Abstract
We investigated the effects of regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) during the pre-harvest period (kernel-filling stage) on water relations, leaf development and crop yield in mature almond (Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb cv. Cartagenera) trees during a 2-year field experiment. Trees were either irrigated at full-crop evapotranspiration (ETc=100%) (well-irrigated control treatment) or subjected to an RDI treatment that consisted of full irrigation for the full season, except from early June to early August (kernel-filling stage), when 20% ETc was applied. The severity of water stress was characterized by measurements of soil water content, predawn leaf water potential (Psipd) and relative water content (RWC). Stomatal conductance (gs), net CO2 assimilation rate (A), transpiration rate (E), leaf abscission, leaf expansion rate and crop yield were also measured. In both years, Psipd and RWC of well-irrigated trees were maintained above -1.0 MPa and 92%, respectively, whereas the corresponding values for trees in the RDI treatment were -2.37 MPa and 82%. Long-term water stress led to a progressive decline in gs, A and E, with significant reductions after 21 days in the RDI treatment. At the time of maximum stress (48 days after commencement of RDI), A, gs and E were 64, 67 and 56% lower than control values, respectively. High correlations between A, E and gs were observed. Plant water status recovered within 15 days after the resumption of irrigation and was associated with recovery of soil water content. A relatively rapid and complete recovery of A and gs was also observed, although the recovery was slower than for Psipd and RWC. Severe water stress during the kernel-filling stage resulted in premature defoliation (caused by increased leaf abscission) and a reduction in leaf growth rate, which decreased tree leaf area. Although kernel yield was correlated with leaf water potential, RDI caused a nonsignificant 7% reduction in kernel yield and had no effect on kernel size. The RDI treatment also improved water-use efficiency because about 30% less irrigation water was applied in the RDI treatment than in the control treatment. We conclude that high-cropping almonds can be successfully grown in semiarid regions in an RDI regime provided that Psipd is maintained above a threshold value of -2 MPa.
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Claims 16
Claim · model-written summary
Under RDI, predawn leaf water potential was -2.37 MPa versus above -1.0 MPa in controls.
- Taxon
- almond
Prunus dulcise0 - Material
- cv. Cartagenerae0
- Treatment
- RDI treatmente1
- Outcome
- Psipde1
- Value
- -2.37 MPae1
- Qualifier
- above -1.0 MPae1
- Comparator
- well-irrigated treese1
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“mature almond (Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb cv. Cartagenera) trees”
e1“Psipd and RWC of well-irrigated trees were maintained above -1.0 MPa and 92%, respectively, whereas the corresponding values for trees in the RDI treatment were -2.37 MPa and 82%”
Claim · model-written summary
Under RDI, relative water content was 82% versus above 92% in controls.
- Taxon
- almondPrunus dulcise0
- Treatment
- RDI treatmente1
- Outcome
- RWCe1
- Value
- 82%e1
- Qualifier
- 92%e1
- Comparator
- well-irrigated treese1
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“mature almond (Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb cv. Cartagenera) trees”
e1“Psipd and RWC of well-irrigated trees were maintained above -1.0 MPa and 92%, respectively, whereas the corresponding values for trees in the RDI treatment were -2.37 MPa and 82%”
Claim · model-written summary
Long-term RDI stress progressively reduced stomatal conductance, CO2 assimilation and transpiration, significantly after 21 days.
- Taxon
- almondPrunus dulcise0
- Treatment
- RDI treatmente1
- Outcome
- gs, A and Ee1
- Direction
- declinee1
- Qualifier
- after 21 dayse1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“mature almond”
e1“Long-term water stress led to a progressive decline in gs, A and E, with significant reductions after 21 days in the RDI treatment”
Claim · model-written summary
At maximum stress, CO2 assimilation was 64% lower than controls.
- Taxon
- almondPrunus dulcise0
- Treatment
- RDIe1
- Outcome
- Ae1
- Direction
- lowere1
- Value
- 64e1
- Comparator
- control valuese1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“mature almond”
e1“At the time of maximum stress (48 days after commencement of RDI), A, gs and E were 64, 67 and 56% lower than control values, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
At maximum stress, stomatal conductance was 67% lower than controls.
