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Establishing maximum daily trunk shrinkage and midday stem water potential reference equations for irrigation scheduling of early maturing peach trees

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Abstract

Measurements of midday stem water potential (Ψstem) and maximum daily trunk shrinkage (MDS) were taken over a 4-year period in early maturing peach trees (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch cv. Flordastar) grafted on GF-677 rootstock. Plants were irrigated daily above their water requirements in order to obtain non-limiting soil water conditions. The results indicated that seasonal reference equations can be obtained for MDS and Ψstem using crop reference evapotranspiration (ETo), daily mean vapour pressure deficit (VPDm) and mean daily air temperature (Tm) in the case of MDS, and ETo and VPDm in the case of Ψstem. In this way, VPDm was seen to be the best predictor of MDS and Ψstem, without both were influenced significantly by yield or crop load variations between years. When the postharvest regression between MDS or Ψstem and the meteorological parameters mentioned were broken down into early and late postharvest periods, the correlation coefficients improved and were closely related to the presence or absence of sugar-demanding sinks, such as active root growth. A negative linear relationship between MDS and Ψstem was found, pointing to unchanging radial hydraulic conductivity in the bark tissues and suggesting that MDS depends to a great extent of the water potential.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (CICYT/FEDER AGL2007-66279-C03-02/AGR) grant to the authors. C. D. Mellisho was research fellowships from MICINN (FPI). The authors also acknowledge MICINN for the Ramón y Cajal contract of Dr. M. F. Ortuño.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dpto. Riego. Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura (CSIC), Apartado 164, 30100, Espinardo (Murcia), Spain

    W. Conejero, C. D. Mellisho, M. F. Ortuño, A. Galindo, F. Pérez-Sarmiento & A. Torrecillas

  2. Unidad Asociada al CSIC de Horticultura Sostenible en Zonas Áridas (UPCT-CEBAS), Paseo Alfonso XIII 48, 30203, Cartagena (Murcia), Spain

    A. Torrecillas

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  1. W. Conejero
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  2. C. D. Mellisho
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  3. M. F. Ortuño
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  4. A. Galindo
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  5. F. Pérez-Sarmiento
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  6. A. Torrecillas
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Correspondence to W. Conejero.

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Communicated by S. Ortega-Farias.

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Conejero, W., Mellisho, C.D., Ortuño, M.F. et al. Establishing maximum daily trunk shrinkage and midday stem water potential reference equations for irrigation scheduling of early maturing peach trees. Irrig Sci 29, 299–309 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00271-010-0238-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00271-010-0238-0

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