Articles
RADIATION USE AND IRRIGATION WATER USE EFFICIENCY IN PROCESSING TOMATO AT TWO PLANT DENSITIES UNDER DEFICIT IRRIGATION IN A MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE
Article number
922_21
Pages
169 – 175
Language
English
Abstract
Radiation use efficiency (RUE) measures the efficiency of a crop to use radiant energy.
It may be strongly affected by drought in arid and semi-arid areas.
Deficit irrigation (DI) methods may improve crop water use efficiency (WUE) while maintaining high yields under soil water restriction.
Research was carried out on processing tomato Brigade in a typically Mediterranean environment, where the influence of reduced irrigation volumes at two plant densities (P1 and P2, 2.5 and 5 plants/m2, respectively) on RUE and Irrigation Water Use Efficiency (IWUE) was assessed.
A severe stress (no irrigation) affected canopy development at both plant densities.
Under DI (50% evapotranspiration ETc restoration) the crop developed a leaf area index (LAI) similar to that under full irrigation (F, 100% ETc), at 5 plants/m2. The extinction coefficient (k value of the regression line of PAR intercepted vs.
LAI) at 2.5 plants/m2 (P1) was 35% lower (0.703) than that at 5 plants/m2 (1.087). At the low plant density, RUE was negatively affected by the increasing soil water deficit, whilst at the high plant population (P2) RUE did not differ between D and F regimes.
DI caused a minor fruit yield decrease (11 and 13%, in P1 and P2, respectively) but a great water saving (47%), as compared to conventional irrigation (F), confirming the validity of using this saving water strategy in semi-arid environments.
Unlike RUE, WUE was greatly improved with DI, mostly at 5 plants/m2 density.
In conclusion, DI at a 5 plants/m2 density may be beneficial for processing tomato in semi-arid environments, since the crop exhibits the same RUE as under well irrigated conditions, IWUE was improved, yield decrease was negligible and a water saving >40% was achieved.
It may be strongly affected by drought in arid and semi-arid areas.
Deficit irrigation (DI) methods may improve crop water use efficiency (WUE) while maintaining high yields under soil water restriction.
Research was carried out on processing tomato Brigade in a typically Mediterranean environment, where the influence of reduced irrigation volumes at two plant densities (P1 and P2, 2.5 and 5 plants/m2, respectively) on RUE and Irrigation Water Use Efficiency (IWUE) was assessed.
A severe stress (no irrigation) affected canopy development at both plant densities.
Under DI (50% evapotranspiration ETc restoration) the crop developed a leaf area index (LAI) similar to that under full irrigation (F, 100% ETc), at 5 plants/m2. The extinction coefficient (k value of the regression line of PAR intercepted vs.
LAI) at 2.5 plants/m2 (P1) was 35% lower (0.703) than that at 5 plants/m2 (1.087). At the low plant density, RUE was negatively affected by the increasing soil water deficit, whilst at the high plant population (P2) RUE did not differ between D and F regimes.
DI caused a minor fruit yield decrease (11 and 13%, in P1 and P2, respectively) but a great water saving (47%), as compared to conventional irrigation (F), confirming the validity of using this saving water strategy in semi-arid environments.
Unlike RUE, WUE was greatly improved with DI, mostly at 5 plants/m2 density.
In conclusion, DI at a 5 plants/m2 density may be beneficial for processing tomato in semi-arid environments, since the crop exhibits the same RUE as under well irrigated conditions, IWUE was improved, yield decrease was negligible and a water saving >40% was achieved.
Authors
C. Patanè, S. La Rosa , S. Tringali, S. Scandurra
Keywords
Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., water deficit, leaf area index, intercepted radiation, extinction coefficient, marketable yield
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