- Taxon
- almondPrunus dulcise0
- Treatment
- RDIe1
- Outcome
- gse1
- Direction
- lowere1
- Value
- 67e1
- Comparator
- control valuese1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“mature almond”
e1“At the time of maximum stress (48 days after commencement of RDI), A, gs and E were 64, 67 and 56% lower than control values, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
At maximum stress, transpiration was 56% lower than controls.
- Taxon
- almondPrunus dulcise0
- Treatment
- RDIe1
- Outcome
- Ee1
- Direction
- lowere1
- Value
- 56%e1
- Comparator
- control valuese1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“mature almond”
e1“At the time of maximum stress (48 days after commencement of RDI), A, gs and E were 64, 67 and 56% lower than control values, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
CO2 assimilation, transpiration and stomatal conductance were highly correlated.
- Taxon
- almondPrunus dulcise0
- Organ / stage
- almonde0
- Outcome
- A, E and gse1
- Qualifier
- High correlationse1
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“mature almond”
e1“High correlations between A, E and gs were observed”
Claim · model-written summary
Plant water status recovered within 15 days after irrigation resumed.
- Taxon
- almondPrunus dulcise0
- Outcome
- Plant water statuse1
- Direction
- recoverede1
- Value
- 15 dayse1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“mature almond”
e1“Plant water status recovered within 15 days after the resumption of irrigation and was associated with recovery of soil water content”
Claim · model-written summary
CO2 assimilation and stomatal conductance recovered rapidly and completely, more slowly than water status.
- Taxon
- almondPrunus dulcise0
- Outcome
- A and gse1
- Direction
- recoverye1
- Qualifier
- slowere1
- Comparator
- Psipd and RWCe1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“mature almond”
e1“A relatively rapid and complete recovery of A and gs was also observed, although the recovery was slower than for Psipd and RWC”
Claim · model-written summary
Severe kernel-filling water stress caused premature defoliation.
- Taxon
- almondPrunus dulcise0
- Organ / stage
- kernel-filling stagee1
- Treatment
- Severe water stresse1
- Outcome
- premature defoliatione1
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“mature almond”
e1“Severe water stress during the kernel-filling stage resulted in premature defoliation (caused by increased leaf abscission) and a reduction in leaf growth rate, which decreased tree leaf area”
Claim · model-written summary
Severe kernel-filling water stress reduced leaf growth rate and leaf area.
- Taxon
- almondPrunus dulcise0
- Organ / stage
- kernel-filling stagee1
- Treatment
- Severe water stresse1
- Outcome
- leaf growth ratee1
- Direction
- reductione1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“mature almond”
e1“Severe water stress during the kernel-filling stage resulted in premature defoliation (caused by increased leaf abscission) and a reduction in leaf growth rate, which decreased tree leaf area”
Claim · model-written summary
Kernel yield correlated with leaf water potential.
- Taxon
- almondPrunus dulcise0
- Organ / stage
- leafe1
- Outcome
- kernel yielde1
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“mature almond”
e1“kernel yield was correlated with leaf water potential”
Claim · model-written summary
RDI reduced kernel yield by a nonsignificant 7%.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“mature almond”
e1“RDI caused a nonsignificant 7% reduction in kernel yield”
Claim · model-written summary
RDI had no effect on kernel size.
- Taxon
- almondPrunus dulcise0
- Treatment
- RDIe1
- Outcome
- kernel sizee1
- Direction
- no effecte1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“mature almond”
e1“RDI caused a nonsignificant 7% reduction in kernel yield and had no effect on kernel size”
Claim · model-written summary
RDI improved water-use efficiency with about 30% less irrigation water.
- Taxon
- almondPrunus dulcise0
- Treatment
- RDI treatmente1
- Outcome
- water-use efficiencye1
- Direction
- improvede1
- Value
- 30%e1
- Comparator
- control treatmente1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“mature almond”
e1“The RDI treatment also improved water-use efficiency because about 30% less irrigation water was applied in the RDI treatment than in the control treatment”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend RDI for high-cropping almonds in semiarid regions if predawn water potential stays above -2 MPa.
- Taxon
- almondsPrunus dulcise1
- Outcome
- grown in semiarid regions in an RDI regimee1
- Value
- -2 MPae1
- Qualifier
- provided that Psipd is maintained above a threshold value of -2 MPae1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“high-cropping almonds can be successfully grown in semiarid regions in an RDI regime provided that Psipd is maintained above a threshold value of -2 MPa”
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