Water-Related Variables for Predicting Yield of Apple under Deficit Irrigation

Predicting apple yield in relation to tree water use is important for irrigation planning and evaluation. The aim of the present study was to identify measurable variables related to tree water use that could predict final fruit yield of apple trees under different strategies of deficit irrigation. Adult ‘Gala’ and ‘Fuji’ apple trees were exposed to conventional irrigation (CI), delivering 100% of crop evapotranspiration; partial root zone drying (PRD), delivering 50% of CI water only on one alternated side of the root-zone; and continuous deficit irrigation (CDI), delivering 50% of CI water on both sides of the root-zone. Integrals of soil (SWDint) and leaf (LWSDint) water deficit along with growth and stomatal conductance (Gsint) were calculated across each season and used to estimate total conductance (GStree) and transpiration (Trtree) per tree, transpiration efficiency on a fruit (GRfruit/Tr) or tree (GRtrunk/Tr) growth basis, and transpiration productivity (Yield/Trtree). ‘Fuji’ trees had higher Yield/Trtree, but had lower GRtrunk/Tr and similar GRfruit/Tr compared to ‘Gala’ trees. In ‘Fuji’, CDI reduced yield, trunk growth, leaf hydration, and gas exchange, while in ‘Gala’, it did not reduce yield and gas exchange. In ‘Fuji’, a linear combination of GRtrunk/Tr, GRfruit/Tr, and Gstree contributed to predicting yield, with GRfruit/Tr explaining nearly 78% of the model variability. In ‘Gala’, a linear combination of LWSDint and Gstree contributed to predicting yield, with Gstree explaining over 79% of the model variability. These results indicate that measuring tree water status or water use may help predict final apple yields only in those cultivars like ‘Gala’ that cannot limit dehydration by closing stomates because of carbon starvation. In more vigorous cultivars like ‘Fuji’, transpiration efficiency based on fruit growth can be a powerful predictor of final yields.

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EFFECTS OF DEFICIT IRRIGATION AND PARTIAL ROOT-ZONE DRYING ON SOIL AND PLANT WATER STATUS, STOMATAL CONDUCTANCE, PLANT GROWTH AND WATER USE EFFICIENCY IN TOMATO DURING EARLY FRUITING STAGE

Acta Horticulturae ◽

10.17660/actahortic.2008.792.48 ◽

2008 ◽

pp. 413-419

Author(s):

F. Liu ◽

A. Shahnazari ◽

S.-E. Jacobsen ◽

C.R. Jensen ◽

F. Janowiak ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stomatal Conductance ◽

Plant Growth ◽

Water Use Efficiency ◽

Water Use ◽

Deficit Irrigation ◽

Root Zone ◽

Water Status ◽

Plant Water ◽

Fruiting Stage ◽

Use Efficiency

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IRRIGATION DEFICIT STRATEGIES ON PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PRODUCTIVE PARAMETERS OF 'TOMMY ATKINS' MANGO

Revista Caatinga ◽

10.1590/1983-21252016v29n120rc ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 29 (1) ◽

pp. 173-182 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

MARCELO ROCHA DOS SANTOS ◽

SÉRGIO LUIZ RODRIGUES DONATO ◽

EUGÊNIO FERREIRA COELHO ◽

PAULO ROBERTO FERNANDES COTRIM JUNIOR ◽

IGOR NOGUEIRA DE CASTRO

Keyword(s):

Gas Exchange ◽

Water Use Efficiency ◽

Water Use ◽

Deficit Irrigation ◽

Root Zone ◽

Leaf Temperature ◽

Maturation Stage ◽

Regulated Deficit Irrigation ◽

Irrigation Deficit ◽

Use Efficiency

ABSTRACT: The objective of this work was to evaluate the gas exchange, leaf temperature, yield and water use efficiency in 'Tommy Atkins' mango under irrigation deficit strategies. The experimental design was randomized block, with seven treatments with regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) under micro-spray and five treatments with partial root-zone drying (PRD) under drip irrigation. The treatments on RDI consisted of application of 100, 75 and 50% of ETc at the stages S1 (beginning of flowering to fruit set) S2 (fruit development) and S3 (fruit physiological maturation). The treatments on PRD consisted of application of 100, 80, 60 and 40% of ETc, in the same three stages, alternating the irrigation side every 15 days. The regulated deficit irrigation causes less negative interference in gas exchange than the partial root-zone drying, and the climate factors affect the gas exchange and leaf temperature of 'Tommy Atkins' mango more than the regulated deficit irrigation. The partial root-zone drying irrigation with 60 and 40% of ETc causes a decrease in the 'Tommy Atkins' mango yield. The regulated deficit irrigation up to 50% of ETc, applied at the fruit maturation stage, maintain the yield and water use efficiency.

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Performance of direct root-zone deficit irrigation on Vitis vinifera L. cv. Cabernet Sauvignon production and water use efficiency in semi-arid southcentral Washington

Agricultural Water Management ◽

10.1016/j.agwat.2019.04.023 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 221 ◽

pp. 47-57 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Xiaochi Ma ◽

Karen A. Sanguinet ◽

Pete W. Jacoby

Keyword(s):

Vitis Vinifera ◽

Water Use Efficiency ◽

Water Use ◽

Deficit Irrigation ◽

Root Zone ◽

Vitis Vinifera L ◽

Cabernet Sauvignon ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Semi Arid

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Double-Double Row Planting Mode at Deficit Irrigation Regime Increases Winter Wheat Yield and Water Use Efficiency in North China Plain

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy10091315 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 1315

Author(s):

Xun Bo Zhou ◽

Guo Yun Wang ◽

Li Yang ◽

Hai Yan Wu

Keyword(s):

Winter Wheat ◽

Soil Water ◽

Water Use ◽

Deficit Irrigation ◽

Water Status ◽

Row Spacing ◽

Soil Water Depletion ◽

Double Row ◽

Water Depletion ◽

Use Efficiency

Low water availability coupled with poor planting method has posed a great challenge to winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) productivity. To improve productivity and water use efficiency (WUE) under deficit irrigation, an effective water-saving technology that is characterized by three planting modes has been developed (uniform with 30-cm row spacing (U), double-double row spacing of 5 cm (DD), and furrow-ridge row spacing of alternated 20 cm and 40 cm (F)) combined with three irrigation regimes (50 mm water each at growth stage 34 (GS34) and GS48 (W1), and 100 mm water at GS48 (W2), or 100 mm each water at GS34 and GS48 (W3)). Results showed that DD increased yield by 9.7% and WUE by 12.6% due to higher soil water status and less soil water depletion and evapotranspiration compared with U. Although the soil water status, soil water depletion, evapotranspiration, and yield increased with increasing irrigation amount, more soil water depletion and evapotranspiration resulted in low WUE. The deficit irrigation was beneficial for improving WUE as W1 had significantly increased yield by 5.4% and WUE by 7.1% compared with W2. Yield and evapotranspiration showed a quadratic dynamic equation indicating that yield increased with increasing evapotranspiration. Considering WUE and relatively higher yield under deficit water, W1 combined with DD is suggested to be a good management strategy to be applied in winter wheat of water-scarce regions.

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