scholarly journals Effects of Water Stress at Different Growth Stages on Greenhouse Tomato Yield and Quality

HortScience ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 1389-1393 ◽  
Author(s):  
Molla Md. Nuruddin ◽  
Chandra A. Madramootoo ◽  
Georges T. Dodds

Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Sunstart) were grown in a greenhouse during Summer 1999 and again in Winter 2000. Two available soil water (ASW) deficit thresholds, 65% and 80%, at which plants were irrigated to field capacity were factorially combined with five irrigation timing patterns: 1) no water stress; 2) stress throughout the entire growing season; 3) stress during first cluster flowering and fruit set 4) stress during first cluster fruit growth; and 5) stress during first cluster fruit ripening. Crop yields, water use efficiency, as well as maximum and minimum equatorial fruit diameters and fruit height were measured. Quality parameters of soluble solids, pH, and fruit color were also measured. Water stress throughout the growing season significantly reduced yield and fruit size, but plants stressed only during flowering showed fewer but bigger fruit than completely non-stressed plants. Consequently, on a weight basis the stressed at flowering and nonstressed plants had similar yields. Nonstressed and flowering-stressed fruit showed lower soluble solids and a lighter color of red ripe fruit than the other stress treatments. No significant differences in yield or quality were found between the two stress levels (65% vs. 80% ASW depletion before irrigation). Water stress only during flowering resulted in better yields and quality than stress at other specific developmental stages or at all times, but equal or poorer yields and water use efficiency than nonstressed plants.

2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Clara Merli ◽  
Matteo Gatti ◽  
Marco Galbignani ◽  
Fabio Bernizzoni ◽  
Eugenio Magnanini ◽  
...  

Several recent papers have shown that in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.), interpretation of responses to drought can differ depending upon the parameter chosen to express water use efficiency (WUE). In the present paper, a series of WUE expressions, including physiological and agronomical, were compared in potted grapevines (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Sangiovese) that were either well-watered (WW) or subjected to progressive drought before veraison (WS) by supplying decreasing fractions (i.e. 70%, 50% and 30% of daily vine transpiration (Trd) determined gravimetrically before vines were fully rewatered. Although single-leaf intrinsic and instantaneous WUE increased with water stress severity, seasonal and whole-canopy WUE were similar to that before stress, at 70% Trd and upon rewatering, but dropped during severe water stress. WUE calculated as mass of DW stored in annual biomass (leaves, canes and bunches) per litre of water used did not differ on a seasonal basis, whereas WS plants showed lower must soluble solids at harvest, and unchanged colour and phenolic concentration in spite of smaller berries with higher relative skin growth. Results confirm that whole-canopy WUE is a much better index than any single-leaf based WUE parameter for extrapolation to agronomic WUE and actual grape composition. In our specific case study, it can be recommended that water supply to drought-stressed Sangiovese grapevines before veraison should not be lower than 70% of daily vine water use.


2007 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 71 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. Hutton ◽  
J. J. Landsberg ◽  
B. G. Sutton

This paper addresses the question of whether a citrus crop has the same need for water at all stages of development or whether it is possible to withhold water at times when the crop is less sensitive to water stress, thus, reducing total water use and improving water use efficiency while still maintaining yield. To answer this question water applied by irrigation was reduced by up to 33% relative to standard full irrigation by extending the intervals between applications from 3 to 17 days during fruit growth stages II and III in the annual growth cycle. As expected, the longer intervals resulted in greater depletion in soil moisture and significant water stress developed as soil water deficits approached the lower limits of plant available water. Stressed trees exhibited mean pre-dawn water potential (ψl) values of –0.93 MPa and midday ψl values decreased to between –2.0 and –2.5 MPa. Periodic soil water deficits in late summer and autumn reduced shoot growth, but fruit yield was unaffected, and there was no evidence of reduced canopy size. Water use efficiency (mass of fruit produced per unit water applied) improved, but fruit growth was extremely sensitive to moisture stress and extended irrigation intervals in summer and autumn reduced fruit size. Fruit juice quality was also affected, as there was an increase in both total soluble solids and juice acidity, but the practical consequences of these were limited because there were only small changes to the sugar : acid ratios. This work has demonstrated that deficient irrigation during summer can be used to manipulate growth and reduce water use, but at the risk of a marginal reduction in fruit size.


