Effect of integrated pest management and organic cropping systems on strawberry-fruit health components and fruit quality.

We report the results of a three-year study to investigate the effects of integrated pest management (IPM) and organic cropping on health-promoting components and quality of strawberry fruits from the Italian cultivars 'Alba', 'Onda' and 'Queen Elisa'. Cold-stored plants were planted in open field in the Cesena area of the Po Valley lowlands in a four-replication, randomized block design and grown in conventional and organic systems. During the season, yield, fruit size, such traditional quality parameters as skin colour, firmness, soluble solids, titratable acidity and health-promoting properties, including antioxidant capacity, total polyphenols, total ellagic acid and ascorbic acid, were determined. Organic management showed lower fruit yield, higher sugar content and antioxidant compounds. These results could be used to improve the market value of the fruit produced under an organic crop-management regime.