Woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca L.) - Growth parameters in the Chočské vrchy Mts

Abstract

The research was oriented on study of variability of selected growth parameters (length, weight, energy content, number of leaves in rosette and content of plant ash) of woodland strawberry in ecologically different geobiocoenoses in the Chočské vrchy Mts. The studied geobiocoenoses belong to the folio-wing forest vegetation tiers: the 4th - beech (geobiocoenosis 8), the 5th - fir-beech (geobiocoenoses 1, 5 and 6) and the 6th - spruce-beech-fir (geobiocoenosis 2). The highest differences in weight and energy storage of the Fragaria vesca rosettes (58%) were found between the geobiocoenoses of the 5th and the 6th forest vegetation tiers. The differences in energy density [kJ g-1 of dry matter] were small (3.2%), and significantly lower values were observed in the geobiocoenosis of the beech vegetation tier, similarly as in case of rosette length. The differences in the length and number of leaves in rosettes reached 33-34%. The highest average number of leaves per one rosette was ascertained in geobiocoenosis of the beech vegetation tier, the lowest in spruce-beech-fir vegetation tier. Significantly higher growth parameters (the mean length, weight, ash and energy content) of woodland strawberry observed in forest geobiocoenoses of 5th vegetation tier were connected with lower total herb cover.