Soil and plant water indicators for deficit irrigation management of field-grown sweet cherry trees

Abstract A two-year experiment with sweet cherry (P. avium L. cv Prime Giant) trees was carried out to ascertain which of the following commonly used soil and plant water indicators is most effective for deficit irrigation scheduling: Ψstem (midday stem water potential), MDS (maximum daily branch shrinkage), gs (stomatal conductance), θv (soil volumetric water content), Ψm (soil matric potential). For this, soil and plant water relations, as well as the physiological and agricultural responses of trees to three different irrigation treatments, were evaluated. The irrigation treatments imposed were: i) a control treatment (CTL) irrigated at 110% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) throughout the growing season, ii) a regulated deficit irrigation treatment (RDI), which met 100% ETc at preharvest and during floral differentiation and 55% ETc during the postharvest period and iii) a treatment based on normal farming practices (FRM). MDS was the first indicator to detect water stress, while Ψm showed the highest sensitivity postharvest, when it was closely related with Ψstem. Consequently, a multiple linear regression equation based on average Ψm at a depth of 25 and 50 cm, and mean daily air vapor pressure deficit (VPD) was established to estimate Ψstem. The estimated Ψstem explained 84% of the variance in the measured Ψstem. Hence, the equation proposed can be used as a tool to estimate Ψstem and for irrigation scheduling. Based on the relation MDS vs. Ψstem and the observed agronomic response, a postharvest threshold value of −1.3 MPa is proposed for deficit irrigation management in ‘Prime Giant’ cherry trees.

[1]  T. Hsiao.  Plant Responses to Water Stress , 1973 .

[2]  Joan Bonany,et al.  Could trunk diameter sensors be used in woody crops for irrigation scheduling? A review of current knowledge and future perspectives. , 2010 .

[3]  J. E. Fernández,et al.  Irrigation scheduling from stem diameter variations: a review. , 2010 .

[4]  Jordi Marsal,et al.  Postharvest regulated deficit irrigation in ‘Summit’ sweet cherry: fruit yield and quality in the following season , 2009, Irrigation Science.

[5]  D. Intrigliolo,et al.  Crop load affects maximum daily trunk shrinkage of plum trees. , 2007, Tree physiology.

[6]  A. Naor,et al.  Pressure-increase rate affects the accuracy of stem water potential measurements in deciduous fruit trees using the pressure-chamber technique , 2001 .

[7]  J. Castel,et al.  Response of Salustiana oranges to high frequency deficit irrigation , 1990, Irrigation Science.

[8]  W. K. Thompson,et al.  Polar and Lateral Transport of Water in an Apple Tree , 1970 .

[9]  P. Searles,et al.  Responses of several soil and plant indicators to post-harvest regulated deficit irrigation in olive trees and their potential for irrigation scheduling , 2016 .

[10]  J. M. Rosa,et al.  A new approach to ascertain the sensitivity to water stress of different plant water indicators in extra-early nectarine trees , 2014 .

[11]  S. Sdoodee,et al.  Measurement of stem water potential as a sensitive indicator of water stress in neck orange (Citrus reticulata Blanco) , 2008 .

[12]  H. Bielorai.  The effect of partial wetting of the root zone on yield and water use efficiency in a drip-and sprinkler-irrigated mature grapefruit grove , 2004, Irrigation Science.

[13]  J. Alarcón,et al.  Interpreting trunk diameter changes in young lemon trees under deficit irrigation , 2004 .

[14]  Elias Fereres,et al.  Drip irrigation saves money in young almond orchards , 1982 .

[15]  E. Fereres,et al.  Deficit irrigation for reducing agricultural water use. , 2006, Journal of experimental botany.

[16]  D. Chalmers,et al.  The Effects of Regulated Water Deficits on Pear Tree Growth, Flowering, Fruit Growth, and Yield , 1984, Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science.

[17]  G. López-Ortega,et al.  Rootstock effects on the growth, yield and fruit quality of sweet cherry cv. ‘Newstar’ in the growing conditions of the Region of Murcia , 2016 .

[18]  J. M. Rosa,et al.  Feasibility of using trunk diameter fluctuation and stem water potential reference lines for irrigation scheduling of early nectarine trees , 2013 .

[19]  J. Girona,et al.  ESTABLISHMENT OF STEM WATER POTENTIAL THRESHOLDS FOR THE RESPONSE OF ´O´HENRY´ PEACH FRUIT GROWTH TO WATER STRESS DURING STAGE III OF FRUIT DEVELOPMENT , 2006 .

[20]  E. Fereres,et al.  Suitability of stem diameter variations and water potential as indicators for irrigation scheduling of almond trees , 2003 .

[21]  Mercedes Valdés-Vela,et al.  Stem water potential estimation of drip-irrigated early-maturing peach trees under Mediterranean conditions , 2015, Comput. Electron. Agric..

[22]  John W. Palmer,et al.  Effects of crop load on fruiting and gas-exchange characteristics of 'Braeburn'/M.26 apple trees at full canopy. , 2000 .

[23]  Usefulness of stem dendrometers as continuous indicator of loquat trees water status , 2014 .

[24]  J. Turner,et al.  Crop load management does not consistently improve crop value of 'Sweetheart'/'Mazzard' sweet cherry trees , 2011 .

[25]  Jordi Marsal,et al.  Phenology and drought affects the relationship between daily trunk shrinkage and midday stem water potential of peach trees , 2002 .

