Regulated deficit irrigation effects on yield,nut quality and water-use efficiency of mature pistachio trees

Summary

Regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) was evaluated on deep rooted, mature pistachio trees grown under high evaporative demand in the low rainfall southern San Joaquin Valley of California. The focus of this work was to assess the impact of deficit irrigation during various parts of the season with the goal of determining which period was most stress tolerant in terms of nut production. Pistachio nuts have a unique fruit growth pattern in which rapid kernel growth does not begin until about six weeks after full shell size has been attained. Our hypothesis was that irrigation could be reduced during this period with limited negative effects on production. The season was divided into three preharvest periods: leafout to full shell expansion (Stage 1), full shell expansion to the onset of rapid kernel growth (Stage 2), and rapid kernel growth to harvest (Stage 3). Water deprivation during Stage 1 applied 7.2% less water than the near-fully irrigated Control without any yield loss, based on mean values for the last “on” and “off” alternate bearing years of this study. Shell splitting (endocarp dehiscence) at harvest (a positive impact) was significantly higher (10.4% relative to the Control) but this was offset by a nut weight reduced by 9.4%. Stage 3 water deprivation (53% less applied water than the Control) significantly reduced nut size, shell splitting, mechanical nut removal by tree shaking, and yield, while increasing kernel blanking and abortion. Postharvest water deprivation (5.0% less applied water than the Control) had no significant negative effects on yield components. Six irrigation regimes that applied water at various rates were used to investigate Stage 2 behaviour. While there were no significant differences in yield components among these regimes, the best production occurred with deficit irrigation during Stage 2 at 50% of near-potential ETc during Stage 2 and 25% of near-potential ETc after harvest. This RDI regime saved about 180 mm of water (23.2% of the Control) and water use efficiency was significantly higher (4.69 versus 3.61 kg marketable fruit per mm water, for this RDI regime and the Control, respectively). We believe RDI during Stage 2 and postharvest is a viable irrigation strategy to save water while maintaining top yields of high quality pistachio nuts. Further work is needed to determine if the improved shell splitting harvest that occurred with Stage 1 stress can be exploited to improve grower profits.     

Regulated deficit irrigation in green bean and watermelon greenhouse crops

Mediterranean greenhouse growers of watermelon and green bean crops tend to reduce slightly the soil water availability during the flowering phase to enhance the fruit number and yield, but without measuring the soil or the plant water status. This deficit irrigation strategy (RDI) was studied on two representative growth cycles of green bean and one of watermelon. In each case, a well-watered crop acted as control.In the three well-watered vegetable crops, soil water matric potential (SMP) values were between −20 and −30 kPa throughout most of the respective growth cycles. These values avoid water deficits in Mediterranean greenhouse vegetable crops. The watermelon under RDI presented similar SMP to the well-watered crop, except during the flowering period when it reached values of −50 to −60 kPa, which are similar to, or slightly lower than, those recommended to prevent water deficits for cucurbitaceae crops. The autumn–winter and spring cycles of green bean under RDI presented progressively lower SMP values from the vegetative phase to the first fruit setting than the well-watered crops, reaching minimum SMP values of around −55 kPa for the autumn–winter cycle and of −75 kPa for the spring one. These minimum SMP values are similar for the autumn–winter cycle and lower for the spring cycle than those recommended to avoid water deficits in green bean crops grown in medium-fine textured soils. Overall, mild water deficits during flowering of watermelon and green bean crops grown in Mediterranean greenhouses did not improve the final fruit number or yield. In the two spring cycles (watermelon and green bean) the RDI strategy reduced the aboveground biomass and yield, whereas in the autumn–winter green bean cycle the RDI strategy reduced the vegetative biomass but did not affect yield. SMP threshold values can, however, be used by growers as a tool for controlling the equilibrium between the vegetative and reproductive growth of greenhouse soil-grown crops.     

