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Almond agronomic response to long-term deficit irrigation applied since orchard establishment

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Abstract

This study assesses the long-term suitability of regulated (RDI) and sustained deficit irrigation (SDI) implemented over the first six growing seasons of an almond [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb] orchard grown in a semiarid area in SE Spain. Four irrigation treatments were assessed: (i) full irrigation (FI), irrigated to satisfy maximum crop evapotranspiration (100% ETc); (ii) RDI, as FI but receiving 40% ETc during kernel-filling; (iii) mild-to-moderate SDI (SDImm), irrigated at 75–60% ETc over the entire growing season; and (iv) moderate-to-severe SDI (SDIms), irrigated at 60–30% ETc over the whole season. Application of water stress from orchard establishment did not amplify the negative effects of deficit irrigation on almond yield. Irrigation water productivity (IWP) increased proportionally to the mean relative water shortage. SDIms increased IWP by 92.5%, reduced yield by 29% and applied 63% less irrigation water. RDI and SDImm showed similar productive performances, but RDI was more efficient than SDImm to increase fruiting density and production efficiency (PE). We conclude that SDIms appears to be a promising DI option for arid regions with severe water scarcity, whereas for less water-scarce areas RDI and SDImm behaved similarly, except for the ability of RDI to more severely restrict vegetative development while increasing PE.

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Acknowledgments

The study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology (grant numbers: AGL2002-04048-C03-02, AGL2007-66279-C03-03/AGR) and the European Commission (FP7-KBBE-2009-3-245159, SIRRIMED project). GE acknowledges the financial support received from the FPU programme of the Spanish Ministry of Education and Fundación Ramón Areces (Madrid, Spain). PAN acknowledges the financial support received from the FPU programme of the Spanish Ministry of Education and Juan de la Cierva programme (MICINN, Spain). The authors are grateful to Dr. Thomas Sizmur for correction of the English and to two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments on an earlier version of the manuscript.

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Author notes

  1. Gregorio Egea

    Present address: Área de Ingeniería Agroforestal, Universidad de Sevilla, Ctra. de Utrera, km. 1, 41013, Seville, Spain

  2. Pedro A. Nortes

    Present address: Departamento de Riego, Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura (CEBAS-CSIC), P.O. Box 164, 30100, Espinardo, Murcia, Spain

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Área de Ingeniería Agroforestal, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Paseo Alfonso XIII, 48, 30203, Cartagena, Spain

    Gregorio Egea, Pedro A. Nortes, Alain Baille & María M. González-Real

  2. Departamento de Producción Vegetal, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Paseo Alfonso XIII, 48, 30203, Cartagena, Spain

    Rafael Domingo & Alejandro Pérez-Pastor

  3. Unidad Asociada al CSIC de Horticultura Sostenible de Zonas Áridas (Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena-CEBAS), Cartagena, Spain

    Rafael Domingo & Alejandro Pérez-Pastor

Authors
  1. Gregorio Egea
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  2. Pedro A. Nortes
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  3. Rafael Domingo
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  4. Alain Baille
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  6. María M. González-Real
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Correspondence to Gregorio Egea.

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Communicated by I. Dodd.

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Egea, G., Nortes, P.A., Domingo, R. et al. Almond agronomic response to long-term deficit irrigation applied since orchard establishment. Irrig Sci 31, 445–454 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00271-012-0322-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00271-012-0322-8

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