Challenges to interpreting internal and external factors limiting apple fruit growth, set and abscission

Lakso, Alan N.

doi:10.17660/actahortic.2022.1342.45

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…The ability to obtain season-long diurnal data, especially in conjunction with fruit expansion data, also opens new opportunities to use such detailed knowledge of water relations and plant responses to understand, model, and bench-mark other methods and guide irrigation. Perhaps there will be more precise times of the day to irrigate for different purposes, such as supporting or controlling vegetative growth versus fruit growth [62][63][64]. Integrals of predawn or mid-day water potentials over long periods in the season have been found to be well correlated to plant physiology [65], but these are currently labor-intensive with the pressure chamber, and necessarily limited to several days of measurement, especially in variable weather.…”

Section: Conclusion and New Opportunitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Monitoring Stem Water Potential with an Embedded Microtensiometer to Inform Irrigation Scheduling in Fruit Crops

Lakso

Santiago²,

Stroock

2022

Horticulturae

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The water status of fruit and nut crops is critical to the high productivity, quality and value of these crops. Water status is often estimated and managed with indirect measurements of soil moisture and models of evapotranspiration. However, cultivated trees and vines have characteristics and associated cultural practices that complicate such methods, particularly variable discontinuous canopies, and extensive but low-density, variable root systems with relatively high hydraulic resistance. Direct and continuous measurement of plant water status is desirable in these crops as the plant integrates its unique combination of weather, soil and cultural factors. To measure plant water potential with high temporal sampling rates, a stem-embedded microchip microtensiometer sensor has been developed and tested in several fruit crops for long-term continuous monitoring of stem water potential. Results on several fruit crops in orchards and vineyards have been good to excellent, with very good correlations to the pressure chamber standard method. The primary challenge has been establishing and maintaining the intimate contact with the xylem for long periods of time, with variable stem anatomies, stem growth and wound reactions. Sources of variability in the measurements and utilization of the continuous data stream, in relation to irrigation scheduling, are discussed. Direct continuous and long-term field measurements are possible and provide unique opportunities for both research and farming.

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