Yield and quality response of drip irrigated green beans under full and deficit irrigation

The effects of different irrigation regimes on yield and quality of green beans (Phaselous vulgaris L.) irrigated with a drip irrigation system under field conditions in the Mediterranean region of Turkey were evaluated along two years. Irrigation regimes consisted of four irrigation intervals based on four levels of cumulative pan evaporation (Epan) values (I₁: 15; I₂: 30; I₃: 45 and I₄: 60 mm); irrigations occurred on the respective treatments when Epan reached target values, and three plant–pan coefficients as for irrigation levels (Kcp₁ = 0.50, Kcp₂ = 0.75 and Kcp₃ = 1.00). Irrigation intervals varied from 2 to 4 days in I₁, 5 to 7 days in I₂, 8 to 10 days in I₃ and 10 to 12 days in I₄ treatments in 2004 and 2005 growing seasons Both irrigation levels and intervals significantly affected the green bean yields. Maximum and minimum yields were obtained from the I₁Kcp₃ and I₄Kcp₁ treatments as 24,320 and 14,200 kg ha⁻¹ in the first, and 23,850 and 13,210 kg ha⁻¹ in the second experimental year, respectively. As the Kcp value decreased the total yields in each irrigation interval also decreased. However, with the longer irrigation interval (I₄), lower yields were obtained with all Kcp coefficients. Seasonal water use (ET) values in the treatments varied from 276 mm in I₄Kcp₁ to 400 mm in I₁Kcp₃ in the first experimental year, and from 365 mm in I₄Kcp₁ to 472 mm in I₁Kcp₃ in the second experimental year. Significant linear relations were found between green bean yield and seasonal ET for each experimental year. Irrigation intervals resulted in similar water use in the treatments with the same Kcp value. Water use efficiency (WUE) and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) values were significantly influenced by the irrigation intervals and plant–pan coefficients. WUE ranged from 4.33 kg m⁻³ in I₄Kcp₃ to 6.08 kg m⁻³ in I₁Kcp₃ in 2004, and varied from 3.62 kg m⁻³ in I₄Kcp₁ to 5.43 kg m⁻³ in I₂Kcp₂ in the 2005 growing season. Maximum IWUE was observed in I₂Kcp₁ (6.16 kg m⁻³), and minimum IWUE was in I₄Kcp₃ treatment (3.83 kg m⁻³) in the experimental years. Both irrigation levels and irrigation frequencies had significantly different effects on quality parameters such as fresh bean length, width, number of seed per pod and 100 fresh bean weights. In conclusion, I₁Kcp₃ irrigation regime is recommended for field grown green beans under the Mediterranean conditions in order to attain higher yields with improved quality.     

Effects of deficit irrigation on fruit maturity and quality of ‘Braeburn’ apple

Effects of deficit irrigation (DI) on fruit maturity at harvest, ripening characteristics, and changes in fruit quality during and after storage of ‘Braeburn’ apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) were studied in two experiments. In Experiment 1, irrigation treatments were a commercially irrigated control (CI), an early deficit irrigation (EDI) applied from 63 to 118 days after full bloom (DAFB), and a late deficit irrigation (LDI) applied from 118 DAFB to final harvest on 201 DAFB. Irrigation treatments in Experiment 2 were a commercially irrigated control (CI) and a whole-season deficit irrigation (WDI). These DI treatments all reduced volumetric soil water content. The LDI and WDI advanced fruit ripening but EDI did not. All DI treatments increased fruit total soluble solids (TSS) and firmness regardless of maturity but had little or no effect on titratable acidity. The differences in TSS started during fruit growth much earlier than the onset of ripening and were maintained during and following storage at 0°C. The differences in firmness also started during fruit growth and were maintained for at least 10 weeks of storage at 0°C.     

Response of young clementine citrus trees to drip irrigation,I, Irrigation amount and number of drippers

Summary

Growth, évapotranspiration, water relations and yield components of clementine trees (Citrus clementine, Hort ex Tan) subjected to differential drip-irrigation treatments were investigated during two seasons (1990–1992), Irrigation treatments were applied in a factorial design of two or four emitters per tree and four amounts of water (50,80,110 and 140% of tree évapotranspiration measured by a large weighing lysimeter located in the same plot), Seasonal water use in the lysimeter was 290 and 397 mm per year for 1990 and 1991, respectively, and the corresponding crop coefficient values were 0, 25 and 0, 31, Soil evaporation during selected periods of 1991 ranged from about 50% of évapotranspira tion in months with frequent rainfall to 8-30% in rainless months, The number of emitters per tree did not significantly affect soil matric tension, tree water status or tree growth, nor flowering, fruit-set or yield, Irrigation amount, however, significantly affected all these variates, Irrigation with 50% ET was insufficient in both seasons, producing high water stress and reducing tree growth, Yield was also reduced by a reduction in fruit number per tree, Optimum growth of the trees was obtained with irrigation at 110% ET which did not differ from that at 140%.     

