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Agronomic response and water productivity of almond trees under contrasted deficit irrigation regimes

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  • Egea, Gregorio
  • Nortes, Pedro A.
  • González-Real, María M.
  • Baille, Alain
  • Domingo, Rafael

Abstract

We investigated the long-term effects of different deficit irrigation (DI) options on tree growth, shoot and leaf attributes, yield determinants and water productivity of almond trees (Prunus dulcis, cv. Marta) grown in a semiarid climate in SE Spain. Three partial root-zone drying (PRD) irrigation treatments encompassing a wide range of water restriction (30%, 50% and 70% of full crop requirements, ETc) and a regulated deficit irrigation treatment (RDI, at 50% ETc during kernel-filling) were compared over three consecutive growth seasons (2004-2006) to full irrigation (FI). The results showed that all deficit irrigation treatments have a negative impact on trunk growth parameters. The magnitude of the reduction in trunk growth rate was strongly correlated through a linear relationship with the annual volume of water applied (WA) per tree. Similarly, a significant relationship was found between WA and the increase in crown volume. In contrast, leaf-related attributes and some yield-related parameters (e.g., kernel fraction) were not significantly affected by the irrigation treatments. Except in PRD70, individual kernel weight was significantly reduced in the deficit irrigated treatments. Kernel yield, expressed in percent of the maximum yield observed in the FI treatment, showed a linear decrease with decreasing WA and a slope of 0.43, which implies that a 1% decrease in water application would lead to a reduction of 0.43% in yield. Water productivity increased drastically with the reduction of water application, reaching 123% in the case of PRD30. Overall, our results demonstrate the prevalence of direct and strong links between the intensity of the water restriction under PRD - i.e., the total water supply during the growing season - and the main parameters related to tree growth, yield and water productivity. Noteworthy, the treatments that received similar annual water volumes under contrasted deficit irrigation strategies (i.e., PRD70 and RDI) presented a similar tree performance.

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  • Egea, Gregorio & Nortes, Pedro A. & González-Real, María M. & Baille, Alain & Domingo, Rafael, 2010. "Agronomic response and water productivity of almond trees under contrasted deficit irrigation regimes," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 97(1), pages 171-181, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:97:y:2010:i:1:p:171-181
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Egea, Gregorio & González-Real, María M. & Baille, Alain & Nortes, Pedro A. & Sánchez-Bel, Paloma & Domingo, Rafael, 2009. "The effects of contrasted deficit irrigation strategies on the fruit growth and kernel quality of mature almond trees," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 96(11), pages 1605-1614, November.
    2. De la Hera, M.L. & Romero, P. & Gomez-Plaza, E. & Martinez, A., 2007. "Is partial root-zone drying an effective irrigation technique to improve water use efficiency and fruit quality in field-grown wine grapes under semiarid conditions?," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 87(3), pages 261-274, February.
    3. Girona, J. & Mata, M. & Marsal, J., 2005. "Regulated deficit irrigation during the kernel-filling period and optimal irrigation rates in almond," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 75(2), pages 152-167, July.
    4. Abrisqueta, J.M. & Mounzer, O. & Álvarez, S. & Conejero, W. & Garci­a-Orellana, Y. & Tapia, L.M. & Vera, J. & Abrisqueta, I. & Ruiz-Sánchez, M.C., 2008. "Root dynamics of peach trees submitted to partial rootzone drying and continuous deficit irrigation," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 95(8), pages 959-967, August.
    5. Intrigliolo, D.S. & Castel, J.R., 2009. "Response of Vitis vinifera cv. 'Tempranillo' to partial rootzone drying in the field: Water relations, growth, yield and fruit and wine quality," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 96(2), pages 282-292, February.
    6. Nortes, P.A. & Perez-Pastor, A. & Egea, G. & Conejero, W. & Domingo, R., 2005. "Comparison of changes in stem diameter and water potential values for detecting water stress in young almond trees," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 77(1-3), pages 296-307, August.
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    4. Alcon, Francisco & Tapsuwan, Sorada & Brouwer, Roy & de Miguel, María Dolores, 2014. "A choice experiment of farmer’s acceptance and adoption of irrigation water supply management policies," 2014 International Congress, August 26-29, 2014, Ljubljana, Slovenia 183089, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    5. Phogat, V. & Pitt, T. & Cox, J.W. & Šimůnek, J. & Skewes, M.A., 2018. "Soil water and salinity dynamics under sprinkler irrigated almond exposed to a varied salinity stress at different growth stages," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 201(C), pages 70-82.
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    9. Gutiérrez-Gordillo, S. & Durán-Zuazo, V.H. & García-Tejero, I., 2019. "Response of three almond cultivars subjected to different irrigation regimes in Guadalquivir river basin," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 222(C), pages 72-81.
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    11. Alcon, Francisco & Tapsuwan, Sorada & Martínez-Paz, José M. & Brouwer, Roy & de Miguel, María D., 2014. "Forecasting deficit irrigation adoption using a mixed stakeholder assessment methodology," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 183-193.
    12. Mirás-Avalos, José M. & Gonzalez-Dugo, Victoria & García-Tejero, Iván F. & López-Urrea, Ramón & Intrigliolo, Diego S. & Egea, Gregorio, 2023. "Quantitative analysis of almond yield response to irrigation regimes in Mediterranean Spain," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 279(C).
    13. José Manuel Mirás-Avalos & Pedro Marco & Sergio Sánchez & Beatriz Bielsa & María José Rubio Cabetas & Vicente González, 2022. "Soil Quality Index of Young and Differently Managed Almond Orchards under Mediterranean Conditions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-14, November.
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    15. López-López, Manuel & Espadafor, Mónica & Testi, Luca & Lorite, Ignacio Jesús & Orgaz, Francisco & Fereres, Elías, 2018. "Water use of irrigated almond trees when subjected to water deficits," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 84-93.

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