EFFECTS OF DEFICIT IRRIGATION AND DROUGHT DURING DIFFERENT PHENOLOGICAL STAGES OF FRUIT GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN ALMOND PRODUCTION

In order to study the effects of deficit irrigation and drought during different phenological stages of fruit growth and development on almond cv. “Mamaei”, an experiment was carried out in split plot based on complete randomized block design (CRBD) with three replications in 2001 and 2002. The main plots were three different phenological stages of fruit growth i.e.
Stage I (fruit growth), Stage II (kernel growth), stage III (preharvest period). The subplots were different irrigation regimes that included T1= 100% ETc (Full irrigation), T2= 80% ETc (deficit irrigation) T3= 40% ETc (deficit irrigation) and T4= 0% ETc (drought period). The parameters fruit size (length, width and diameter), fresh and dry weight of fruit, fresh and dry weight of kernel, % fruit drop, kernel percentage and yield were measured.
The results showed that deficit irrigation and drought during stage-I decreased fruit size, fresh and dry weight of fruit.
The deficit irrigation and drought during stage-II decreased fruit fresh weight, fresh and kernel dry weight but no significant differences were observed for the measured parameters when irrigation treatments were applied at stage III. According to the results, deficit irrigation and drought decreased significantly yield, kernel dry weight and kernel percentage.
The results also indicated that drought period had much more effect on measured parameters than deficit irrigation treatments.

IV International Symposium on Pistachios and Almonds

A. Mousavi, R. Alimohamadi

almond, cv. ´Mamaei´, Prunus dulcis, kernel, yield

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2006.726.81