README: Chapter 5 – The Effects of Foliar-Applied Iron Nanoparticles and Sodium Selenate on the Vitamin C Content of UK Strawberries Cultivated in Commercial Growing Systems
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Thesis Title:
An Investigation of Overlooked Complexities Affecting UK Vitamin C Security and the Potential for Local Crops to Address Insecurities: A Case of UK Strawberries

Author: David Fisher  
Supervisors: Eleftheria Stavridou | Jenny Baverstock | Guy Poppy  
Date: 26/06/2025  
Contact:  
- D.Fisher@soton.ac.uk  
- eleftheria.stavridou@niab.com  
- J.Baverstock@soton.ac.uk  

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Description
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Chapter 5 evaluates the effects of previously tested foliar nutrient fertilisation strategies on vitamin C accumulation in UK strawberries grown under standard commercial conditions. The work builds upon experimental approaches introduced in earlier chapters and applies them in a commercial-scale polytunnel context.

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Date Ranges
-----------
- **Experimental Period**: May 2023 – August 2023  
- See thesis Section 5.2 for full experimental design and agronomic details.

Geographic Information
----------------------
- All experimental data were collected at **NIAB, East Malling, United Kingdom** (51°17’09.6”N, 0°27’10.8”E)

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File Structure
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chapter-05_strawberry_foliar_sprays/
│
├── code/
│   ├── acids_processing_func_v0.0.7.R
│   ├── chap-05_analysis-figures.R
│   └── datacompilation_FS_v0.0.10.R
│
└── data/
    ├── primary/
    │   ├── brix/
    │   │   ├── 20240730_FS23_P8_brix.csv
    │   │   ├── 20240730_FS23_WK1_brix.csv
    │   │   └── 20240730_FS23_WK2_WK3_brix.csv
    │   ├── dualex_readings/
    │   │   ├── 20230628_FS23_dualex_readings.csv
    │   │   ├── 20230703_FS23_dualex_readings.csv
    │   │   ├── 20230706_FS23_dualex_readings.csv
    │   │   ├── 20230713_FS23_dualex_readings.csv
    │   │   └── 20230727_FS23_dualex_readings.csv
    │   ├── experimental_design/
    │   │   └── 20230829_FS23_P8_nanoparticles_layout.csv
    │   ├── hplc/
    │   │   ├── extraction_weights/
    │   │   │   └── 20240630_FS23_acids_extraction_weights.csv
    │   │   └── results/
    │   │       ├── 20240630_FS23_acids_WK1_results.csv
    │   │       └── 20240705_FS23_VT23_acids_WK2_recal_results.csv
    │   ├── minerals/
    │   │   └── 20240607_FS23_minerals_lancrop.csv
    │   ├── rotation_prelim_data/
    │   │   ├── AsA_summary.csv
    │   │   ├── Phen_summary.csv
    │   │   └── TEAC_summary.csv
    │   ├── weather_data/
    │   │   ├── 20241007_FS_minmaxtemp_Aug22Aug24.csv
    │   │   ├── 20241007_FS_pyranometer_Aug22Aug24.csv
    │   │   ├── 20241007_FS_rainfall_Aug22Aug24.csv
    │   │   └── 20241007_FS_relativehumidity_Aug22Aug24.csv
    │   └── yield/
    │       ├── 20240604_FS23_VT23_P8_yield.csv
    │       └── 20240604_FS23_VT23_composite_samples.csv
    │
    ├── processed/
    │   ├── 20250625_FS23_compiled_dataset.csv
    │   ├── 20250625_FS23_compiled_dataset.RData
    │   ├── 20250625_FS23_weather_data.csv
    │   └── 20250625_rotation_prelim_nutrients.csv
    │
    └── dictionaries/
        ├── FS_compiled_dataset_dictionary.txt
        ├── FS_weather_data_dictionary.txt
        └── rotation_prelim_dictionary.txt

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Code Overview: ./code/
----------------------
- **acids_processing_func_v0.0.7.R**  
  Custom R function for automating HPLC data processing (see thesis Section 4.2.2.1).

- **chap-05_analysis-figures.R**  
  Annotated R script used to analyse processed data and generate all figures presented in Chapter 5.

- **datacompilation_FS_v0.0.10.R**  
  Script for compiling primary data sources into a single processed dataset. Calls `acids_processing_func_v0.0.7.R`.