Water relations,growth, yield,and fruit quality of hot pepper under deficit irrigation and partial rootzone drying

We compared two water-saving irrigation practices, deficit irrigation (DI) and partial rootzone drying (PRD), for their effects on growth and quality of ‘Ancho St. Luis’ hot pepper (Capsicum annum L.). The treatments were: commercial irrigation (CI) considered as the control, irrigating both sides of the rootzone with half of the volume of CI considered as DI, and alternating irrigation between two sides of the rootzone with half the volume of CI at each irrigation time considered as PRD. Midday leaf water potentials of PRD and DI plants were lower by 0.15 and 0.30 MPa, respectively, than of CI plants from 130 days after sowing. Total fresh mass of fruit was reduced by 19 and 34.7% in PRD and DI, respectively, compared to CI. Fruit number per plant was reduced by more than 20% in PRD and DI compared to CI. Total dry mass of fruit was similar among the treatments. At harvest, DI fruit had 21% higher total soluble solids concentration and better colour development than other treatments. Although incidence of blossom-end rot was high in PRD and DI fruit, more than 80% of fruit from PRD was not affected. DI and PRD saved 170 and 164 l of water, respectively, compared to CI and they could be feasible irrigation strategies for hot pepper production where the benefit from saving water outweighs the decrease in total fresh mass of fruit.     

Specific micromorphometric reactions of fruit trees to water stress and irrigation scheduling automation

Continuous recordings of diameter variations using LVDT gauges were made on potted or field grown apple and peach-trees to seek a reliable indicator of water stress. The first and general indication of water stress was the decrease and stoppage of daily growth in stem diameter. When water was sufficiently available in the soil, maximum daily shrinkage was a versatile indicator of transpiration stream intensity. When water availability in the soil strongly decreased two kinds of specific daily shrinkage patterns appeared: a) ‘peach-tree’ pattern, whose maximum daily shrinkage markedly increased as water stress became more severe, and b) ‘apple-tree’ pattern, where maximum daily shrinkage under severe water stress was smaller than its well watered value. Parameters for irrigation automation designs are proposed by processing both daily growth data and daily shrinkage data.     

Comparative effects of partial root-zone irrigation and deficit irrigation on phosphorus uptake in tomato plants

Summary

The comparative effects of partial root-zone irrigation (PRI) and deficit irrigation (DI) on phosphorus (P) uptake in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) plants were investigated in a split-root pot experiment. The results showed that PRI treatment improved water-use efficiency (WUE) compared to the DI treatment. PRI-treated plants accumulated significantly higher amounts of P in their shoots than DI plants under organic maize straw N fertilisation, whereas similar levels of shoot P accumulation were observed under mineral N fertilisation. Thus, the form of N fertiliser, and thereby the different plant N status, affected the accumulation of P in shoots, as reflected by a higher plant N:P ratio following mineral N fertilisation than after organic N fertilisation. Compared to the DI treatment, PRI significantly increased both the physiological and agronomic efficiencies of P-use under mineral N fertilisation, while similar physiological and agronomic P-use efficiencies were found between the two irrigation treatments with organic N fertilisation. PRI-induced drying and wetting processes might have influenced the bio-availability of soil P, as the concentrations of bio-available P in both bulk and rhizosphere soils were increased compared with the DI treatment under both forms of N fertilisation. It is suggested that a relatively high soil water content in the wet zone of the PRI treatment should be maintained in order to facilitate nutrient (i.e., N and P) transport from the bulk soil to the root surface, thereby enhancing nutrient uptake by the roots.     

