STRAWBERRY FRUIT YIELD AND VEGETATIVE GROWTH AND PEST POPULATIONS IN PLANTINGS WITH AND WITHOUT COVER CROPS

'Totem' strawberries (Fragaria xananassa Duch.) were planted with clea n-cultivated inter-rows or inter-rows planted with permanent cover cro ps of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) or 'Manhattan' perennial ryeg rass (Lolium perenne L.). There were no significant differences betwee n treatments in the number of twospotted spider mites (Tetranychus urt icae Koch), strawberry aphids [Chaetosiphon fragaefolii (Cockerell)], or Pratylenchus sp. or Xiphinema sp. nematodes on strawberry plants. T he cover crops reduced strawberry yields relative to cultivation, alth ough fruit size was significantly larger the second year. Root weight did not differ significantly in either year. Weight of above-ground ve getation was significantly higher in cultivated plots the first year, but not the second year.