ISHS Acta Horticulturae 646: International Symposium on Irrigation and Water Relations in Grapevine and Fruit Trees
RELATIONS BETWEEN SOIL WATER CONTENT, LEAF WATER POTENTIAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PRODUCTIVE ACTIVITY, UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF IRRIGATION AND YIELD CONTROL IN TEMPRANILLO GRAPEVINE IN THE A.O. RIBERA DEL DUERO |
| Authors: | J.A. Rubio, J. Yuste, J.R. Lissarrague, P. Baeza |
| Keywords: | must, photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, stress, thinning |
| Abstract:
This study was carried out over 4 years (1994-1997) to analyze the influence of the cluster thinning and the water regime on the water status, physiological and productive behaviour of the Tempranillo variety in the Duero region (Spain). The cluster thinning was applied at the beginning of veraison, removing 33 % of clusters in 1994 and 40 % of clusters from each vine in the rest of the years (1995-1997). The drip irrigation applied was 0.4 ETo, from June to September. The irrigation has enhanced leaf water status and the physiological plant activity, although the soil water content did not show differences between the irrigated and the non-irrigated treatments. The irrigated vines consumed nearly the total amount of water applied, resulting in a higher grape yield. The irrigation increased the sugar accumulation in the berries when the level of yields was moderate, whereas in the more productive years the sugar concentration in the berries was slightly higher in the non-irrigated vines. The cluster thinning did not produced remarkable differences on predawn leaf water potential, neither on stomatal conductance nor on photosynthesis rates. Nevertheless, it caused a clear yield decrease as a consequence of the severe cluster thinning, which was not compensated sufficiently by the increase of the berry size. The cluster thinning increased the sugar accumulation in berries, although this increase was less pronounced than the yield decrease caused by the severe cluster thinning. | |
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