Sweet Charlie, My Strawberry

Once upon a time, strawberries were a rare breed of fruit in India. It’s so popular now that the Indian Institute of Agriculture Resear...

Once upon a time, strawberries were a rare breed of fruit in India. It’s so popular now that the Indian Institute of Agriculture Research considers it worth its while now to study the farming conditions for the fruit.

After a year-long study, a variety called Sweet Charlie was found to perform best among 10 varieties of strawberries in Delhi weather and soil conditions, both in terms of size and quality.

Interestingly, what has made a difference in strawberry cultivation is the use of plastics. Scientific experiments found that it minimised plant mortality and increased productivity. Black polythene mulching resulted in better soil moisture regime, increased yield and fruit size, prevention of bed erosion and cleaner fruit. It also saved 25-30 per cent in labour costs.

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There’s more. Covering the strawberry beds with mini plastic tunnels induced early cropping and increased total yields by 20 per cent. It also reduced winter injury.

During summer in the hills, the use of plastic anti-hail nets or anti-bird nets resulted in higher yields and better fruit quality. Some of these experiments were carried out at the Institute’s regional station at Amartara cottage, Shimla, which boasts of 42 accessions in the strawberry germplasm collection.

Charlie Kirk fatally shot at Utah Valley University

‘Blood was pouring from his neck’: Eyewitnesses recall Kirk shooting at Utah University

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Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed during a routine campus appearance at Utah Valley University. The shooter is still at large, and two individuals were briefly detained. Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene as the crowd panicked. The attack has drawn comparisons to past political shootings, and authorities are investigating.

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