LEAF TEMPERATURE MEASURED ON PEACH TREES GROWING IN DIFFERENT CLIMATIC AND SOIL WATER CONDITIONS

Individual leaf temperatures were measured using a Cyclops Compac 3 (Land Infrared Ltd, Sheffield, England) infrared thermometer on three peach orchards located in Italy, Spain and Portugal during 1997 and 1998. Temperature measurements were performed on 5 single leaves, well exposed to sunlight, in each of 4 stressed and 4 irrigated trees for each location.
Diurnal trends of leaf and air temperature and vapour pressure deficit are reported for 6-8 days during stress onset and recovery, both in stressed and irrigated trees.
Single leaf temperature appeared to be a good indicator of water stress but showed poor correlation with pre-dawn and midday leaf water potential.
Differences between stressed and irrigated trees ranged from 1-2°C in the morning to 5-6°C in the hottest part of the day.
These differences diminished rapidly after rewatering.
Although simple to use in the field, IR leaf temperature appeared unreliable for water management in fruit tree crops because it is strongly influenced by climatic conditions showing pronounced variations from day to day.

III International Symposium on Irrigation of Horticultural Crops

R. Massai, D. Remorini, F. Casula

Water stress, stress indicators, infrared thermometry, water relations.

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2000.537.47