Articles
DEFICIT IRRIGATION FOR IRON CHLOROSIS DID NOT AFFECT FRUIT PRODUCTION AND QUALITY IN PEACH
Article number
1084_58
Pages
409 – 415
Language
English
Abstract
Yellow Peach Syndrome, a micronutrient related, chlorosis problem triggered by high pH soil and water, is severe in peach orchards in western Colorado.
Studies were conducted to understand the impact of reduced water in peach production and fruit quality that might help to manage chlorosis.
Two field experiments were conducted in 2011 and 2012 in Cresthaven and Redhaven peaches, respectively at the Western Colorado Research Center, Grand Junction, CO. In 2011, a randomized block design with five different treatments, irrigation set for 12 hours (control) and 6 hours, and set on a -1,000, -1,500 and -2,000 millibar (mb) trigger, were applied and replicated 4 times.
In 2012 slightly different treatments of triggering irrigation at -1,000 mb, -1,500 mb, -2,000 mb, for a preset 12 hour period, and for 24 hours equal to a grower standard (control) were tested and replicated three times.
In both years, two trees per replication were selected for observation where the water was monitored at a weekly interval until fruit ripening.
Fruits were harvested twice during normal harvest, and total number of fruits and total fruit weight per tree were recorded.
Five random fruits in each treatment were randomly selected for fruit quality analysis.
Individual fruit weight, fruit size, brix, pH, and acid content were measured.
The fruit firmness was tested on the sun and shade sides of a single randomly selected fruit out of the five fruits selected for fruit quality.
The data were analyzed and mean comparisons done by SAS. The results indicated that there was no impact of irrigation practices tested on fruit number, total weight, size, brix, tartaric acid, and firmness in both the cultivars.
This clearly indicated that limiting water is possible without impacting fruit production and quality.
This will help growers to overcome iron chlorosis by reducing irrigation with high pH water.
Studies were conducted to understand the impact of reduced water in peach production and fruit quality that might help to manage chlorosis.
Two field experiments were conducted in 2011 and 2012 in Cresthaven and Redhaven peaches, respectively at the Western Colorado Research Center, Grand Junction, CO. In 2011, a randomized block design with five different treatments, irrigation set for 12 hours (control) and 6 hours, and set on a -1,000, -1,500 and -2,000 millibar (mb) trigger, were applied and replicated 4 times.
In 2012 slightly different treatments of triggering irrigation at -1,000 mb, -1,500 mb, -2,000 mb, for a preset 12 hour period, and for 24 hours equal to a grower standard (control) were tested and replicated three times.
In both years, two trees per replication were selected for observation where the water was monitored at a weekly interval until fruit ripening.
Fruits were harvested twice during normal harvest, and total number of fruits and total fruit weight per tree were recorded.
Five random fruits in each treatment were randomly selected for fruit quality analysis.
Individual fruit weight, fruit size, brix, pH, and acid content were measured.
The fruit firmness was tested on the sun and shade sides of a single randomly selected fruit out of the five fruits selected for fruit quality.
The data were analyzed and mean comparisons done by SAS. The results indicated that there was no impact of irrigation practices tested on fruit number, total weight, size, brix, tartaric acid, and firmness in both the cultivars.
This clearly indicated that limiting water is possible without impacting fruit production and quality.
This will help growers to overcome iron chlorosis by reducing irrigation with high pH water.
Publication
Authors
R.R. Pokharel, G.L. Reighard, D. Reich
Keywords
millibars, soil water potential, micronutrients
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