Cherry tree growth in response to varying soil apparent electrical conductivity

The apparent soil electrical conductivity (EC_a) of the top soil layer in a mature orchard of Prunus avium L. ‘Kordia’/Gi.5 was measured at field capacity during bud break in 2019. Seasonal development of shoot length and fruit diameter were recorded from 14 to 65 days after full bloom (dafb) as well as yield and internal fruit quality parameters at the time of commercial harvest (65 dafb) on trees (n=20) grown at two EC_a levels (low, high). At 23, 65, 81 dafb the leaf area per tree (n=6 per EC_a level) was measured by means of a terrestrial LiDAR (LA_LiDAR). Prior to full bloom, the length of the one-year-old shoots was reduced in low EC_a trees compared to high EC_a trees, whereas no difference in trunk cross sectional area was observed.
From 29 dafb, low EC_a trees showed decreased shoot growth rate compared to high EC_a trees, resulting in reduced shoot length at the end of the growing season.
Consequently, LA_LiDAR was continuously enhanced in high EC_a trees.
The mean yield of the trees grown at high EC_a was 6.5 kg tree^‑1, exceeding the yield of low EC_a trees of 4.0 kg tree^‑1. Despite the higher crop load of high EC_a trees, fruit diameter was decreased on low EC_a trees considering the period 45 dafb until harvest.
However, fruit soluble solids content, and hue angle of fruit from low EC_a trees was slightly enhanced compared to fruit from trees grown at high EC_a. In conclusion, soil EC_a, which is frequently used as a proxy for soil variability, can reveal differences in vegetative and reproductive growths of cherry trees for potential application in site specific orchard management.

XXXI International Horticultural Congress (IHC2022): International Symposium on Innovative Perennial Crops Management

M. Penzel, N. Tsoulias, K.K. Saha, N. Handtke, E. Gubin, M. Zude-Sasse

fruit quality, growth rate, EC_a, Prunus avium, SSC, yield

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2023.1366.34