, Cirino V, Basile B, Corrado G, Choi S, Kim HJ, Colla G. Plant biostimulants as natural alternatives to synthetic auxins in strawberry production: Physiological and metabolic insights. Frontiers in Plant Science. 2024;14:1337926. DOI:10.3389/fpls.2023.1337926
6. Choi SH, Kim DY, Lee SY, Lee KH. Effect of nutrient management during the nursery period on the growth, tissue nutrient content, and flowering characteristics of hydroponic strawberry in 2022. Horticulturae. 2024;10(11):1227. DOI:10.3390/horticulturae10111227
7. du Jardin P. Plant biostimulants: Definition, concept, main categories and regulation. Scientia Horticulturae. 2015;196:3-14. DOI:10.1016/j.scienta.2015.09.021
8. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. FAOSTAT: Crops and livestock products database. 2024. Available from: https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL
9. Franzoni G, Cocetta G, Prinsi B, Ferrante A, Espen L. Biostimulants on crops: Their impact under abiotic stress conditions. Horticulturae. 2022;8(3):189. DOI:10.3390/horticulturae8030189
10. Huang X, Chen S, Li W, Tang L, Zhang Y, Yang N, Zou Y, Zhai X, Xiao N, Liu W, Li P, Xu C. ROS regulated reversible protein phase separation synchronizes plant flowering. Nature Chemical Biology. 2021;17(5):549557. DOI:10.1038/s41589-021-00739-0
11. Ismail SA, Ganzour SK. Efficiency of foliar spraying with moringa leaves extract and potassium nitrate on yield and quality of strawberry in sandy soil. International Journal of Agricultural and Statistical Sciences. 2021;17(1):383-398.
12. Jiang W, Zhang J, Jia ZH, Zhang T, Zhang WJ, Wei M. Physiological and nutrient responses to nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium deficiency of hydroponically grown strawberry. HortScience. 2023;58(6):628-634. DOI:10.21273/HORTSCI17086-23
13. Mohammed RR, Majeed BH. Effect of moringa leaves extract, calcium, and potassium silicate on the growth, yield, and quality of strawberry fruits. Iraqi Journal of Agricultural Sciences. 2023;54(6):1703-1715. DOI:10.36103/ijas.v54i6.1869
14. Mosa WFA, Sas-Paszt L, Górnik K, Ali HM, Salem MZM. Vegetative growth, yield, and fruit quality of guava (Psidium guajava L.) cv. Maamoura as affected by some biostimulants. BioResources. 2021;16(4):73797399. DOI:10.15376/biores.16.4.7379-7399
15. Mukherjee PK. Quality control and evaluation of herbal drugs: Evaluating natural products and traditional medicine. Elsevier. 2019. DOI:10.1016/C2016-0-042328
16. Nafiu MO, Hamid AA, Muritala HF, Adeyemi SB. Preparation, standardization, and quality control of medicinal plants in Africa. In: Preedy VR, editor. Medicinal spices and vegetables from Africa: Therapeutic potential against metabolic, inflammatory, infectious and systemic diseases. Academic Press; 2017. p. 171-204. DOI:10.1016/B978-0-12-809286-6.00007-8
17. Naili F, Mayache B, Bekdouche F. Impact of fertilizer doses on soil properties, vegetative growth, fruit quality and biochemical compounds of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch). Notulae Scientia Biologicae. 2024;16(3):11880. DOI:10.55779/nsb16311880
18. National Horticulture Board. Horticulture statistics at a glance 2024. Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India; 2024.
19. Ngcobo BL, Bertling I. Influence of foliar Moringa oleifera leaf extract (MLE) application on growth, fruit yield and nutritional quality of cherry tomato. Acta Horticulturae. 2021;1306:249-254.