Fruit thinning in ‘Conference’ pear grown under deficit irrigation: Implications for fruit quality at harvest and after cold storage

Fruit thinning in pear is feasible for mitigation of water stress effects. However, it is not well known how fruit quality at harvest and after cold storage is affected by pre-harvest water stress. Even less is known about the effects of fruit thinning on quality under these circumstances. To elucidate these, we applied deficit irrigation (DI) and fruit thinning treatments to ‘Conference’ pear over the growing seasons of 2008 and 2009. At the onset of Stage II (80 and 67 days before harvest in 2008 and 2009, respectively), two irrigation treatments were applied: full irrigation (FI) and DI. FI trees received 100% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc). DI trees received no irrigation during the first three weeks of Stage II to induce water stress, but then received 20% of ETc to ensure tree survival. From bud-break until the onset of Stage II and during post-harvest, FI and DI trees received 100% of ETc. Each irrigation treatment received two thinning levels: no thinning leaving commercial crop load (∼180 fruits tree⁻¹), and hand-thinning at the onset of Stage II leaving a light crop load (∼85 fruits tree⁻¹). Under commercial crop loads, DI trees were moderately water-stressed and this had some positive effects on fruit quality. DI increased fruit firmness (FF), soluble solids concentrations (SSC) and acidity at harvest while no changes were observed in fruit maturity (based on ethylene production). Differences in FF and acidity at harvest between FI and DI fruit were maintained during cold storage. DI also reduced fruit weight loss during storage. But fruit size was reduced under DI. Fruit thinning under DI resulted in better fruit composition with no detrimental effect on fresh-market yield compared to un-thinned fruit. Fruit size at harvest and SSC values after five months of cold storage were higher in fruit from thinned trees than fruit from un-thinned trees. Fruit thinning increased fruit ethylene production, indicating advanced maturity. This may lead to earlier harvest which is desirable in years with impending drought. Fruit thinning is therefore a useful technique to enhance pear marketability under water shortage.     

多胺在果实生长发育中的作用研究进展

多胺是广泛存在于植物体内的具有生物学活性的低分子量脂肪族含氮碱。它在植物的胚胎发育、花和果实的发育等生长发育过程具有重要的调控作用,同时在延缓植物衰老和抗逆境等方面也具有重要意义。近几年的研究表明多胺代谢同植物开花坐果、果实发育甚至果实品质特性密切相关。概述了多胺对果实坐果,膨大与衰老等果实发育生理过程的影响,并对多胺在果实逆境发育中的作用进行了探讨,对多胺在果实发育过程中可能的调控作用机理以及外源多胺在植物开花坐果上的应用潜力进行了讨论,并展望了多胺作用分子机理的研究前景。     

Effects of deficit irrigation on biomass,yield, water productivity and fruit quality of processing tomato under semi-arid Mediterranean climate conditions

Processing tomato is a high water demanding crop, thus requiring irrigation throughout growing season in arid and semiarid areas. The application of deficit irrigation (DI) strategies to this crop may greatly contribute to save irrigation water. A two-year study was carried out in order to assess the effects of DI upon water productivity, final biomass, fruit yield and some quality traits of open-field processing tomato cv. Brigade in a typical semi-arid Mediterranean environment of South Italy. Four irrigation treatments were studied: no irrigation following plant establishment (V0); 100% (V100) or 50% (V50) evapotranspiration (ETc) restoration up to fruit maturity, 100% ETc restoration up to flowering, then 50% ETc restoration (V100-50). Total dry biomass accumulation was significantly depressed by early soil water deficit in V0; irrigation at a reduced rate (50% ETc) from initial stages (V50) or from flowering onwards (V100-50) did not induce any losses in final dry biomass. The marketable yield did not significantly differ among plots irrigated, but an averaged irrigation water saving of 30.4% in V100-50 and 46.2% in V50 was allowed as compared to V100. Marketable yield was negatively affected by the early water shortage in V0, due to the high fruit losses (>44%). The effects of DI on fruit quality were generally the converse of those on fruit yield. DI improved total soluble solids content, titratable acidity and vitamin C content. Water use efficiency was positively affected by DI, suggesting that the crop does not benefits from the water when this last is supplied to fulfil total crop requirements for the whole season. Yield response factor, which indicates the level of tolerance of a crop to water stress, was 0.49 for total dry biomass (Kss) and 0.76 for marketable yield (Ky), indicating that in both cases the reduction in crop productivity is proportionally less than the relative ET deficit. In conclusion, the adoption of DI strategies where a 50% reduction of ETc restored is applied for the whole growing season or part of it could be suggested in processing tomato, to save water improving its use efficiency, minimizing fruit losses and maintaining high fruit quality levels. This aspect is quite important in semi-arid environments, where water scarcity is an increasing concern and water costs are continuously rising.     

