ISHS Acta Horticulturae 889: VI International Symposium on Irrigation of Horticultural Crops
EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT IRRIGATION REGIMES ON YIELD AND BERRY COMPOSITION OF FIELD GROWN MYRTUS COMMUNIS L. IN NORTH-WESTERN SARDINIA |
| Authors: | D. Satta, M.G. Mameli, M. Tedde, M. Satta, L. De Pau |
| Keywords: | myrtle, deficit irrigation, partial rootzone drying, water stress |
| DOI: | 10.17660/ActaHortic.2011.889.53 |
| Abstract:
Myrtus communis L. is a widely spread Mediterranean native shrub that is nowadays being cultivated to improve berries production aimed to industrial transformation in liqueur. In a three-year trial (2006-2008) myrtle plants cultivar ‘Daniela’ were irrigated according to different irrigation strategies: 1) no stress (NS, 100% crop evapotranspiration (ETc)), 2) high stress (HS, 25% ETc), 3) medium stress (MS, 50% ETc), 4) low stress (LS, 75% ETc), 5) partial root-zone drying (PRD), 50% ETc where water was applied on only one side of the plant at a time switching water application between plant sides every fifteen days, and 6) farmer self irrigation management (FIM). A randomised block design was carried out, using water saving irrigation as variability factor. The midday stem water potential (mSWP) was used as a water stress indicator. Phenological phases, biometric parameters of berries, yield and berry composition (reducing sugars and anthocyanins) were determined. The main results showed that different water saving irrigation strategies could significantly influence and improve the berries productivity without considerable effects on quality parameters. The severe water reduction of the FIM treatment induced a drastic yield reduction especially in the first year. The mSWP was a reliable plant water stress indicator. HS treatment gave the best water use efficiency result in all years. The open field cropped myrtle should be lightly irrigated, in Sardinian climate, according to a non intensive watering system as HS or MS to guarantee a good yield and vegetative vigour of plants. | |
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