[26]  Rashid Al-Yahyai.  Managing irrigation of fruit trees using plant water status , 2012 .

[27]  A. Torrecillas,et al.  Assessment of maximum daily trunk shrinkage signal intensity threshold values for deficit irrigation in lemon trees , 2009 .

[28]  Edgar Salgado,et al.  Plant based indicators for irrigation scheduling in young cherry trees , 2011 .

[29]  Kenneth A. Shackel,et al.  Stem-water Potential as a Sensitive Indicator of Water Stress in Prune Trees (Prunus domestica L. cv. French) , 1992 .

[30]  D. Intrigliolo,et al.  Usefulness of diurnal trunk shrinkage as a water stress indicator in plum trees. , 2006, Tree physiology.

[31]  A. Naor,et al.  Sensitivity and Variability of Maximum Trunk Shrinkage, Midday Stem Water Potential, and Transpiration Rate in Response to Withholding Irrigation from Field-grown Apple Trees , 2003 .

[32]  Rafael Domingo,et al.  Remote management of deficit irrigation in almond trees based on maximum daily trunk shrinkage. Water relations and yield , 2013 .

[33]  R. Savé,et al.  Evaluation of the response of maximum daily shrinkage in young cherry trees submitted to water stress cycles in a greenhouse , 2013 .

[34]  F. Moreno,et al.  Limitations and usefulness of maximum daily shrinkage (MDS) and trunk growth rate (TGR) indicators in the irrigation scheduling of table olive trees , 2016 .

[35]  A. Naor.  The interactions of soil- and stem-water potentials with crop level, fruit size and stomatal conductance of field-grown ‘Black Amber’ Japanese plum , 2004 .

[36]  A. Torrecillas,et al.  Agronomical effects of deficit irrigation in apricot, peach, and plum trees. , 2018 .

[37]  Elias Fereres,et al.  Irrigation scheduling protocols using continuously recorded trunk diameter measurements , 2001, Irrigation Science.

[38]  Rodney B. Thompson,et al.  Using plant water status to define threshold values for irrigation management of vegetable crops using soil moisture sensors , 2007 .

[39]  Isabel Abrisqueta,et al.  Soil water content criteria for peach trees water stress detection during the postharvest period , 2012 .

[40]  Pau Martí,et al.  An artificial neural network approach to the estimation of stem water potential from frequency domain reflectometry soil moisture measurements and meteorological data , 2013 .

[41]  J. Alarcón,et al.  Usefulness of trunk diameter variations as continuous water stress indicators of pomegranate (Punica granatum) trees , 2011 .

[42]  M. I. Ferreira,et al.  Stress Coefficients for Soil Water Balance Combined with Water Stress Indicators for Irrigation Scheduling of Woody Crops , 2017 .

[43]  Fengxin Wang,et al.  Soil Water Tension, a Powerful Measurement for Productivity and Stewardship , 2011 .

[44]  Janine Hasey,et al.  Plant water status as an index of irrigation need in deciduous fruit trees , 1997 .

[45]  Amos Naor,et al.  Irrigation and Crop Load Influence Fruit Size and Water Relations in Field-grown `Spadona' Pear , 2001 .

[46]  M. Inoue,et al.  Establishment of the soil water potential threshold to trigger irrigation of Kyoho grapevines based on berry expansion, photosynthetic rate and photosynthetic product allocation , 2016 .

[47]  B. Myers.  Water stress integral-a link between short-term stress and long-term growth. , 1988, Tree physiology.

[48]  W. H. Olson,et al.  THE RELATION OF MIDDAY STEM WATER POTENTIAL TO THE GROWTH AND PHYSIOLOGY OF FRUIT TREES UNDER WATER LIMITED CONDITIONS , 2000 .

[49]  H. Navarro-Hellín,et al.  A wireless sensors architecture for efficient irrigation water management , 2015 .

[50]  D. Intrigliolo,et al.  Continuous measurement of plant and soil water status for irrigation scheduling in plum , 2004, Irrigation Science.

[51]  Honorio Navarro,et al.  Maximum daily trunk shrinkage and stem water potential reference equations for irrigation scheduling in table grapes , 2016 .

[52]  A. Naor,et al.  Relations between leaf and stem water potentials and stomatal conductance in three field-grown woody species , 1998 .

[53]  Isabel Abrisqueta,et al.  Irrigation scheduling of peach trees (Prunus persica L.) by continuous measurement of soil water status , 2008 .

[54]  J. Pérez.  CHERRY CULTIVATION IN SPAIN , 2005 .

[55]  J. Alarcón,et al.  Reference values of maximum daily trunk shrinkage for irrigation scheduling in mid-late maturing peach trees , 2016 .

[56]  Wenceslao Conejero,et al.  Using trunk diameter sensors for regulated deficit irrigation scheduling in early maturing peach trees , 2011 .

[57]  C. Paltineanu,et al.  Root density of cherry trees grafted on prunus mahaleb in a semi-arid region , 2016 .

[58]  D. Fredlund,et al.  Equations for the soil-water characteristic curve , 1994 .

[59]  Jesús Martínez del Rincón,et al.  A decision support system for managing irrigation in agriculture , 2016, Comput. Electron. Agric..

[60]  H. Jones.  Monitoring plant and soil water status: established and novel methods revisited and their relevance to studies of drought tolerance. , 2006, Journal of experimental botany.

[61]  Carlos Serôdio,et al.  A ZigBee multi-powered wireless acquisition device for remote sensing applications in precision viticulture , 2008 .