15个杂交柑橘品种的果实游离氨基酸组成及其对风味品质的影响

[目的]研究不同杂交柑橘(杂柑)游离氨基酸(free amino acid,FAA)组分含量特征及其对风味品质的影响.[方法]采用高效液相色谱法对浙江省引种的15种杂柑的17种FAA含量进行检测,同时采用味道强度值(TAV)、主成分分析(PCA)及聚类分析进行综合评价.[结果]15种杂柑均检出17种游离氨基酸(FAA)...     

Yield and fruit quality of ‘Gala’ and ‘Fuji’ apple trees protected by white anti-hail net

Covering apple orchards with nets protects them from hailstorms but this changes the amount and quality of the light supplied to the trees. This study was carried out to assess the effects of shade provided by white protection net on yield and fruit quality of apple orchards in Southern Brazil, along three growing seasons (2002/2003, 2003/2004, and 2004/2005). ‘Gala’ and ‘Fuji’ apple trees (on MM111 rootstock, raised as slender spindles, with a spacing of 5.5 m × 3 m) were left uncovered (control trees) or covered with white net. The white net reduced the photosynthetically active radiation (λ = 400–700 nm) accumulated over the trees’ canopy along a day by 18.4%, leading to a higher leaf chlorophyll content in both cultivars, and a higher specific leaf area in ‘Gala’. The shade provided by the net did not affect yield and increased fruit average weight in both cultivars. At harvest, the number of seeds per fruit and severity of russet were not affected by netting in both cultivars, as well as the incidence of watercore in ‘Fuji’. The main beneficial effects of the white net were the reduced incidence of sunburn on ‘Gala’, reduced incidence of bitter pit during cold storage in both cultivars, and reduced incidence of apple scab at harvest and of decay after cold storage in ‘Fuji’. Fruit fly damage in ‘Gala’ (assessed in one season) was reduced by netting. However, netting affected negatively some fruit quality attributes. ‘Gala’ and ‘Fuji’ apples from trees protected by the net had a poor skin color (pale blush and a more intense green background color) at harvest. The net reduced flesh firmness and SSC, and increased the starch index of ‘Gala’ apples at harvest, and reduced flesh firmness and SSC, assessed after cold storage and shelf life, in fruits of both cultivars.     

Leaf gas exchange and fruit yield in sweet orange trees as affected by citrus variegated chlorosis and environmental conditions

Citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC) is a disease caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa. The most productive areas for citrus in Brazil are the northwestern and the northern regions of the São Paulo state, where CVC incidence is more severe. Additionally, these areas have the highest temperatures as well as significant vapor pressure deficits (VPD) and seasonal droughts. Environmental stresses are known to affect CVC-infected plants under semi-controlled conditions, but it is unclear whether similar effects occur in the field. The objective of this work was to evaluate the CVC leaf symptoms and environmental influences on fruit yield and size, and physiological parameters of healthy and CVC-affected plants (including both non-symptomatic and symptomatic leaves) in the morning and afternoon during the wet and dry seasons of 2003 in the southern, central and northern regions of the São Paulo state, Brazil. Increased VPD caused the stomatal conductance (gs) and CO₂ assimilation rates (A) to drop in healthy plants, but diseased plants had low VPD influences on gs, especially closer to the northern region and in leaves that were more symptomatic, confirming that diseased plants do not respond to changes in environmental VPD, corroborating several results reported in the literature. Although symptomatic northern leaves exhibited low stomatal apertures, the northern region had the highest air temperatures and VPDs, increasing the water loss in these plants, suggesting that towards the northern region plants face greater atmospheric and soil water stress. The fruit size of diseased plants diminished towards the north, while the fruit size of healthy plants must have been influenced by the tree fruit load. We suggest that CVC-affected plants suffer greater physiological damage if grown under environmental constraint, such as that found in the northern region of the São Paulo state.     

