Yield and Fruit Quality of Almond, Peach and Plum Under Regulated Deficit Irrigation

Abstract

The effects of regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) on the performance of almond cv. Tuono, peach cv. JH-Hall and plum cv. Stanley were assessed on the Saiss Plain (NW, Morocco) over three consecutive growing seasons (2011-2013). Irrigation treatments consisted of a control, irrigation applied to fully satisfy crop water requirements (100% ETC), and two RDI treatments, irrigation applied to 75% ETC (RDI-75) and 50% ETC (RDI-50). These three treatments were applied during fruit-growth slowdown periods corresponding to Stages II and III in almond and Stage II in peach and plum. Yield and fruit quality traits were determined. The effect of RDI differed between species. Yield and fruit size were reduced significantly only in peach under RDI-50. Fruit quality improved in this species in the first year of the experiment, with an increase of sugar/acid ratio and polyphenol content. Plum quality also improved but the effects were significant only in the second and third years. Similar results were recorded in almond kernel, but their epidermal grooves were deeper under RDI-50, and this may have affected their commercial value. It is concluded that water can be saved during the fruit-growth slowdown period by up to 25% in peach and 50% in almond and plum with improvements in fruit quality without affecting total yield.

Japanese plums behavior under water stress: impact on yield and biochemical traits

“…Fruits from water-stressed plum trees had in general higher concentration of soluble solids and phenolic compounds than those from well-irrigated trees ( Naor et al., 2004 ). As for water stress effect on fruit acidity, it was not as significant as that reported for sugars ( Battilani, 2004 ; Naor et al., 2004 ), and only few works have reported a decreasing pattern as a response to water stress ( Maatallah et al., 2015 ; Razouk et al., 2021 ).…”

“…Similar results were reported for cv. Stanley as well as for peach and almond ( Lombardo et al., 2011 ; Razouk et al., 2021 ). In fact, it is generally agreed that fruit tree species tend to have lower AAC in their fruits under water deficit conditions, although the involved mechanisms remain unclear.…”