20. Persic M, Veberic R, Mikulic-Petkovsek M. Phenolic profiles of quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) leaf extracts obtained by different extraction methods. Acta Botanica Croatica. 2019;78(2):175-180. DOI:10.2478/botcro2019-0015
21. Quddus MA, Ahmed R, Islam M, Haque ME, Islam MA, Alam A, Rahman MZ, Fahad ZH, Islam MK, Gaber A, Bárek V, Brestic M, Hossain A. Organic and inorganic fertilizers influence the productivity, fruit quality and nutrient use efficiency of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.). Scientific Reports. 2025;15(1):26252. DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-10787-4
22. Raj A, Prasad VM. Impact of organic and inorganic fertilizer on growth, yield, and quality of strawberry. Ecology, Environment and Conservation. 2023;29(January Suppl.):S95-S98. DOI:10.53550/EEC.2023.v29i01s.015
23. Rana VS, Lingwal K, Sharma S, Rana N, Pawar R, Kumar V, Sharma U. Biostimulatory effect of seaweed extract on the fruiting and runner production of strawberry. Emergent Life Sciences Research. 2022;8(2):132-141. DOI:10.31783/elsr.2022.82132141
24. Sayuti NH, Kamarudin AA, Ab Razak NA, Saad N, Pak Dek MS, Mohd Esa N. Optimized aqueous extraction conditions for maximal phenolics, flavonoids and antioxidant capacity from Artocarpus heterophyllus (Jackfruit) leaves by response surface methodology (RSM). Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences. 2020;16(2):135-144.
25. Soppelsa S, Kelderer M, Casera C, Bassi M, Robatscher P, Matteazzi A, Andreotti C. Foliar applications of biostimulants promote growth, yield and fruit quality of strawberry plants grown under nutrient limitation. Agronomy. 2019;9(9):483. DOI:10.3390/agronomy9090483
26. Wang J, Wang Q, Gao J, Lei Y, Zhang J, Zou J, Lu Z, Li S, Lei N, Dhungana D, Ma Y, Tang X, Yang F, Yang W. Genetic regulatory pathways of plant flowering time affected by abiotic stress. Plant Stress. 2025;15:100747. DOI:10.1016/j.stress.2025.100747
27. Yakhin OI, Lubyanov AA, Yakhin IA, Brown PH. Biostimulants in plant science: A global perspective. Frontiers in Plant Science. 2017;7:2049. DOI:10.3389/fpls.2016.02049
28. Yuniarti L, Fakih TM, Tejasari M, Indriyanti RA, Maryam E, Nugroho BH. Comprehensive bioactive compound profiling of Artocarpus heterophyllus leaves: LC-MS/MS analysis, antioxidant potential, and molecular insights. Drug Design, Development and Therapy. 2025;19:1195-1213. DOI:10.2147/DDDT.S507658
29. Zhang X, Huang Y, Zhang L, Zhu H, Niu Y, An A, Liu Z. An efficient approach for separating essential oil and polysaccharides simultaneously from fresh leaves of Guajava by microwave-mediated hydrodistillation with lithium salts and antibacterial activity of essential oil. Separations. 2022;9(7):162. DOI:10.3390/separations9070162
30. Zhao Z, Wang C, Yu X, Tian Y, Wang W, Zhang Y, Bai W, Yang N, Zhang T, Zheng H, Wang Q, Lu J, Lei D, He X, Chen K, Gao J, Liu X, Liu S, Jiang L, Wang H, Wan J. Auxin regulates source-sink carbohydrate partitioning and reproductive organ development in rice. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2022;119(36):e2121671119. DOI:10.1073/pnas.2121671119
31. Zunic V, Hajnal-Jafari T, Stamenov D, Djurić S, Tomić J, Pešaković M, Grohar MC, Štampar F, Veberič R, Hudina M, Jakopič J. Application of microalgae-based biostimulants in sustainable strawberry production. Journal of Applied Phycology. 2024;36(3):1219-1231. DOI:10.1007/s10811-023-03169-8
32. Zydlik P, Zydlik Z, Kafkas NE. The effect of the foliar application of biostimulants in a strawberry field plantation on the yield and quality of fruit, and on the content of health-beneficial substances. Agronomy. 2024;14(8):1786. DOI:10.3390/agronomy14081786