地面覆盖对苹果树体生长和果实品质的影响

【目的】揭示苹果树叶片光合参数、树体生长量和果实品质对不同覆盖物的差异性反应,为苹果园地面管理覆盖物的合理选择提供参考依据。【方法】以辽宁省果树科学研究所自主选育的‘望山红’/‘辽砧109’组合苹果树为试材,果园地面分别覆盖农用地毯、碎木屑和园艺地布,以清耕为对照,调查地面覆盖后土壤地温、土壤含水量、叶片光合参数、树体生长量、果实品质的差异。【结果】2016年、2017年农用地毯、碎木屑、园艺地布、淸耕(CK)土壤温度随土层深度增加而降低,土壤含水量随土层深度增加而升高。与清耕(CK)相比,园艺地布覆盖提高土壤温度,农用地毯和碎木屑覆盖降低土壤温度;农用地毯、碎木屑、园艺地布覆盖能提高土壤含水量。3种覆盖处理均能提高叶片净光合速率、水分利用效率、叶绿素相对含量。其中,农用地毯覆盖后叶片净光合速率、水分利用效率、叶绿素相对含量变异系数最小、稳定性优于其他处理,而碎木屑覆盖季节性差异明显、变异系数高、稳定性差。3种覆盖处理均能提高单叶质量、叶片厚度、树高、覆盖率、总枝量,影响枝类组成比例。其中,农用地毯覆盖后单叶质量、叶片厚度、覆盖率、总枝量、中枝、短枝比例等指标高于同期其他处理,而长枝比例低于其他处理。春季园艺地布覆盖后的新梢长度显著高于其他处理,而夏季农用地毯和碎木屑覆盖后的新梢生长速度快。农用地毯覆盖后果实单果质量、硬度、可溶性固形物、固酸比等指标最高,其次为碎木屑。农用地毯、碎木屑、园艺地布覆盖后显著提高果面红色着色程度,提高果实中葡萄糖、果糖、蔗糖、莽草酸含量,降低苹果酸、柠檬酸含量。【结论】综合比较3种覆盖物对土壤温度、土壤含水量、植株叶片参数、树体生长量和果实品质的影响,作用效果从高到低分别为农用地毯、碎木屑和园艺地布。     

Yield and oil quality of intensively trained trees of three cultivars of olive (Olea europaea L.) under different irrigation regimes

Summary

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the qualitative and quantitative yield response to irrigation of olive in southern Italy. The olive cvs Kalamata, Ascolana Tenera, and Nocellara del Belice were tested in a factorial combination with four irrigation levels: a rain-fed control (T₀) and three treatments (T₁, T₂ and T₃) irrigated daily with an amount of 33%, 66% and 100%, respectively of crop evapotranspiration. Soil water content remained near field capacity in treatment T₃ with no difference with respect to treatment T₂. In T₀ and T₁, the soil moisture decreased during the summer with the lowest value (20.8%) found in T₀ on 12 August, after which rainfall restored the soil moisture to field capacity. During the season the relative water content in the leaves was higher in the irrigated treatments than in the rain-fed control. Yields were higher in all the cultivars with irrigated treatments than in the rain-fed control. The yield increase with treatment T₁ in `Nocellara del Belice' was 200% compared with the rainfed control and with T<sub>2</sub> in `Ascolana tenera' and `Kalamata' the yield was 233% and 47% greater than in the control. The higher oil yield obtained in the irrigated treatments was mainly due to the increase in fruit yield, since the pulp-stone ratio and the quantity of triglycerides accumulating in the fruits were similar for all treatments. The fatty acid composition of the oils was not affected by irrigation, while there was a decrease in the content of polyphenolic substances with irrigation. This decrease could be attributed to different enzymatic activity, caused by the water deficit, rather than to different degrees of fruit ripening. The decrease of polyphenols did not influence the oil quality in terms of organoleptic parameters or oil shelf-life.     

