Approach to Yield Response of Young Almond Trees to Deficit Irrigation and Biostimulant Applications

Water is the most limiting resource in many semi-arid areas of Mediterranean countries. Among the strategies to improve water productivity, the implementation of deficit irrigation (DI) strategies and the introduction of drought-tolerant crops in irrigated areas (such as almond) are being widely studied. Recently, the use of biostimulants to enhance crop tolerance to drought under water-scarcity scenarios is increasing. This work examines the response of three almond cultivars (‘Guara’, ‘Marta’, and ‘Lauranne’) in terms of yield and associated physiological responses in the main phenological stages to biostimulants (HYT® A and HYT® B plus) applied to young trees subjected to different irrigation levels: (i) a full irrigation treatment (FI), irrigated at 100% of crop evapotranspiration (ETC); and (ii) sustained-deficit irrigation (SDI75), irrigated at 75% of ETC. Significantly higher yields were obtained with HYT applications in 2 of 3 cultivars; these differences were most evident in the SDI75 treatment. In particular, ‘Guara’ registered the most significant improvements in nut yield when the HYT product was applied (15–20% higher). With regard to crop physiological responses, higher values of leaf water potential and stomatal conductance were noted with the HYT application in some cultivars and phenological stages. These results indicated that the use of biostimulants can be a feasible strategy for almond cultivation, especially when SDI is used.

Download Full-text

High Nitrogen Fertilization Modulates Morpho-Physiological Responses, Yield, and Water Productivity of Lowland Rice under Deficit Irrigation

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11071291 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 1291

Author(s):

Nasr M. Abdou ◽

Mohamed A. Abdel-Razek ◽

Shimaa A. Abd El-Mageed ◽

Wael M. Semida ◽

Ahmed A. A. Leilah ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nitrogen Fertilizer ◽

Irrigation Water ◽

Nitrogen Fertilization ◽

Deficit Irrigation ◽

Physiological Responses ◽

Water Productivity ◽

Water Shortage ◽

Rice Production ◽

Lowland Rice ◽

Nitrogen Fertilizers

Sustainability of rice production under flooding conditions has been challenged by water shortage and food demand. Applying higher nitrogen fertilization could be a practical solution to alleviate the deleterious effects of water stress on lowland rice (Oryza sativa L.) in semi-arid conditions. For this purpose, field experiments were conducted during the summer of 2017 and 2018 seasons. These trials were conducted as split-split based on randomized complete blocks design with soil moisture regimes at three levels (120, 100 and 80% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc), nitrogen fertilizers at two levels (N1—165 and N2—200 kg N ha−1) and three lowland Egyptian rice varieties [V1 (Giza178), V2 (Giza177) and V3 (Sakha104)] using three replications. For all varieties, growth (plant height, tillers No, effective tillers no), water status ((relative water content RWC, and membrane stability index, MSI), physiological responses (chlorophyll fluorescence, Relative chlorophyll content (SPAD), and yield were significantly increased with higher addition of nitrogen fertilizer under all water regimes. Variety V1 produced the highest grain yield compared to other varieties and the increases were 38% and 15% compared with V2 and V3, respectively. Increasing nitrogen up to 200 kg N ha−1 (N2) resulted in an increase in grain and straw yields by 12.7 and 18.2%, respectively, compared with N1. The highest irrigation water productivity (IWP) was recorded under I2 (0.89 kg m−3) compared to (0.83 kg m−3) and (0.82 kg m−3) for I1 and I3, respectively. Therefore, the new applied agro-management practice (deficit irrigation and higher nitrogen fertilizer) effectively saved irrigation water input by 50–60% when compared with the traditional cultivation method (flooding system). Hence, the new proposed innovative method for rice cultivation could be a promising strategy for enhancing the sustainability of rice production under water shortage conditions.

Download Full-text

Using saline reclaimed water on almond grown in Mediterranean conditions: deficit irrigation strategies and salinity effects

Water Science & Technology Water Supply ◽

10.2166/ws.2019.008 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (5) ◽

pp. 1413-1421 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Gaetano Alessandro Vivaldi ◽

Salvatore Camposeo ◽

Giuseppe Lopriore ◽

Cristina Romero-Trigueros ◽

Francisco Pedrero Salcedo

Keyword(s):

