Articles
LEAF WATER POTENTIAL AND CARBON DIOXIDE ASSIMILATION INFLUENCE FLOWERING INTENSITY AND YIELD OF LITCHI (LITCHI CHINENSIS SONN.)
Article number
864_21
Pages
163 – 173
Language
English
Abstract
Low yield of litchi is a major problem worldwide.
It is thought to be related to poor flowering intensity.
A dry period before flower differentiation is considered beneficial to litchi flowering.
To obtain a better understanding of the effects of soil water deficits on flowering and yield of litchi, we studied the effects of water deficits on water relation, carbon dioxide assimilation, growth and yield of field-grown 22 years litchi cv.
Bombai.
We suggested that tree water status should not fall below a leaf water potential in the morning of -1.3 Mpa.
This will be equivalent to watering every 10 to 12 days in sandy loam soil.
The period of anthesis and early fruit development (fruit fresh weight <1.0 g) appears sensitive to drought.
Water deficit decreased fresh weight of flesh (20% lower in total fresh weight per fruit) than fruit from irrigated trees.
It is thought to be related to poor flowering intensity.
A dry period before flower differentiation is considered beneficial to litchi flowering.
To obtain a better understanding of the effects of soil water deficits on flowering and yield of litchi, we studied the effects of water deficits on water relation, carbon dioxide assimilation, growth and yield of field-grown 22 years litchi cv.
Bombai.
We suggested that tree water status should not fall below a leaf water potential in the morning of -1.3 Mpa.
This will be equivalent to watering every 10 to 12 days in sandy loam soil.
The period of anthesis and early fruit development (fruit fresh weight <1.0 g) appears sensitive to drought.
Water deficit decreased fresh weight of flesh (20% lower in total fresh weight per fruit) than fruit from irrigated trees.
Authors
S. Debnath, S.K. DuttaRay, S.K. Mitra
Keywords
water relation, tree water status, carbon dioxide assimilation, stomatal conductance, leaf water potential, soil water deficit
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