不同灌溉阈值对‘巨峰’葡萄树体生长与果实品质的影响

【目的】验证之前研究所确定的‘巨峰’葡萄果实发育不同时期开始灌溉的土壤水势阈值。【方法】以6 a生盆栽‘巨峰’葡萄自根植株为试验材料,设定在果实发育不同时期按照之前研究所确定的阈值进行灌溉(中度灌溉),并设置过度灌溉、胁迫灌溉和严重胁迫灌溉3个对照处理,比较各处理的新梢生长、果实生长、果实品质以及劳动力消耗等指标。【结果】中度灌溉处理的葡萄新梢生长适中,摘心次数较少,叶片净光合速率最高,果实生长最快,可滴定酸含量低(0.33%,ω,后同),可溶性固形物含量高(19.0%),糖酸比高(57.6),上色较好(花青素含量0.078 mg·g~(-1)),综合表现最佳。【结论】从发芽期到幼果期适宜开始灌溉的土壤水势阈值为-10.0 kPa,之后到转色期之前为-15.0 kPa,转色期到成熟期为-20.0 kPa,采收后为-10.0 kPa。     

Effects of water deficit during stage II of peach fruit development and postharvest on fruit quality and ethylene production

Summary

This study examined the hypothesis that enhancement of peach quality resulting from Regulated Deficit Irrigation (RDI) is caused primarily by changes in fruit physiology during development. Water deficit was applied during either stage II of fruit development (RDI-SII) or during stage II and postharvest (RDI-SII-PH), as compared with non-droughted (control) and postharvest (RDI-PH) treatments. Fruit from the various RDI treatments had significantly higher soluble solids concentrations and red colour at harvest than control fruit. While fruit respiration was not altered by any RDI treatment, ethylene production indicated sooner the onset of climacteric phase for fruit from RDI-SII and RDI-SII-PH than for control or RDI-PH fruit. Accordingly, greater ethylene production in detached fruit was related to their having experienced water stress during development. Ethylene production by RDI-PH fruit did not change, but their quality did in terms of increased soluble solids concentration and improved skin colour similar to the RDI-SII treatment. This observation suggests that water-stress related changes occurring during fruit development are not the only factors involved in enhancing quality in RDI fruit.     

Regulated deficit irrigation in potted Dianthus plants: Effects of severe and moderate water stress on growth and physiological responses

The purpose of this study was to analyze the physiological and morphological response of carnation plants to different levels of irrigation and to evaluate regulated deficit irrigation as a possible technique for saving water through the application of controlled drought stress. Carnations, Dianthus caryophyllus L. cultivar, were pot-grown in an unheated greenhouse and submitted to two experiments. In the first experiment, the plants were exposed to three irrigation treatments: (control); 70% of the control (moderate deficit irrigation, MDI) and 35% of the control (severe deficit irrigation, SDI). In the second experiment, the plants were submitted to a control treatment, deficit irrigation (DI, 50% of the control) and regulated deficit irrigation (RDI). After 15 weeks, MDI plants showed a slightly reduced total dry weight, plant height and leaf area, while SDI had clearly reduced all the plant size parameters. RDI plants had similar leaf area and total dry weight to the control treatment during the blooming phase. MDI did not affect the number of flowers and no great differences in the colour parameters were observed. RDI plants had higher flower dry weight, while plant quality was affected by the SDI (lower number of shoots and flowers, lower relative chlorophyll content). Leaf osmotic potential decreased with deficit irrigation, but more markedly in SDI, which induced higher values of leaf pressure. Stomatal conductance (g_s) decreased in drought conditions more than the photosynthetic rate (P_n). Osmotic adjustment of 0.3 MPa accompanied by decreases in elasticity in response to drought resulted in turgor less at lower leaf water potentials and prevented turgor loss during drought periods.     

Soil pH in fruit trees in relation to specific replant disorder of apple. I. Introduction and review of literature

A low pH of the soil prevents the specific apple replant disorder (SARD). Not much is known about the effect of a low pH on the growth of fruit trees. Most authors accept a pH of between 5.5 and 6.5 as optimum for apples but this assumption is not based on experimental research. It is feasible that apple trees grow well at a lower pH than has hitherto been accepted. The influence of a low pH on bitter pit needs careful examination.