Tree Growth ◽

Deficit Irrigation ◽

Management Practices ◽

Water Productivity ◽

Maximum Yield ◽

Control Treatment ◽

Irrigation Season ◽

Regulated Deficit Irrigation ◽

Trunk Diameter ◽

Almond Trees

Abstract The main objective of this study was to acquire agronomic knowledge about the effects of irrigation with saline reclaimed (RW) and desalinated DESERT (DW) water and different irrigation strategies: control full irrigation (FI) and regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) on leaf nutrients, tree growth and fruit quality and yield of almond trees in pots. Our results showed that RW had the highest concentration of some valuable agronomic nutrients such as N, but also of phytotoxic elements (Na and Cl−). Na leaf concentration on RW treatments reached toxic levels, especially under RDI, and toxicity symptoms were shown. Regarding tree growth, cumulate trunk diameter on RW-RDI was significantly lower than on the control treatment and shoot growth was reduced from the beginning of the irrigation season in RW treatments. Maximum yield was reached on RW-FI, 18% higher than the control treatment. However, RDI strategies influenced negatively on yield, being 23% less in RW and 7% less in DW although water productivity was not significantly reduced by water stress. These findings manifest that the combination of RW and RDI can be a promising future practice for almond irrigation, but long-term studies to establish suitable management practices must be developed.

Download Full-text

Can Sustained Deficit Irrigation Save Water and Meet the Quality Characteristics of Mango?

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture11050448 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 448

Author(s):

Leontina Lipan ◽

Aarón A. Carbonell-Pedro ◽

Belén Cárceles Rodríguez ◽

Víctor Hugo Durán-Zuazo ◽

Dionisio Franco Tarifa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Irrigation Water ◽

Deficit Irrigation ◽

Block Design ◽

Water Productivity ◽

Titratable Acidity ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Total Phenolic ◽

Drought Tolerant ◽

Randomized Block Design ◽

Peel Color

Mango is one of the most cultivated tropical fruits worldwide and one of few drought-tolerant plants. Thus, in this study the effect of a sustained deficit irrigation (SDI) strategy on mango yield and quality was assessed with the aim of reducing irrigation water in mango crop. A randomized block design with four treatments was developed: (i) full irrigation (FI), assuring the crop’s water needs, and three levels of SDI receiving 75%, 50%, and 33% of irrigation water (SDI75, SDI50, and SDI33). Yield, morphology, color, titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solids (TSS), organic acids (OA), sugars, minerals, fiber, antioxidant activity (AA), and total phenolic content (TPC) were analyzed. The yield was reduced in SDI conditions (8%, 11%, and 20% for SDI75, SDI50, and SDI33, respectively), but the irrigation water productivity was higher in all SDI regimes. SDI significantly reduced the mango size, with SDI33 generating the smallest mangoes. Peel color significantly changed after 13 days of ripening, with SDI75 being the least ripe. The TA, AA, and citric acid were higher in SDI75, while the TPC and fiber increased in all SDI levels. Consequently, SDI reduced the mango size but increased the functionality of samples, without a severe detrimental effect on the yield.

Download Full-text

Response of Drought-Tolerant Corn to Varying Irrigation Levels in the Texas High Plains

Transactions of the ASABE ◽

10.13031/trans.13234 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 62 (5) ◽

pp. 1365-1375 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Susan A. O’Shaughnessy ◽

MinYoung Kim ◽

Manuel A. Andrade ◽

Paul D. Colaizzi ◽

Steven R. Evett

Keyword(s):

Deficit Irrigation ◽

Irrigation Treatment ◽

High Plains ◽

Treatment Level ◽

Crop Water ◽

Grain Yields ◽

Drought Tolerant ◽

Texas High Plains ◽

Early Maturing ◽

Use Efficiency

Abstract.Corn ( L.) for grain continues to be an important crop for livestock feed in the Texas High Plains (THP) region despite lackluster prices. It offers greater crop water productivity compared with other crops grown in the region but also has a relatively high water requirement, which must be met by irrigation. The sole water resource in the region is the Ogallala Aquifer, which is declining because withdrawals exceed recharge, and this is of major concern. Producers are interested in the performance of drought-tolerant (DT) corn, but data on DT crop production functions are limited. From 2015 to 2017, studies of DT corn response to different irrigation treatments were conducted in the THP at Bushland, Texas. Results showed that grain yields, seasonal evapotranspiration (ETc), and crop water use efficiency (WUE) varied significantly between seasons and among different DT hybrids. Comparisons between a mid-season (MS) and an early-maturing (EM) hybrid showed: (1) at the severe deficit irrigation treatment level, grain yields were low, but the EM hybrid produced 400% more grain; (2) at the moderate deficit irrigation treatment level, grain yields and ETc were similar; and (3) at the full irrigation treatment level, the EM hybrid required 75 mm less water, but it produced 24% less grain. Non-hail damaged MS DT corn produced grain yields that were numerically greater than conventional corn grown in the THP in an optimal year. However, during drought seasons, DT hybrid response was not improved over conventional hybrids under severe deficit irrigation. This study demonstrated that MS DT corn hybrid P1151AM, irrigated at a level that fully met evapotranspiration demand, resulted in grain yield and WUE levels that were near the upper limits for corn produced in the THP. Further research is needed to determine the constancy of response among different DT hybrids under favorable and drought conditions. Keywords: Center pivot, Deficit irrigation, Early-maturing corn, Hail damage, Mid-season corn, Variable-rate irrigation, Water use efficiency.

