gh abdi - Department of Horticultural Science, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
m khush khui - Department of Horticultural Science, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
s eshghi - Department of Horticultural Science, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

Effects of natural zeolite on growth and flowering of strawberry were studied. The experiment was conducted as complete randomized design with 4 treatments (0, 1, 2 and 3 g zeolite/kg soil) with 5 replications. Application of zeolite resulted in increasing of available nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium due to reduced losses by leaching and increasing cation-exchange capacity of soil. Zeolite increased net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, water use efficiency, mesophyll efficiency, petiole length, leaf area, specific leaf weight, fresh and dry weights of shoots and roots, fruit weight and number of achenes. However zeolite did not affect length: diameter (L/D) ratio, vitamin C and total soluble solids (TSS) of the strawberry fruits.

Flowering, Growth, Strawberry, Zeolite