scholarly journals Water Deficit Timing Affects Physiological Drought Response, Fruit Size, and Bitter Pit Development for ‘Honeycrisp’ Apple

Plants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 874 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Reid ◽  
Lee Kalcsits
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Fruit Size ◽  
Field Capacity ◽  
Stem Water Potential ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Bitter Pit ◽  
Return Bloom ◽  
Stem Water ◽  
Water Limitations ◽  
Control Water

Irrigation is critical to maintain plant growth and productivity in many apple-producing regions. ‘Honeycrisp’ apple characteristically develops large fruit that are also susceptible to bitter pit. Limiting fruit size by restricting irrigation may represent an opportunity to control bitter pit in ‘Honeycrisp’. For three seasons, ‘Honeycrisp’ trees were subject to water limitations in 30-day increments and compared to a fully watered control. Water limitations were imposed from 16–45, 46–75, and 76–105 days after full bloom (DAFB). Soil moisture for the well-watered control was maintained at 80–90% of field capacity for the entire season. For two years, physiological measurements were made every 15 days from 30 to 105 DAFB. Fruit quality, bitter pit incidence, shoot length, and return bloom were also measured to assess impacts on growth and productivity. When water was limited, stomatal conductance and net gas exchange were lower compared to the well-watered control and stem water potential decreased by 30–50% throughout the growing season. Early season water limitations had a lower impact on plant response to abiotic stress compared to late-season limitations. Overall, water deficits during fruit expansion phases contributed to fewer large fruit and decreased overall bitter pit incidence with no negative effects on fruit quality.

Responses of 'Pink Lady ' apple to deficit irrigation and partial rootzone drying: physiology, growth, yield, and fruit quality

2007 ◽  
Vol 58 (11) ◽  
pp. 1068 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark G. O'Connell ◽  
Ian Goodwin
Keyword(s):  
Water Potential ◽  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Vegetative Growth ◽  
Deficit Irrigation ◽  
Fruit Size ◽  
Growth Yield ◽  
Stem Water Potential ◽  
Crop Evapotranspiration ◽  
Stem Water ◽  
Partial Rootzone Drying

Partial rootzone drying (PRD) is a new irrigation strategy whereby water is withheld from part of the rootzone while another part is well watered. A successful PRD strategy should reduce tree water use through stomatal control of transpiration and reduce vegetative growth while maintaining fruit size and yield. A field experiment examined crop water relations and production performance of PRD in a commercial apple orchard on loam soil in the Goulburn Valley, Australia. The orchard consisted of high-density (1420 trees/ha) 8-year-old ‘Pink Lady’ apple trees trained as central leader and irrigated by microjets. The effects of PRD on leaf/stem water potential, vegetative growth, yield components and fruit quality were investigated during two seasons (2001–02, Year 1 and 2002–03, Year 2). The 2-year average growing season reference crop evapotranspiration and rainfall was 954 and 168 mm, respectively. Three irrigation treatments were established: (1) deficit irrigation (DI, supplied 50% of water to a fixed side of tree); (2) PRD supplied 50% of water to alternating sides of tree; (3) and conventional irrigation (CI, supplied 100% water to both sides of tree). Irrigation inputs under the CI treatment were 334 and 529 mm for Year 1 and Year 2, respectively. In Year 1, the volume of irrigation applied to CI treatment inputs equated to the replacement of predicted crop evapotranspiration (ETc) based on a mid-season FAO-56 crop coefficient with adjustment for tree size. Vegetative growth, fruit production and water status showed both PRD and DI treatments led to a classical ‘deficit irrigation’ water stress response. Leaf water potential, leaf conductance, fruit size, shoot growth and yield were reduced on PRD and DI trees compared to the fully watered (CI) trees. In Year 2, CI inputs exceeded estimated ETc by 2-fold. Consequently, minimal or no differences between irrigation regimes were measured in stem water potential, vegetative growth, yield components and fruit quality. Fruit disorders (sunburn, russet, misshape, markings, frost damage) were not affected by irrigation regime in either season. We contend that further effort is required to determine under what circumstances or environments there is a PRD response that saves water and maintains yield and quality for apple.

