Articles
The timing of irrigation modifies the sensitivity to water stress of plant water indices derived from trunk diameter fluctuation in extra early nectarine trees
Article number
1150_11
Pages
75 – 82
Language
English
Abstract
The sensitivity to water stress of different plant-based water status indicators was evaluated considering the timing of irrigation during a 4-year study in an extra-early nectarine cultivar.
Two irrigation treatments were established: a control (CTL), irrigated to ensure non-limiting water conditions (120% of crop evapotranspiration) and deficit irrigation (DI) which involved 45% less water than CTL during postharvest.
The plant water status indicators studied were: midday stem water potential (Ψstem), maximum daily shrinkage (MDS) and two new indices derived from trunk diameter fluctuation or TDF (early daily shrinkage NDASH EDS and late daily shrinkage NDASH LDS). As expected, Ψstem showed the highest sensitivity at all times.
EDS and MDS also showed high sensitivity when irrigation was applied only at night.
The signal intensity (SI) of EDS was slightly greater than that of Ψstem.
EDS was more sensitive than MDS, with higher SI and similar variability.
However, MDS and EDS showed reduced sensitivity when two irrigations a day were applied.
Although Ψstem detected water deficit, this is a discontinuous measurement which cannot be automated.
Among TDF-derived indices, EDS was more sensitive than MDS and LDS.
Two irrigation treatments were established: a control (CTL), irrigated to ensure non-limiting water conditions (120% of crop evapotranspiration) and deficit irrigation (DI) which involved 45% less water than CTL during postharvest.
The plant water status indicators studied were: midday stem water potential (Ψstem), maximum daily shrinkage (MDS) and two new indices derived from trunk diameter fluctuation or TDF (early daily shrinkage NDASH EDS and late daily shrinkage NDASH LDS). As expected, Ψstem showed the highest sensitivity at all times.
EDS and MDS also showed high sensitivity when irrigation was applied only at night.
The signal intensity (SI) of EDS was slightly greater than that of Ψstem.
EDS was more sensitive than MDS, with higher SI and similar variability.
However, MDS and EDS showed reduced sensitivity when two irrigations a day were applied.
Although Ψstem detected water deficit, this is a discontinuous measurement which cannot be automated.
Among TDF-derived indices, EDS was more sensitive than MDS and LDS.
Authors
A. Pérez-Pastor, J.M. de la Rosa, M.R. Conesa, R. Domingo
Keywords
maximum daily trunk shrinkage, early and late daily trunk shrinkage, midday stem potential, trunk growth rate, water deficit
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