1997 ◽  
Vol 54 (spe) ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Calvache ◽  
K Reichardt ◽  
O.O.S. Bacchi ◽  
D. Dourado-Neto

To identify specific growth stages of the common bean crop at which the plant is less sensitive to water stress, in which irrigation could be omitted without significant decrease hi final yield, two field experiments were conducted at "La Tola" University Experimental Station, Tumbaco, Pichincha, Ecuador, on a sandy loam soil (Typic Haplustoll). The climate is tempered and dry (mean air temperature 16°C and mean relative humidity 74%, during the cropping season) 123 and 109 mm of rainfall were recorded during the experimental cropping periods (July to October), of 1992 and 1994, respectively. The treatments consisted of combinations of 7 irrigation regimes including normal watering; full stress; (traditional management practice); single stress at vegetative stage; flowering; seed formation and ripening, and of 2 levels of applied N (20 and 80 kg/ha). These 14 treatment combinations were arranged and analysed in a split-plot design with 4 replications. The plot size was 33.6 m² (8 rows, 7 m long) with a plant population of 120,000 pl/ha. Irrigation treatments were started after uniform germination and crop establishment Soil water content was monitored with a neutron probe down to 0.50 m depth, before and 24 h after each irrigation. The actual evapotranspiration of the crop was estimated by the water-balance technique. Field water efficiency and crop water use efficiency were calculated. Yield data showed that the treatments which had irrigation deficit had lower yield than those that had supplementary irrigation. The flowering stage was the most sensitive to water stress. Nitrogen fertilization significantly increased the number of pods and gram yield. Crop water use efficiency (kg/m³) was the lowest with stress at the flowering period, and the yield response factor (Ky) was higher hi treatments of full stress and stress at flowering. In relation to the traditional management practice adopted by farmers, only treatments of normal watering and stress at maturation had 13 and 10% higher crop water use efficiency, respectively.


Author(s):  
Kiflom Degef Kahsay ◽  
Kidane Welde Reda

Maize (Zea Mays L.) is one of the most important food crops worldwide. In Ethiopia, it is one of the leading food grains selected to assume a national commodity crop to support the food self-sufficiency program of the country. Maize is fairly sensitive to water stress and excessive moisture stress. This is due to variation in sensitivity of different growth stages to water stress. The study was conducted to determine the water use efficiency of maize under deficit irrigation practice without significant reduction in yield and to identify crop growth stages which can withstand water stress. The experiment was conducted at the Alamata Agricultural Research center experimental site Kara Adishabo Kebele, Raya Azebo district. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications and six levels of irrigation water applications as possible treatments. Analysis was done to yield and water use efficiency of maize using R statistical software and the mean difference was estimated using the least significant difference (LSD) comparison. The highest grain (33.72qt/ha) and biomass yield (148.4qt/ha) was obtained from the 50% deficit irrigation at late growth. The maximum irrigation water use efficiency was obtained from both 50% deficit at all the four growth stages (0.5418 kg/ha) and at 50% deficit at late growth stage (0.446 kg/m3). And by comparing the grain yield obtained at the 50% deficit at late growth stage (33.72 qt/ha) and grain yield obtained at 50% deficit at all growth stages (23.34 qt/ha), the 50% deficit at late growth stage shows better result. The 50% deficit of crop water requirement did not affect the yield components (plant height & number of cobs per plant) of maze. Therefore applying irrigation water by reducing the crop water requirement by 50% at the late growth stage has a significant contribution for sustainable and efficient irrigation water utilization at moisture deficient areas without a significant loss on grain and biomass yield.


2012 ◽  
Vol 212-213 ◽  
pp. 578-585
Author(s):  
Zhong Wen Yang ◽  
Jun Ying Jin ◽  
Xin Yi Xu

Water stress is an important approach to use water resources efficiently and remit the agricultural water shortage. Hemarthria compressa is one of perennial grasses, a pasture of high quality, which has abundant species resources in China. To explore the response of the growth, yield and water use efficiency(WUE) of Hemarthria compressa under water stress, this study, adapting pot experiment, imposed three water stress degree (LD, MD and SD) treatments and a control treatment on Hemarthria compressa. The data of growth indicators during control period, yield and total water consumption were obtained. The results show a noticeable inhibitory action of water stress on the growth of Hemarthria compressa. Along with the intensifying of water stress, plant height increment, leaf area, total biomass, dry matter of each organ and yield decreased, and the root-shoot ratio increased firstly and inclined to slump finally. Plants under the middle water stress treatment achieved the greatest WUE of 38.25 kg/m3. The first 10d in the water control period was the most sensitive period of the pasture responding to water stress.


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