Abstract
A field experiment was performed from 2006 through 2008, to evaluate the effect of a postveraison regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) on the yield and quality of the seedless table grape ‘Autumn Royal’, especially on berry cracking. Three irrigation treatments were applied: a control (T1), irrigated at 100% of the net irrigation requirements (NIR), and two RDI treatments (T2 and T3) irrigated as T1 except from postveraison till harvest, when different percentages of NIR were applied, 80 and 60% NIR in T2 and T3, respectively. Irrigation timing was split from one daily application during 2006 and 2007 to two daily applications during 2008 Average yield in T1 was 46.3 and 46.1 t ha–1 in 2006 and 2007, respectively. RDI treatments presented similar yield values to T1, with a water saving in T3 of 94 and 144 mm in 2006 and 2007. However, in 2008 T3 treatment showed a yield reduction with respect to T2 of 13 t ha–1. The maximum yield was achieved in treatment T2 (52.6 t ha–1) and the minimum in treatment T3 (39.3 t ha–1) with a water difference of 54 mm. Berry cracking was greater than 10% in 2006 and 2007 without differences between treatments, while it was negligible in 2008. This result suggests that the change in irrigation timing performed in 2008 could have a beneficial effect in berry cracking since two irrigation applications were performed in that year, one at night and the other one at noon. However the results are not conclusive.
Highlights
In 2007 the vineyard surface for table grape production in Spain covered an extension of 19,445 ha, with a production of 264,407 t, whereas the vineyard surface for wine production was 1,109,195 ha with a production of 5,698,942 t of grapes (MARM, 2008)
The maximum yield was achieved in treatment T2 (52.6 t ha–1) and the minimum in treatment T3 (39.3 t ha–1) with a water difference of 54 mm
Most of the table grape production is located in Valencia, Murcia and Andalucia, with 96% of Spain’s table grape surface
Summary
In 2007 the vineyard surface for table grape production in Spain covered an extension of 19,445 ha, with a production of 264,407 t, whereas the vineyard surface for wine production was 1,109,195 ha with a production of 5,698,942 t of grapes (MARM, 2008). RDI techniques have been especially used in wine grapes, applying a reduction in irrigation in the phase of maturation in order to maintain yield and improve the quality of the grape juice (Ferreyra et al, 2004; Chalmers et al, 2004, 2008). Williams and Araujo (2002) studied the leaf water status on Chardonnay and Cabernet wine varieties under different irrigation treatments. They found good correlation between the midday leaf water potential, stem water potential and the depth of water in the soil profile. Keller et al (2008) studied the interaction of RDI and crop load in Cabernet grapevines. No interactive effects of RDI and crop load were found
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