Abstract
This investigation was carried out through three successive seasons (2017, 2018, and 2019) on young pomegranate trees of the Wonderful cultivar to study the effect of four different irrigation treatments (100%, 75%, 50%, and 25% of crop evapotranspiration—ETc) on vegetative growth and the water–yield relationship. The study was conducted in Foggia (Apulia region, Southern Italy), an agricultural area characterized by strong wind speeds and scarce water resources. The results showed the effects of the different irrigation levels and seasons on the vegetative growth and fruit yield characteristics. The cumulative trunk diameter, the annual shoot growth, the number of fruits per tree, and the yield decreased from the full water restitution (100% ETc) to the severe water restriction (25% ETc). The weight and the size of fruits decreased significantly with the restriction of water volumes applied to the crop. A linear relationship between water consumption and yield (R = 1.00 in 2018 and 1.21 in 2019; n = 12) was found. The water use efficiency (WUE) gave no statistical differences among irrigation treatments. The yield response factors (Ky: 1.06 in 2018 and 0.99 in 2019) showed the sensitivity of pomegranates to water deficits.
Highlights
IntroductionPomegranate (Punica granatum L., Punicaceae) is fairly drought resistant, and cultivation is mainly confined to semi-arid, mild-temperate areas including most of the Mediterranean countries, which are characterized by water scarcity [1,2]
Conclusions and 25% of the ETC ) during three successive growing seasons on pomegranates to evaluate the effects on vegetative growth, yield, the water use efficiency, and the yield response and 25% of the ETC) during three successive growing seasons on pomegranates to evaluate factor
The results showed that the plants at the end of the third experimental trial reached the effects on vegetative growth, yield, the water use efficiency, and the yield response the significantly highest cumulative trunk diameter by the restitution of 100% of the ETc, factor
Summary
Pomegranate (Punica granatum L., Punicaceae) is fairly drought resistant, and cultivation is mainly confined to semi-arid, mild-temperate areas including most of the Mediterranean countries, which are characterized by water scarcity [1,2]. It is a domesticated tree with relatively short juvenility [3] whose fruits are of high nutritional and economic value [4]. In the Apulia region, over the last decade, the area of pomegranate cultivation has increased significantly, passing from 8 ha in 2009 [5] to about
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
