Effectiveness of companion planting on organic strawberry fruit quality

Summary

Berry production and quality are influenced by a range of abiotic and biotic stressors, with pests and diseases being among the most significant challenges. One promising approach to mitigate these issues is the use of companion plants in organic intercropping systems, which have been shown to offer numerous benefits, including enhanced productivity, improved fruit quality, and better taste. To investigate these effects, a trial was conducted at the Rodagria Agricultural Cooperative in Southeastern Romania, focusing on the Amandine® strawberry variety, grown under polytunnels using organic cultivation methods. Borago officinalis L. flower strips were planted along the pole lines of the polytunnels to act as companion plants. Strawberries harvested in June 2022, September 2022, and June 2023 were assessed for various quality parameters to evaluate the impact of these cultivation practices. The results indicated that the intercropping system with companion plants did not significantly affect fruit weight, size, dry matter content, or titratable acidity of the strawberries. However, a slight increase in soluble solid content was observed in the 2023 season, suggesting that the presence of Borago officinalis L. may have subtly enhanced fruit sweetness. More notably, the integration of borage as a companion plant significantly enhanced the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity in both the 2022 and 2023 harvests compared to the control. This suggests that borage positively influences the accumulation of antioxidant compounds in strawberries and potentially improves their nutritional value. Additionally, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) fingerprinting was used to identify sugars in the strawberries, revealing specific absorption bands specific to fructose (1074 cm−1), glucose (1034 cm−1), sucrose (1010 cm−1), and fructans (954 cm−1). These findings highlight the potential of using companion plants like Borago officinalis L. in organic strawberry cultivation, offering a sustainable strategy to enhance fruit quality, nutritional value, and antioxidant properties.