Using data on soil ECa,soil water properties,and response of tree root system for spatial water balancing in an apple orchard

The study aims at spatial analysis of water deficit of fruit trees under semi-humid climate conditions. Differences of soil, root, and their relation with the spatial variability of crop evapotranspiration (ET_a) were analyzed. Measurements took place in a six hectare apple orchard (Malus x domestica ‘Gala’) located in fruit production area of Brandenburg (latitude: 52.606°N, longitude: 13.817°E). Data of apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa) in 25 cm were used for guided sampling of soil texture, bulk density, rooting depth, root water potential, and volumetric water content. Soil ECa showed high correlation with root depth. The readily available soil water content (RAW) was calculated considering three cases utilizing (i) uniform root depth of 1 m, (ii) measured values of root depth, and (iii) root water potential measured during full bloom, fruit cell division stage, at harvest. The RAW set the thresholds for irrigation. The ET_a was calculated based on data from a weather station in the field and RAW cases in high, medium and low ECa conditions. ET_a values obtained were utilized to quantify how fruit trees cope with spatial soil variability. The RAW-based irrigation thresholds for locations of low and high ECa value differed. The implementation of plant parameters (rooting depth, root water potential) in the water balance provided a more representative figure of water needs of fruit trees Consequently, the precise adjustment of irrigation including plant data can optimize the water use.

     

Interaction of Maximum Daily Trunk Shrinkage and Fruit Quality in European Plum

Maximum daily trunk shrinkage (MDS) has been suggested as an appropriate indicator of plant water status because it is closely related to stem water potential. Interaction of MDS and fruit quality was studied in plum (Prunus domestica L. ‘Jojo’/Wavit and ‘Tophit plus’/Wavit) in temperate climate. According to the MDS data, trees were grouped as low MDS (LMDS) and high MDS (HMDS). Fruit quality was analysed during fruit development (95, 103, 117 DAFB for ‘Jojo’ and 99, 112, 121 DAFB for ‘Tophit plus’) before commercial harvest. Fruit picked at commercial harvest (137 DAFB and 140 DAFB for ‘Jojo’ and ‘Tophit plus’, respectively) were stored at 2 ± 0.5?°C (90 ± 2% RH) for 28 days, and 2 days shelf life at 20?°C providing 6 measuring dates postharvest. Results confirmed that MDS was positively correlated with water vapour pressure deficit also in the apparent temperate, semi-humid climate. Transpiration of fruit from high crop load and resulting HMDS trees, which can be assessed as physiologically drought, was low compared to that of fruit from LMDS trees. Furthermore, HMDS tree grown plums had enhanced soluble solids and dry matter contents with a tendency of reduced fruit size.