scholarly journals Effects of kaolin-based particle film and fruit zone netting on Cabernet Sauvignon grapevine physiology and fruit quality

OENO One ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gustavo A. Lobos ◽  
César Acevedo-Opazo ◽  
Alejandro Guajardo-Moreno ◽  
Héctor Valdés-Gómez ◽  
James A. Taylor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Chemical Composition ◽  
Stomatal Conductance ◽  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Cabernet Sauvignon ◽  
Stem Water Potential ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Grape Berries ◽  
Hot Climate ◽  
Stem Water

<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Aims</strong>: Long exposure to high temperatures or UV-radiation may induce negative effects on vine physiology and grape composition. Here, the effects of two methods to moderate radiation and temperature in the fruit zone of a Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard were evaluated against a control.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Methods and results</strong>: The treatments assessed were: (a) periodical spraying of kaolin on leaves and bunches and (b) fruit zone netting with a Raschell’s type mesh. The kaolin-based treatment increased the reflectance of light and moderately reduced fruit temperature (~1ºC below the control), whilst the shading net caused a significant reduction in radiation and temperature in the fruit zone (~7ºC below the control). The Net treatment showed lower (more negative) stem water potential values than the control, but did not persist until the end of the trial. Also, none of the treatments led to significant changes in stomatal conductance, transpiration or CO<sub>2</sub> assimilation throughout the season. However, the incidence and severity of fruit dehydration was significantly lower in the treated plants compared to the control. Finally, no differences in fruit chemical composition were observed between the treatments and the control.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Conclusion</strong>: Under the conditions of this trial, both treatments tested were sufficient in moderating the negative effects of excess radiation or high temperature on grape berries.</p><strong>Significance and impact of the study</strong>: Kaolin-based particle spraying and fruit zone netting were proved to be feasible practical alternatives to lessen the negative effects of excess radiation or high temperature on grape berries, under hot climate.

scholarly journals Stem Water Potential and Apple Size

1995 ◽  
Vol 120 (4) ◽  
pp. 577-582 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amos Naor ◽  
Isaac Klein ◽  
Israel Doron
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Stomatal Conductance ◽  
Water Potential ◽  
Fruit Size ◽  
Plant Water ◽  
Stem Water Potential ◽  
Plant Water Stress ◽  
Stem Water ◽  
Irrigation Treatments ◽  
Highly Correlated

The sensitivity of leaf (ψleaf) and stem (ψstem) water potential and stomatal conductance (gs) to soil moisture availability in apple (Malus domestics Borkh.) trees and their correlation with yield components were studied in a field experiment. Two drip irrigation treatments, 440 mm (H) and 210 mm (L), were applied to a `Golden Delicious' apple orchard during cell enlargement stage (55-173 days after full bloom). Data collected included ψstem, y leaf, gs, and soil water potential at 25 (ψsoil-25) and 50 cm (ψsoil-50). No differences in midday ψleaf's were found between irrigation treatments. Stem water potential was higher in the H treatment than in the L treatment in diurnal measurements, and at midday throughout the season. Stomatal conductance of the H treatment was higher than the L treatment throughout the day. Stomatal conductance between 0930 and 1530 hr were highly correlated with ψstem. The H treatment increased the percentage of fruit >65 mm, and increased the proportion of earlier harvested fruit reaching marketable size compared to the L treatment. Fruit size in the first harvest and the total yield were highly correlated with ψstem. The degree of correlation between plant water stress indicators and yield component decreased in the following order: ψstem>ψsoil-25,>ψsoil-50>ψleaf. The data suggest that midday ψstem may serve as a preferable plant water stress indicator with respect to fruit size.

