IMPROVING AVOCADO TREE WATER STATUS UNDER SEVERE CLIMATIC CONDITIONS BY INCREASING WETTED SOIL VOLUME

An irrigation experiment was conducted in an adult avocado orchard in order to study the effect of enlargement of the wetted soil volume on tree water status under conditions of high evaporative demand, like those registered in Israel in the early spring during the avocado flowering and fruit set stages. Enlargement of the wetted soil volume from 25% to 75% increased root growth rate and improved tree water status and transpiration response to high evaporative demands.