https://doi.org/10.37229/fsa.fjb.2026.05.14

The effect of foliar application of calcium at three concentrations (0%, 4%, and 8%), and two types of cultivated strawberry ((fresh) and (frigo)), on the growth, yield, and fruit quality of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) grown in an unheated plastic house belonging to the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Engineering, College of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Mosul, was studied during the 2024–2025 growing season. Foliar spraying with calcium was carried out three times during the study period. The first spray was applied on 15/11/2024 in the early morning until complete wetting, with an interval of 20 days between each spray. The results obtained showed that foliar application of calcium at a concentration of 8% led to a significant increase in all studied traits (total chlorophyll content in leaves, leaf area, number of runners per plant, number of days from planting to the appearance of the first runner, fruit weight, number of fruits per plant, total yield per plant, total soluble solids percentage in fruits, fruit firmness, calcium concentration in fruits, and total phenols in fruits). Furthermore, the cultivated strawberry type (fresh) also showed a significant superiority in (total chlorophyll content in leaves, leaf area, number of runners per plant, number of days from planting to the appearance of the first runner, fruit weight, number of fruits per plant, total yield per plant, total soluble solids percentage in fruits, fruit firmness, calcium concentration in fruits, and total phenols in fruits). The best treatment obtained was the interaction between foliar application of calcium at a concentration of 8% with the cultivated strawberry type (fresh), which surpassed most of the other treatments, including the control treatment, in all studied traits.