Peach yield and fruit quality is maintained under mild deficit irrigation in semi-arid China

doi:10.1016/S2095-3119(16)61571-X

Journal of Integrative Agriculture

2017, Vol. 16

Issue (05): 1173-1183 DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(16)61571-X

Soil & Fertilization﹒Irrigation﹒Plant Nutrition﹒ Agro-Ecology & Environment

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Peach yield and fruit quality is maintained under mild deficit irrigation in semi-arid China

ZHOU Han-mi¹, ZHANG Fu-cang², Roger Kjelgren³, WU Li-feng², GONG Dao-zhi⁴, ZHAO Na¹, YIN Dong-xue¹, XIANG You-zhen², LI Zhi-jun²

¹College of Agricultural Engineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471003, P.R.China

²Key Laboratory for Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid and Semiarid Areas of Ministry of Education, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, P.R.China

³Department of Plant Soils and Climate, Utah State University, Logan 84322, USA

⁴Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, P.R.China

Abstract
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Abstract We conducted a two-year study of deficit irrigation impact on peach yield and quality in semi-arid northwest China. Over two years, four-year-old peach trees were irrigated at 100, 75, 50 and 25% of peach evapotranspiration (ET_c), here, ET_c= Coefficient (K_c)×Local reference evapotranspiration (ET_o). During the April-July fruit production season we measured root zone soil water depletion, sap flow velocity, net photosynthetic rate (P_n), transpiration rate (T_r), stomatal conductance (G_s), water use efficiency (WUE=P_n/T_r), fruit quality, and yield under a mobile rain-out shelter. Increased soil water depletion reasonably mirrored decreasing irrigation rates both years, causing progressively greater water stress. Progressive water stress lowered G_s, which in turn translated into lower T_r as measured by sap flow. However, mild deficit irrigation (75% ET_c) constricted T_r more than P_n. P_n was not different between 100 and 75% ET_c treatments in both years, and it decreased only 5–8% in June with higher temperature than that in May with cooler temperature. Concurrently under 75% ET_c treatment, T_rwas reduced, and WUE was up to 13% higher than that under 100% ET_c treatment. While total fruit yield was not different under the two treatments, because 75% ET_c treatment had fewer but larger fruit than 100% ET_c trees, suggesting mild water stress thinned fruit load. By contrast, sharply decreased T_r and P_n of the driest treatments (50 and 25% ET_c) increased WUE, but less carbon uptake impacted total fruit yield, resulting 13 and 33% lower yield compared to that of 100% ET_c treatment. Irrigation rates affected fruit quality, particularly between the 100 and 75% ET_c trees. Fewer but larger fruit in the mildly water stressed trees (75% ET_c) resulted in more soluble solids and vitamin C, firmer fruit, and improved sugar:acid ratio and fruit color compared to the 100% ET_c treatment. Overall, trees deficit irrigated at 75% ET_c maintained yield while improving fruit quality and using less water.

Keywords: peach deficit irrigation fruit quality yield sap flow velocity net photosynthetic rate (Pn)

Received: 29 November 2016 Accepted:

Fund:

We are grateful for the financial support from the National High-Tech R&D Program, China (863 Program, 2011AA100504), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51579211), the Key Research Project of Universities in Henan Province, China (16A416005), the 111 Project of the Chinese Education Ministry (B12007), the Initial Fund for Doctoral Reserch of Henan University of Science and Technology, China (13480016), the China Scholarship Council and USDA Agricultural Experiment Station CRIS Project (01129).

Corresponding Authors: ZHANG Fu-cang, Tel: +86-29-87091151, E-mail: zhangfc@nwsuaf.edu.cn; ZHOU Han-mi, Mobile: +86-18538477887, E-mail: zhouhm@163.com

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ZHOU Han-mi, ZHANG Fu-cang, Roger Kjelgren, WU Li-feng, GONG Dao-zhi, ZHAO Na, YIN Dong-xue, XIANG You-zhen, LI Zhi-jun. 2017. Peach yield and fruit quality is maintained under mild deficit irrigation in semi-arid China. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 16(05): 1173-1183.

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