Articles
Deficit irrigation in French prunes (Prunus domestica L. ‘French’): physiological, productive, and soil microbiological comparison between super-high- and low-density orchards in Mediterranean climate conditions
Article number
1457_84
Pages
669 – 676
Language
English
Abstract
In Chile, the Rootpac 20 rootstock has recently been introduced into French prune (Prunus domestica L. ‘French’) orchards to increase plant density and facilitate mechanized harvesting and pruning.
Dwarfing rootstocks are shallow-rooted and induce changes in phytohormone concentrations related to growth and water stress tolerance.
An experiment was conducted in the O’Higgins region of Chile during two consecutive seasons to compare the effects of regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) in two adjacent French prune orchards.
The first orchard, under conventional management (DC), was grafted onto Marianna 2624, open vase-trained, with a planting density of 500 trees ha-1. The second orchard, super high density (SHD), was grafted onto Rootpac 20 and trained in a continuous hedgerow, with a planting density of 1,900 trees ha-1. Results showed a lower severity of water stress in the SHD orchard due to a greater decrease in leaf stomatal conductance of plants under RDI. The quality of fresh and dry fruit was similar in both orchards, regardless of the irrigation practice.
However, SHD fruit was firmer at different maturity levels (°Brix between 15 and 35). Plants under RDI in the SHD exhibited changes in microbiological dynamics, characterized by an increase in beneficial microorganisms.
Therefore, RDC in the SHD orchard may not only improve fruit quality but also soil microbiota.
Dwarfing rootstocks are shallow-rooted and induce changes in phytohormone concentrations related to growth and water stress tolerance.
An experiment was conducted in the O’Higgins region of Chile during two consecutive seasons to compare the effects of regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) in two adjacent French prune orchards.
The first orchard, under conventional management (DC), was grafted onto Marianna 2624, open vase-trained, with a planting density of 500 trees ha-1. The second orchard, super high density (SHD), was grafted onto Rootpac 20 and trained in a continuous hedgerow, with a planting density of 1,900 trees ha-1. Results showed a lower severity of water stress in the SHD orchard due to a greater decrease in leaf stomatal conductance of plants under RDI. The quality of fresh and dry fruit was similar in both orchards, regardless of the irrigation practice.
However, SHD fruit was firmer at different maturity levels (°Brix between 15 and 35). Plants under RDI in the SHD exhibited changes in microbiological dynamics, characterized by an increase in beneficial microorganisms.
Therefore, RDC in the SHD orchard may not only improve fruit quality but also soil microbiota.
Publication
Authors
A. Calderón-Orellana, M. Gerding, G. Huepe, G. Plaza, A. Olivos, M. Calderón-Orellana, T. Labbé
Keywords
dwarfing rootstocks, regulated deficit irrigation, super high density, Marianna 2624, Rootpac 20
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