Oxygen Nanobubble Irrigation in High-tunnel Strawberry Production Under Northern Conditions: A Single-season Case Study

This single-season case study evaluated oxygen nanobubble (ONB) irrigation in a commercial high-tunnel strawberry production system under northern conditions. High-tunnel cultivation provides a semicontrolled environment, extended harvest season, and lower capital costs than greenhouse production, but root zone oxygen availability may limit performance under intensive irrigation. Observations were conducted in a production-scale system by comparing a single ONB-irrigated row with a single control row. Measurements included fruit yield, fruit and leaf tissue composition, and nutrient concentrations in substrate pore water, substrate water extracts, and drainage water. Due to the absence of replicated experimental units, results should be interpreted descriptively. Across the season, nutrient and micronutrient concentrations in substrate pore water and substrate water extracts were generally higher in ONB-irrigated samples, suggesting potential differences in nutrient dynamics within the root zone. ONB irrigation was also associated with differences in leaf and fruit nutrient composition. In the late season, fruit from the ONB-irrigated row had higher dry matter and mineral concentrations, and total yield was 7.9% higher compared with the control row. These observations indicate that ONB irrigation may influence root zone nutrient availability and fruit quality in high-tunnel strawberry production. Although preliminary, these findings highlight the potential of ONB technology under northern production conditions and support further evaluation using replicated experimental designs and inferential statistical analysis.