Articles
A moderate regulated deficit irrigation does not negatively affect flowering, fruit-set and return-bloom in a late apple cultivar
Article number
1253_9
Pages
63 – 70
Language
English
Abstract
This study aimed at investigating the effects of regulated deficit irrigation one year on return-bloom and characteristics of inflorescences and fruit-set in the following year.
In three consecutive years, 2012, 2013 and 2014, trees were subjected to two water regimes: Control (well-watered, WW), and 50% water deficit during one summer month, July (water-stressed, WS). In 2014, almost all 2013-shoots had a terminal inflorescence.
They were separated into three length classes: short, 0.5-2 cm; medium, 2-11 cm; and long, equal or longer than 11 cm.
Within each 2013-shoot size category, leaf number and leaf area of terminal inflorescences on these shoots were not affected significantly by the water regime.
In the long shoot category, WW gave higher values for the bourse-shoot number in comparison to WS. The number of flowers per terminal inflorescence did not vary between WS and WW. To conclude, our results showed that the number of nodes of a shoot in 2013, and the number of leaves, leaf area and fruit-set of the inflorescence in 2014 as well as the frequency of bourse-over-bourse between the couples of years 2012-13 and 2013-14 were not affected by moderate water stress.
Overall, a 50% water stress over one month in summer for a late season cultivar did not decrease shoot growth in the same year, likely because shoot growth was already finished by summer months.
Interestingly, it also did not affect inflorescence development, fruit-set and bourse-shoot formation in the following year.
Working on a late cultivar, i.e. ‘Joya’, with a long period of fruit growth, likely buffers the effects of summer water deficit.
Our study supported the idea that regulated deficit irrigation needs to be adapted to the conditions and the cultivar.
In three consecutive years, 2012, 2013 and 2014, trees were subjected to two water regimes: Control (well-watered, WW), and 50% water deficit during one summer month, July (water-stressed, WS). In 2014, almost all 2013-shoots had a terminal inflorescence.
They were separated into three length classes: short, 0.5-2 cm; medium, 2-11 cm; and long, equal or longer than 11 cm.
Within each 2013-shoot size category, leaf number and leaf area of terminal inflorescences on these shoots were not affected significantly by the water regime.
In the long shoot category, WW gave higher values for the bourse-shoot number in comparison to WS. The number of flowers per terminal inflorescence did not vary between WS and WW. To conclude, our results showed that the number of nodes of a shoot in 2013, and the number of leaves, leaf area and fruit-set of the inflorescence in 2014 as well as the frequency of bourse-over-bourse between the couples of years 2012-13 and 2013-14 were not affected by moderate water stress.
Overall, a 50% water stress over one month in summer for a late season cultivar did not decrease shoot growth in the same year, likely because shoot growth was already finished by summer months.
Interestingly, it also did not affect inflorescence development, fruit-set and bourse-shoot formation in the following year.
Working on a late cultivar, i.e. ‘Joya’, with a long period of fruit growth, likely buffers the effects of summer water deficit.
Our study supported the idea that regulated deficit irrigation needs to be adapted to the conditions and the cultivar.
Authors
E. Atay, X. Crété, D. Loubet, P.É. Lauri
Keywords
apple, bourse-over-bourse, Malus × domestica, sustainability, water deficit
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