Download Full-text

Crop water productivity and yield response of two greenhouse basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) cultivars to deficit irrigation

Water Science & Technology Water Supply ◽

10.2166/ws.2021.134 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Morteza Goldani ◽

Mohammad Bannayan ◽

Fatemeh Yaghoubi

Keyword(s):

Deficit Irrigation ◽

Water Productivity ◽

Irrigation Scheduling ◽

Yield Response ◽

Relative Reduction ◽

Crop Evapotranspiration ◽

Crop Water ◽

Crop Water Productivity ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Herb Yield

Abstract This two-year study aimed to determine the most appropriate irrigation scheduling and crop water productivity (CWP) of basil plant under controlled conditions in Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. The experimental layout was a split-plot design with three replications. Three deficit irrigation (DI) levels (DI0: 100%, DI30: 70% and DI60: 40% of the field capacity) and two basil cultivars (Green and Purple) were applied to main and subplots, respectively. The results showed that there was a decrease in yield and an increase in CWP for fresh leaves and fresh and dry herb by decreasing the irrigation water. However, a significant difference between fresh leaves and fresh and dry herb yield of DI0 and DI30 treatment was not observed. The Green basil had higher leaves and herb yield and CWP than other cultivar. A polynomial relationship was stablished between fresh leaves yield and crop evapotranspiration, however the yield response factor (Ky) indicated a linear relationship between the relative reduction in crop evapotranspiration vs. the relative reduction in yield. The Ky values were obtained as 0.70 and 0.76 for Green and Purple basil, respectively. The results revealed that the irrigation regime of 30% water saving could insure acceptable yield of basil plant and increase in CWP, especially for the Green basil cultivar.

Download Full-text

Yield Responses of a Mature Olive Orchard to Water Deficits

Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science ◽

10.21273/jashs.128.3.0425 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 128 (3) ◽

pp. 425-431 ◽

Cited By ~ 248

Author(s):

Alfonso Moriana ◽

Francisco Orgaz ◽

Miguel Pastor ◽

Elias Fereres

Keyword(s):

Deficit Irrigation ◽

Irrigation Treatment ◽

Oil Production ◽

Yield Response ◽

Stem Water Potential ◽

Full Irrigation ◽

Yield Data ◽

Water Deficits ◽

Irrigation Treatments ◽

Yield Responses

Irrigation is one of the most important means of increasing olive oil production but little information exists on the responses of olive to variable water supply. Five different irrigation strategies, full irrigation, rain fed, and three deficit irrigation treatments were compared from 1996 to 1999, in Cordoba, southern Spain, to characterize the response of a mature olive (Olea europaea L. `Picual') orchard to irrigation. Crop evapotranspiration (ETc) varied from less than 500 mm in the rain fed to ≈900 mm under full irrigation. The deficit irrigation treatments had ETc values that ranged from 60% to 80% of full ETc depending on the year and treatment. Water relations, and oil content and trunk growth measurements allowed for the interpretation of yield responses to water deficits. In a deficit irrigation treatment that concentrated all its ETc deficit in the summer, stem water potential (Ψx) decreased to -7 MPa but recovered quickly in the fall, while in the treatment that applied the same ET deficit progressively, Ψx was never below -3.8 MPa. Minimum Ψx in the rain fed treatment reached -8 MPa. Yield (Y) responses as a function of ETc were calculated for biennial yield data, given the alternate bearing habit of the olive; the equation are: Y = -16.84 + 0.063 ET -0.035 × 10-3 ET2, and Y = -2.78 + 0.011 ET - 0.006 × 10-3 ET2, for fruit and oil production respectively, with responses to ET deficits being similar for sustained and regulated deficit irrigation. The yield response to a deficit treatment that was fully irrigated during the bearing year and rain fed in the nonbearing year, was less favorable than that observed in the other two deficit treatments.

Download Full-text