Water stress and reduced fruit size in micro-irrigated pear trees under deficit partial rootzone drying

2007 ◽  
Vol 58 (7) ◽  
pp. 670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark G. O'Connell ◽  
Ian Goodwin
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Water Potential ◽  
Water Relations ◽  
Fruit Size ◽  
Leaf Conductance ◽  
Stem Water Potential ◽  
Crop Water ◽  
Reproductive Growth ◽  
Stem Water ◽  
Partial Rootzone Drying

Crop water relations, vegetative and reproductive growth, and soil water status were studied during 2 seasons to determine the effectiveness of partial rootzone drying (PRD) in a mature micro-irrigated pear orchard in the Goulburn Valley, Australia. PRD treatments were 50% (PRD50) and 100% (PRD100) of predicted crop water requirement (ETc) applied on one side of the tree alternated on a 14-day cycle compared with a Control treatment, which received 100% of ETc irrigated on both sides of the tree. Irrigation was applied daily by micro-jets to replace ETc estimated using reference crop evapotranspiration (ETo) and a FAO-56 crop coefficient of 1.15 adjusted for tree size. The PRD50 regime applied 174–250 mm for the season v. 347–470 mm for both the Control and PRD100 treatments. Irrigation maintained a well watered rootzone under the emitter compared with the drying profiles of the alternated wet/dry irrigated zones of the PRD treatments. There was no significant benefit of PRD100 compared with the Control irrigation regime. Similar vegetative growth (canopy radiation interception), reproductive growth (fruit growth rate, final fruit size, yield), fruit quality (total soluble solids, flesh firmness), and crop water relations (midday leaf conductance, midday leaf and stem water potential) were measured between the Control and PRD100. Trees under the PRD50 regime showed symptoms of severe water stress, that being greater fruit drop, reduced fruit size, lower yield, reduced leaf conductance, and lower leaf and stem water potential. The 50% water saving afforded by PRD50 led to a yield penalty of 16–28% compared with the Control and PRD100. PRD50 fruit failed to meet commercial cannery requirements due to poor fruit size. We conclude from an agronomic basis that deficit PRD irrigation management is not recommended for micro-irrigated pear orchards on fine-textured soils in the Goulburn Valley, Australia.

scholarly journals Crop Load Influences Fruit Quality, Nutritional Balance, and Return Bloom in ‘Honeycrisp’ Apple

HortScience ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 236-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Serra ◽  
Rachel Leisso ◽  
Luca Giordani ◽  
Lee Kalcsits ◽  
Stefano Musacchi
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Fruit Size ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Postharvest Quality ◽  
Soluble Solid Content ◽  
Crop Load ◽  
Apple Variety ◽  
Return Bloom ◽  
The Impact

The apple variety, ‘Honeycrisp’ has been extensively planted in North America during the last two decades. However, it suffers from several agronomic problems that limit productivity and postharvest quality. To reduce losses, new information is needed to better describe the impact of crop load on productivity and postharvest fruit quality in a desert environment and the major region where ‘Honeycrisp’ expansion is occurring. Here, 7-year-old ‘Honeycrisp’ trees on the M9-Nic29 rootstock (2.5 × 0.9 m) were hand thinned to five different crop loads [from 4.7 to 16.0 fruit/cm2 of trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA)] to compare fruit quality, maturity, fruit size, elemental concentration, and return bloom. Fruit size distribution was affected by crop load. Trees with the highest crop load (16 fruit/cm2) produced smaller fruit. Index of absorbance difference (IAD) measurements (absorption difference between 670 and 720 nm), a proxy indicator of the chlorophyll content below the skin of fruit measured by a DA-meter, were made shortly after harvest (T0) and after 6 months of storage (T1). Fruit from the trees with the lowest crop load had lower IAD values indicating advanced fruit ripeness. The comparison between the IAD classes at T0 and T1 showed that fruit belonging to the lowest IAD class had significantly higher red-blushed overcolor percentage, firmness, dry matter, and soluble solid content than those in the “most unripe” class (highest IAD readings) regardless of crop load. The percentage of blushed color, firmness, titratable acidity (TA), soluble solids content, and dry matter were all higher in the lowest crop loads at both T0 and T1. Fruit calcium (Ca) concentration was lowest at the lowest crop load. The (K + Mg + N):Ca ratio decreased as crop load increased until a crop load of 11.3 fruit/cm2, which was not significantly different from higher crop loads. For return bloom, the highest number of flower clusters per tree was reported for 4.7 fruit/cm2 crop load, and generally it decreased as crop load increased. Here, we highlight the corresponding changes in fruit quality, storability, and elemental balance with tree crop load. To maintain high fruit quality and consistency in yield, careful crop load management is required to minimize bienniality and improve fruit quality and storability.

