Articles
IRRIGATION SCHEDULING FOR YOUNG ‘HAMLIN’ ORANGE TREES IN FLORIDA
Article number
537_69
Pages
581 – 586
Language
Abstract
Microsprinkler irrigation is the most commonly used method of irrigating young citrus trees in Florida.
Several methods of scheduling irrigation are currently used but no comparison has been made among these.
The objective of this study was to compare growth of ‘Hamlin’ orange trees (Citrus sinensis [L.] Osb.) on ‘Carrizo’ citrange (Poncirus trifoliata [L.] Raf. ´ C. sinensis [L.] Osb.) rootstock using different irrigation scheduling methods.
These included the calendar system (irrigating every 3 days if no rain occurred) (T1), or irrigating based on soil water deficit (SWD). These methods included irrigating at 30% SWD all year (T2), irrigating at 30% SWD during the first flush and 50% thereafter (T3), or irrigating at 50% SWD all year (T4). Trunk diameter was measured monthly and time and number of growth flushes were monitored for 2 seasons.
The amount of water applied and number of irrigations/season were significantly higher for T1 compared with T2-T4 in descending order.
However, trunk diameter was statistically the same for all treatments and measurement dates for both seasons.
Moreover, total number of new shoots tended to be less for the calendar vs. the other treatments.
Thus, under the humid subtropical conditions of Florida, there is no advantage of irrigating on average every 3 days (calendar) vs. every 7 days (30-50 SWD) without rainfall.
Several methods of scheduling irrigation are currently used but no comparison has been made among these.
The objective of this study was to compare growth of ‘Hamlin’ orange trees (Citrus sinensis [L.] Osb.) on ‘Carrizo’ citrange (Poncirus trifoliata [L.] Raf. ´ C. sinensis [L.] Osb.) rootstock using different irrigation scheduling methods.
These included the calendar system (irrigating every 3 days if no rain occurred) (T1), or irrigating based on soil water deficit (SWD). These methods included irrigating at 30% SWD all year (T2), irrigating at 30% SWD during the first flush and 50% thereafter (T3), or irrigating at 50% SWD all year (T4). Trunk diameter was measured monthly and time and number of growth flushes were monitored for 2 seasons.
The amount of water applied and number of irrigations/season were significantly higher for T1 compared with T2-T4 in descending order.
However, trunk diameter was statistically the same for all treatments and measurement dates for both seasons.
Moreover, total number of new shoots tended to be less for the calendar vs. the other treatments.
Thus, under the humid subtropical conditions of Florida, there is no advantage of irrigating on average every 3 days (calendar) vs. every 7 days (30-50 SWD) without rainfall.
Authors
F.S. Davies, G.R. Zalman
Keywords
Citrus sinensis, water, microsprinkler, soil moisture.
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