Pistachio (Pistachia vera L.) seedling growth response to irrigation method and volume in Iran

Abstract

In Iran, pistachio (Pistachia vera L.) orchards are mostly irrigated by surface irrigation. In this research, the border surface irrigation method was compared to five different irrigation systems. The research was carried out for four years at the Pistachio Research Center of Iran (IPRC) in Rafsanjan. A split-plot design was used with six irrigation systems with main plots; surface, drip, subsurface porous pipe, bubbler, T-Tape, and pottery cylinder, and three subplots of 10%, 20% and 30% Class A Evaporation Pan (685, 1370 and 2055 m3 ha−1 year−1). Generally, seedling performance increased with level of irrigation. The best results for seedling height, trunk diameter, leaf number and leaf area were with the pottery cylinder and drip systems and the 30% irrigation treatment; the poorest results were with the surface and T-Tape systems and the 10% irrigation treatment. The highest salinity was with the subsurface system and the 10% irrigation treatment and the T-Tape system with the 10% and 20% irrigation treatments. The lowest salinity with the lowest irrigation treatment was with the pottery cylinder and drip system with the 20% and 30% irrigation treatments. The pottery cylinder system had the highest common thin roots at 60−90 cm, and the drip system had many thin roots at 30−60 cm. Overall, the pottery cylinder and drip systems were best for pistachio seedlings.