Abstract
Fruit production development is resulting in large commercial orchards with improved water management standards. While the agronomic and economic benefits of regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) have long been established, the local variability in soils and climate and the irrigation system design limits its practical applications. This paper uses a case study approach (a 225 ha stone fruit orchard) to unveil limitations derived from environmental spatial variability and irrigation performance. The spatial variability of soil physical parameters and meteorology in the orchard was characterized, and its implication on crop water requirements was established. Irrigation depths applied during 2004-2009 were analysed and compared with crop water requirements under standard and RDI strategies. Plant water status was also measured during two irrigation seasons using stem water potential measurements. On-farm wind speed variability amounted to 55%, representing differences of 17% in reference evapotranspiration. During the study seasons, irrigation scheduling evolved towards deficit irrigation; however, the specific traits of RDI in stone fruits were not implemented. RDI implementation was limited by: 1) poor correspondence between environmental variability and irrigation system design; 2) insufficient information on RDI crop water requirements and its on-farm spatial variability within the farm; and 3) low control of the water distribution network.
Highlights
Fruit production development in Spain and in many other countries of the world is resulting in large orchards with high management standards
Since significant meteorological differences were only found for wind speed, the spatial variability of reference evapotranspiration within the orchard relied on the characterization of the spatial variability of wind speed
The complexities derived from the spatial variability of environmental factors and irrigation performance limited adoption of a formal Regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) strategy
Summary
Fruit production development in Spain and in many other countries of the world is resulting in large orchards with high management standards. N. Zapata et al / Span J Agric Res (2013) 11(2), 529-546 orchards (Chalmers et al, 1981; Mitchell et al, 1986). Zapata et al / Span J Agric Res (2013) 11(2), 529-546 orchards (Chalmers et al, 1981; Mitchell et al, 1986) This advanced technique is based on the fact that plant sensitivity to water stress varies between phenological stages and that water stress at specific periods of vegetative growth can help control growth and vegetative-fruit competition (Chalmers et al, 1981; Mitchell & Chalmers, 1982; Cameron et al, 2006). This advanced technique is based on the fact that plant sensitivity to water stress varies between phenological stages and that water stress at specific periods of vegetative growth can help control growth and vegetative-fruit competition (Chalmers et al, 1981; Mitchell & Chalmers, 1982; Cameron et al, 2006). Fereres & Soriano (2007) reported that RDI has enjoyed more success in tree crops and vines than in field crops
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