TY  - EJOU
AU  - Yang, Yu 
AU  - Jia, Biao 
AU  - Ma, Xin 
AU  - Shang, Hailing 
AU  - Lou, Shuai 
AU  - Zhang, Chao 
AU  - Zhao, Jianming 
AU  - Li, Min 
AU  - Bao, Jiali 
AU  - Wang, Zhongbo 
AU  - Jia, Dongjie 

TI  - Growth Characteristics and Sustainable Cultivation Management Techniques of Small Berries: A Review with a Focus on Strawberry under Protected Agriculture
T2  - Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany

PY  - 
VL  - 
IS  - 
SN  - 1851-5657

AB  - Small berries, represented by strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and aronia berries, are increasingly valued worldwide for their rich nutritional content and economic potential. This review systematically outlines the growth characteristics of these berries, with a focused analysis on strawberries-including their ecological adaptations and responses to soil, water, temperature, light, and nutrition. It further elaborates on the integrated technical system for protected strawberry cultivation, covering cultivar selection, seedling propagation, transplanting, water and nutrient management, environmental control, flower and fruit regulation, green pest control, and post-harvest handling. The paper also discusses innovative models for industry development, such as leisure agriculture integration and smart farming. The findings emphasize that precision management based on growth traits, supported by technological innovation and sustainable practices, is essential for enhancing yield, quality, and industry sustainability in protected small berry production.
KW  - Strawberry; protected cultivation; cultivation management; growth characteristics; sustainable production

DO  - 10.32604/phyton.2026.081047