scholarly journals Effect of Abscisic Acid and Benzyladenine on Fruit Set and Fruit Quality of Apples

HortScience ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 604-609 ◽  
Author(s):  
Duane W. Greene ◽  
James R. Schupp ◽  
H. Edwin Winzeler
Keyword(s):  
Abscisic Acid ◽  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Fruit Size ◽  
Leaf Abscission ◽  
Red Color ◽  
Leaf Yellowing ◽  
Return Bloom

Experiments were conducted over a 5-year period to determine the effects of abscisic acid (ABA) and benzyladenine (BA) applied alone and in combination on fruit set, fruit quality, and return bloom of ‘McIntosh’ and ‘Fuji’ apples. ABA thinned in 3 of the 5 years used and it thinned ‘McIntosh’ when applied at bloom, petal fall, and at the 10-mm fruit size stage. On ‘Fuji’, ABA thinned over a range of concentrations from 150 to 1000 mg·L−1. It caused leaf yellowing on ‘McIntosh’ but not on ‘Fuji’. When BA was applied with ABA on ‘McIntosh’, even at a rate as high as 1000 mg·L−1, it either dramatically reduced or prevented leaf yellowing and leaf abscission. The usefulness of applying BA with ABA was inconclusive because of variability in thinning response. ABA advanced surface red color on ‘McIntosh’ and when combined with BA, it reversed the reduction in red color caused by BA.

scholarly journals Plant Growth Regulators Modify Fruit Set, Fruit Quality, and Return Bloom in Sweet Cherry

HortScience ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Irfan Ali Sabir ◽  
Xunju Liu ◽  
Songtao Jiu ◽  
Matthew Whiting ◽  
Caixi Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Plant Growth ◽  
Plant Growth Regulators ◽  
Growth Regulators ◽  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Sweet Cherry ◽  
Prunus Avium ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Foliar Application ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Return Bloom

Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) is a valuable fruit crop worldwide. Farmers’ incomes are closely related to fruit quantity and quality, yet these can be highly variable across years. As part of a broader project for optimizing fruit set and fruit quality in sweet cherries, this study was conducted to evaluate the potential of various plant growth regulators (PGRs) for improving fruit set and fruit quality. Cytokinins, gibberellins, auxin, and polyamines were used as treatments. Treatments were applied as foliar sprays at full bloom to ‘Bing’ and three low-productivity genotypes, ‘Regina’, ‘Tieton’, and ‘PC8011-3’. We assessed the fruit set, fruit quality, and return bloom from each treatment. 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (4-CPA) increased fruit set by 53% and 36% in ‘Bing’ and ‘Tieton’, respectively. The combination of gibberellin (GA)3 + GA4/7 was more effective for improving fruit set than other isomers of gibberellin alone. Cytokinin treatments had slight adverse effects or no effect on fruit set except for CPPU. In ‘PC8011-3’, both N-(2-chloro-4-pyridyl)-N'-phenylurea (CPPU) and 4-CPA enhanced fruit set by ≈81% and 100% compared with untreated control. The response of cherry trees to polyamine sprays depended on the properties of the cultivars and the treatment concentration. Foliar application of GA3, GA4/7, or N-phenyl-N'-(1, 2, 3-thiadiazol-5-yl) urea (TDZ) in ‘Bing’ trees has negative effects on return bloom, whereas GA1 can increase the yield and flower buds. These results suggest that PGRs may have varied effects on sweet cherry fruit set and that more work is needed to develop practical programs for improving yield security.

