ISHS Acta Horticulturae 592: V International Peach Symposium
EFFECTS OF REGULATED DEFICIT IRRIGATION AND PARTIAL ROOT ZONE DRYING ON LATE HARVEST PEACH TREE PERFORMANCE |
| Authors: | D.A. Goldhammer, M. Salinas, C. Crisosto, K.R. Day, M. Soler, A. Moriana |
| Keywords: | stress, drought, plant-water relations, root signals |
| Abstract:
Combinations of regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) and partial root zone drying (PRD) were imposed on three year old, high density peach trees (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch, cv. 'September Snow') and compared with a fully irrigated Control. Irrigation was withheld in RDI 1 during growth stage 1 until midday shaded leaf water potential reached -1.2 MPa while the RDI 2 regime applied full irrigation during stage 1. Both RDI regimes irrigated at 50% of potential orchard evapotranspiration (ETc) and 120% ETc in stages 2 and 3, respectively. The RDI regimes applied 715 and 818 mm for the season versus 1016 mm for the Control. The PRD treatments were accomplished using double line drip tubes located 80 cm on either side of the tree row, had the same irrigation rates as the RDI regimes, but alternated water application to either side every 14 days throughout the season. Harvest fruit size was significantly smaller with RDI 1 due to slower fruit growth at the end of stage 2 while RDI 2 fruit were less affected but also somewhat smaller than the Control. Lower production with RDI was attributed primarily to uncertainties in identifying the onset of stage 3. No significant physiological or horticultural differences between the RDI and their companion PRD treatments were recorded except for less negative early morning stem water potential with PRD at the end of stage 2. | |
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