Effects of Bed Orientation on Strawberry Overwintering Cultivation Productivity in Solar Greenhouses and Implications for Application in Mid-Latitude Regions

Abstract

Strawberry, a berry crop with nutritional and economic value, faces seasonal challenges in overwintering solar greenhouse cultivation in mid-latitude regions (30°–50°N), such as low temperature, insufficient light intensity (winter) and high temperature, humidity (spring-summer). As a key greenhouse microclimate regulator, bed orientation lacks systematic research on its effects on strawberry cultivation efficiency over the growth cycle. This study used 6 solar greenhouses in North China, with two cultivation modes (east-west beds/EW, north-south beds/NS; 3 replicates each). From Nov 2024 to May 2025, it monitored monthly strawberry yield, microclimate (temperature, relative humidity, light intensity) and sales value, and analyzed the microclimate-yield relationship. Results showed: (1) Both orientations had a “first increasing then decreasing” yield trend (peak: January–February). EW had higher early yield (November: 2.297 vs. 1.679 t·ha⁻¹ for NS) and stronger late-stage yield retention (May: 3.018 vs. 1.254 t·ha⁻¹). EW total yield (36.194 t·ha⁻¹) was 6.93% higher than NS (33.849 t·ha⁻¹, P < 0.05). (2) Microclimate: EW had higher autumn-winter temperature/humidity (November: 13.49°C, 86.05%); NS had higher spring-summer temperature (April max: 36.76°C) and light (April: 10961.09 lux). (3) Correlation analysis: EW yield correlated highly positively with temperature (P < 0.01); humidity affected yield more than light intensity. (4) Gross output value: EW total (137,730 USD·ha⁻¹) was 6.06% higher than NS (P < 0.05), mainly due to May's yield gap. This study reveals the seasonal characteristics of bed orientation-mediated microclimate regulation and its corresponding effects on strawberry full-cycle yield and gross output value, fills gaps in mid-latitude strawberry overwintering research, and provides a scientific basis for bed orientation selection and precise management of solar greenhouse strawberries, supporting the industry's shift from experience-based to precise cultivation.