The effect of irrigation and crop load on stem water potential and apple fruit size

1997 ◽  
Vol 72 (5) ◽  
pp. 765-771 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Naor ◽  
I. Klein ◽  
I. Doron ◽  
Y. Gal ◽  
Z. Ben-David ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Potential ◽  
Fruit Size ◽  
Apple Fruit ◽  
Stem Water Potential ◽  
Crop Load ◽  
Stem Water

scholarly journals Potential of Deficit Irrigation, Irrigation Cutoffs, and Crop Thinning to Maintain Yield and Fruit Quality with Less Water in Northern Highbush Blueberry

HortScience ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 625-633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khalid F. Almutairi ◽  
David R. Bryla ◽  
Bernadine C. Strik
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Deficit Irrigation ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Stem Water Potential ◽  
Full Irrigation ◽  
Northern Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Stem Water

Drought and mandatory water restrictions are limiting the availability of irrigation water in many important blueberry growing regions, such as Oregon, Washington, and California. New strategies are needed to maintain yield and fruit quality with less water. To address the issue, three potential options for reducing water use, including deficit irrigation, irrigation cutoffs, and crop thinning, were evaluated for 2 years in a mature planting of northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. ‘Elliott’). Treatments consisted of no thinning and 50% crop removal in combination with either full irrigation at 100% of estimated crop evapotranspiration (ETc), deficit irrigation at 50% ETc (applied for the entire growing season), or full irrigation with irrigation cutoff for 4–6 weeks during early (early- to late-green fruit) or late (fruit coloring to harvest) stages of fruit development. Stem water potential was similar with full and deficit irrigation but, regardless of crop thinning, declined by 0.5–0.6 MPa when irrigation was cutoff early and by >2.0 MPa when irrigation was cutoff late. In one or both years, the fruiting season was advanced with either deficit irrigation or late cutoff, whereas cutting off irrigation early delayed the season. Yield was unaffected by deficit irrigation in plants with a full crop load but was reduced by an average of 35% when irrigation was cutoff late each year. Cutting off irrigation early likewise reduced yield, but only in the 2nd year when the plants were not thinned; however, early cutoff also reduced fruit soluble solids and berry weight by 7% to 24% compared with full irrigation. Cutting off irrigation late produced the smallest and firmest fruit with the highest soluble solids and total acidity among the treatments, as well as the slowest rate of fruit loss in cold storage. Deficit irrigation had the least effect on fruit quality and, based on these results, appears to be the most viable option for maintaining yield with less water in northern highbush blueberry. Relative to full irrigation, the practice reduced water use by 2.5 ML·ha−1 per season.

scholarly journals The Effects of Combined Pre and Postharvest Deficit Irrigation on Loquat Yield, Fruit Quality and Handling Aptitude

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 201
Author(s):  
Juan J. Hueso ◽  
Francisca Alonso ◽  
María L. Cañete ◽  
Mónica González ◽  
Virginia Pinillos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Growth Phase ◽  
Deficit Irrigation ◽  
Fruit Size ◽  
Fruit Growth ◽  
Full Irrigation ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Dry Period ◽  
Water Savings ◽  
Lower Extent

Loquat prices depend on fruit size and earliness. Earliness is improved by postharvest deficit irrigation (DI), without negative effects on fruit size. An optimization of postharvest DI strategies carried out by limiting the dry period led to greater harvest date advancement, but water savings were reduced. To further improve fruit earliness and quality and increase water savings, we combined pre and postharvest DI strategies. Treatments were T1: trees not irrigated during six weeks after harvest (no preharvest DI applied); T2: trees that, in addition to postharvest DI, were not watered from the rapid fruit growth phase to harvest (nine extra weeks of DI); T3: trees that, in addition to postharvest DI, were not watered from color break to harvest (six weeks of DI plus postharvest DI); and T4: trees that in addition to postharvest DI were not watered during rapid fruit growth, but were re-irrigated at color break (2–3 weeks of DI, depending on the season). Full-irrigated trees were grown for comparison. T1 saved 18% water with respect to full-irrigation, and advanced harvesting by 16 days. T2 saved more water, had an earlier harvest and produced a higher early yield. Shorter dry periods were beneficial to a lower extent. Fruit size was significantly diminished by T2, but not by T4. A major advantage of T3 and T4 was the better performance of fruit during handling and shelf life. T2 fruits were favored by panelists for their sweetness but criticized for their smaller size.

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