preprint© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. Regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) allows us to decrease the amount of water to apply without significantly affecting yield and fruit quality. The influence of 3 irrigation treatments [T0: control (no stress); T1: moderate stress during pit hardening; and, T2: low stress at the end of flowering stage and moderate during pit hardening) on the quality of table olives, cv. '. Manzanilla', was evaluated. The parameters evaluated in table olives (after processing) were: weight, size, texture, color, fatty acids, volatile compounds and sensory quality. T1 olives had the highest weight and size, and were rounded. Color coordinates L* and b* had the highest values in T2 olives. Aldehydes and monounsaturated fatty acids predominated in T0 olive fruits, while terpenes and polyunsaturated fatty acids predominated in T1 fruits, and finally saturated fatty acids were abundant in T2 olives. Finally, the results of sensory studies indicated that global acceptance was higher for T1 olive, obtaining better satisfaction degrees for fresh olive flavor, crunchiness, and global satisfaction. Deficit irrigation is effective and can be a good alternative for this type of crop, '. Manzanilla' table olives.(Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spai

Please cite this article in press as: Galindo, A., et al., Deficit irrigation and emerging fruit crops as a strategy to save water in Mediterranean semiarid agrosystems. Agric. Water Manage. (2017) b s t r a c tWater scarcity in Mediterranean climate areas will be progressively aggravated by climate change, population increase and urban, tourism and industrial activities. To protect water resources and their integrity for future use and to improve biodiversity, besides following advanced deficit irrigation strategies in fruit cultivation, attention could well be directed towards what are at present underused plant materials able to withstand deficit irrigation with minimum impact on yield and fruit quality. To this end, the state of the art as regards deficit irrigation strategies and the response of some very interesting emerging fruit crops [jujube (Zizyphus jujuba Mill.), loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.), pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) and pomegranate (Punica granatum L.)] are reviewed. The strengths and weaknesses of deficit irrigation strategies and the mechanisms developed by these emerging fruit crops in the face of water stress are discussed. The response of these crops to deficit irrigation, with special attention paid to the effect on yield but also on fruit quality and health-related chemical compounds, was analysed in order to assess their suitability for saving water in Mediterranean semiarid agrosystems and to analyze their potential role as alternatives to currently cultivated fruit crops with higher water requirements. Finally, the factors involved in establishing an identity brand (hydroSOS) to protect fruits obtained under specific DI conditions are discussed.

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preprintThe influence of three irrigation treatments (T0, no stress; T1, soft stress; and, T2, moderate stress) on the key functional properties [fatty acids, sugar alcohols, organic acids, minerals, total polyphenols content (TPC), and antioxidant activity (AA)], sensory quality, and consumers' acceptance of table olives, cv. ‘Manzanilla’, was evaluated. RESULTS: A soft water stress, T1, led to table olives with the highest oil and dry matter contents, with the highest intensities of key sensory attributes and slightly, although not significant, higher values of consumer satisfaction degree. Besides, RDI in general (T1 and T2) slightly increased green colour, the content of linoleic acid, but decreased the content of phytic acid and some minerals. CONCLUSION: The soft RDI conditions are a good option for the cultivation of olive trees because they are environmentally friendly and simultaneously maintain or even improve the functionality, sensory quality, and consumer acceptance of table olives. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad AGL2013 - 45922 - C2 - 1 - RMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad AGL2013 - 45922 - C2 - 2 -

The influence of full irrigation, double-regulated (RDI) and sustained deficit irrigation (SDI) treatments on almond quality was assessed by analyzing different parameters: sugars, organic acids, antioxidant activity, total phenolic content (TPC), and volatile compounds. Almond quality studies for plants submitted to water stress are scarce, and it is essential to understand the biochemical responses of plants to water stress in maintaining fruit yield and quality. Citric acid, sucrose, antioxidant activity, and TPC were not affected by the application of studied deficit irrigation strategies (DI). An increase in malic acid and a decrease in glucose was observed for stressed samples (T3 and T4), while a higher number of total volatiles compounds was found for moderate RDI (T2). Using deficit irrigation strategies, the almond yield and quality was not changed, and in fact, some parameters, such as glucose and key volatile compounds, slightly increased under moderate RDI. This finding might encourage farmers to implement these strategies and contribute to sustainable agriculture.

PreprintRegulated deficit irrigation (RDI) results are affected by the actual water stress level reached during the treatments. The irrigation scheduling based on water status measurements, such as trunk diameter fluctuations, can control in an accurate way the water restrictions. However, the number of works that use these indicators as isolate parameter to control the schedule is scarce in general, and very scarce in olive trees. Building on previous works, the aim of this article is to schedule an RDI strategy in olive trees based on threshold values of maximum daily shrinkage (MDS) and trunk growth rate (TGR) without reference trees. The experiment was performed in a 40 years-old table olive orchard (cv Manzanillo) in Seville (Spain) for 3 years (seasons from 2011 to 2013). Three different irrigation treatments were considered in a completely randomized block design. Control trees were over-irrigated (125% crop evapotranspiration, ETc) in order to obtain fully irrigated conditions. Water stress conditions were applied during Phase II (pit hardening) in the RDI-2 treatment or during Phase II and Phase I (full bloom) in RDI-12. In both RDIs, a treatment recovery (Phase III) was performed before harvest. The trunk diameter fluctuation indicator was selected according to the phenological stage. TGR was used in conditions of full irrigation or moderate water stress level, such as Phase I and Phase III. TGR threshold values based on previous works were selected: 20 mday−1, RDI-2; 10 mday−1, RDI-12 (Phase I) and −5 mday−1, both treatments, Phase III. Only in one season RDI-2 was scheduled with TGR values (−10 mday−1) during Phase II. MDS threshold values were determined as the ratio between measured MDS and fully irrigated MDS (the so called MDS signal). The latter was estimated from a baseline. During Phase II, RDI-2 was irrigated with a threshold value of 0.9, while RDI-12 was irrigated with a threshold value of 0.75. MDS signal was not useful for most of the period considered and it did not agree well with fruit drop or fruit size. Conversely, the average of TGR during Phase II was significantly linked to fruit drop and fruit size, and so were the midday stem water potential and stress integral. Recommendations about the management of TGR are discussed. The water stress level in the experiments was moderate and no significant differences in yield were found. However, the trend of yield reduction in RDI-12 was likely related with a fruit drop and a reduction in crown volume. The yield quality did not decrease in the RDIs treatments, on the contrary, pulp:stone ratio improved significantly in some of the seasons

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Fresh water availability is considered highly risky because it is a finite resource, and a deficiency in water leads to numerous economic and environmental issues. Agriculture is one of the main consumers of fresh water in practices such as irrigation and fertilization. In this context, the main objectives of this study were (i) to determine the descriptive sensory profiles of four almond types grown using different irrigation strategies and (ii) to study their acceptance in a cross-cultural study (Romania and Spain). Consumers’ willingness to pay for hydroSOS almonds was also evaluated. The four irrigation strategies evaluated were a control sample, two samples grown under regulated deficit irrigation strategies (RDI), and a sample grown under a sustained deficit irrigation strategy (SDI). The main conclusion was that neither descriptive nor affective sensory results showed significant differences among treatments. These findings should encourage farmers to reduce their water usage by demonstrating that sensory quality was not significantly affected by any of the studied treatments, compared to the control. Regarding willingness to pay, both Spanish and Romanian consumers were willing to pay a higher price for the hydroSOS almonds.