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Data Overview

./data/primary/brix/
---------------------
| Filename                         | Description                                                                         |
|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 20240730_FS23_P8_brix.csv        | Refractometer readings for all samples across the full experimental period         |
| 20240730_FS23_WK1_brix.csv       | Refractometer data – Week 1 only                                                   |
| 20240730_FS23_WK2_WK3_brix.csv   | Refractometer data – Weeks 2 and 3                                                 |

./data/primary/dualex_readings/
-------------------------------
| Filename                         | Description                                        |
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
| 20230628_FS23_dualex_readings.csv | Dualex meter readings – Time Point 1               |
| 20230703_FS23_dualex_readings.csv | Dualex meter readings – Time Point 2               |
| 20230706_FS23_dualex_readings.csv | Dualex meter readings – Time Point 3               |
| 20230713_FS23_dualex_readings.csv | Dualex meter readings – Time Point 4               |
| 20230727_FS23_dualex_readings.csv | Dualex meter readings – Time Point 5               |

./data/primary/experimental_design/
-----------------------------------
| Filename                                 | Description                                                                 |
|------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 20230829_FS23_P8_nanoparticles_layout.csv | Randomised genotype and treatment layout for polytunnel P8 (2023)           |

./data/primary/hplc/
--------------------
| Filename                                           | Description                                                                 |
|----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| extraction_weights/20240630_FS23_acids_extraction_weights.csv | Dry mass used for organic acid extraction                            |
| results/20240630_FS23_acids_WK1_results.csv        | Organic acid data – Week 1 (raw output from HPLC)                          |
| results/20240705_FS23_VT23_acids_WK2_recal_results.csv | Organic acid data – Week 2 (recalibrated HPLC results)                  |

./data/primary/minerals/
------------------------
| Filename                          | Description                                                               |
|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 20240607_FS23_minerals_lancrop.csv | Berry mineral content (Yara Lancrop Laboratories)                         |

./data/primary/rotation_prelim_data/
------------------------------------
| Filename          | Description                                                                             |
|-------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| AsA_summary.csv    | Ascorbic acid content of 4 genotypes (Rotation Project, Oct 2020 – Jan 2021)           |
| Phen_summary.csv   | Total phenolics data of 4 genotypes (same period)                                      |
| TEAC_summary.csv   | Antioxidant capacity of 4 genotypes (same period)                                      |

./data/primary/weather_data/
----------------------------
| Filename                                | Description                                                                |
|-----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 20241007_FS_minmaxtemp_Aug22Aug24.csv   | Daily minimum and maximum air temperatures (Aug 2022 – Aug 2024)          |
| 20241007_FS_pyranometer_Aug22Aug24.csv  | Daily solar irradiance (Aug 2022 – Aug 2024)                              |
| 20241007_FS_rainfall_Aug22Aug24.csv     | Daily rainfall (Aug 2022 – Aug 2024)                                      |
| 20241007_FS_relativehumidity_Aug22Aug24.csv | Daily relative humidity (Aug 2022 – Aug 2024)                         |

./data/primary/yield/
---------------------
| Filename                                | Description                                                             |
|-----------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 20240604_FS23_VT23_P8_yield.csv         | Berry yield: mass, count, and classification                           |
| 20240604_FS23_VT23_composite_samples.csv| Mass of berries used to form composite samples (both sampling weeks)   |

./data/processed/
------------------
| Filename                                 | Description                                                               | Dictionary File                                 |
|------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
| 20250625_FS23_compiled_dataset.csv       | Combined dataset compiled from primary data                              | FS_compiled_dataset_dictionary.txt              |
| 20250625_FS23_compiled_dataset.RData     | R environment version containing equivalent dataframes                    | FS_compiled_dataset_dictionary.txt              |
| 20250625_FS23_weather_data.csv           | Weather dataset compiled from raw station data                           | FS_weather_data_dictionary.txt                  |
| 20250625_rotation_prelim_nutrients.csv   | Rotation nutrient dataset compiled from ascorbate, phenolics, TEAC files | rotation_prelim_dictionary.txt                  |

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Identifier Abbreviations
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| Identifier | Description                                                                 |
|------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| FS / FS23  | Experiment ID for Foliar Spray experiment conducted in 2023                |
| WK[0–9]    | Week of sample collection within the FS23 experiment                        |
| P8         | Identifier for the experimental polytunnel used during FS23                |

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Usage Notes
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- All primary data filenames follow the format: `YYYYMMDD_StudyID_Descriptor.csv`
  - Example: `20240730_FS23_P8_brix.csv`
- The `.RData` file allows direct loading into R and includes all required processed dataframes.
- For details of variables in each dataset, refer to the corresponding dictionary in `/data/dictionaries/`.
	- data dictionaries only included for the processed datafiles that were used for analysis
	- please contact the author if you need more information on the primary datafiles
- All figures used in Chapter 5 are included in the main thesis.
- Please cross-reference 'chap-05_analysis-figures.R' for more context on how the statistical analyses were conducted and how the figures were generated and utilised for the thesis.
- Recommended tools: R ≥ 4.0, see 'chap-05_analysis-figures.R ' for required packages

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