Factors affecting establishment of sweet cherry on Gisela 6 rootstock.

摘要

Cristalina and Skeena sweet cherry cultivars on Gisela 6 (Prunus cerasus x Prunus canescens) rootstock were maintained for the first 4 growing seasons in a randomized, replicated split-split plot experimental design with 2 main plot irrigation frequency treatments, the 2 cultivars as subplots and 3 soil management subsubplot treatments. The same amount of irrigation water was applied through 4 drip emitters per tree at either high (I1, 4 times daily) or low frequency (I2, once every 2nd day), beginning in the 2nd yr. 3 different soil management treatments were established the yr of planting and included: NK fertigation with a herbicide strip (control), or additionally; maintenance of a 10 cm thick bark mulch over the herbicide strip; and annual fertigation of 20 g P per tree per yr immediately after bloom. I1 irrigation increased soil moisture (0-20 cm depth) throughout each growing season. The I1 irrigation resulted in higher leaf and fruit concn. of the immobile nutrients P and K and a larger trunk cross-sectional area than I2 trees. I1 irrigation, in general, did not affect initial yield or fruit size. Fruit from I2 irrigation had higher soluble solids concn. (SSC), colour and total phenol concn. at harvest in 2008 and lower titratable acidity (TA), firmness and stem pull force, suggesting an acceleration of fruit maturity. When compared with the control soil management treatment, P fertigation resulted in leaves and fruit with higher P concn., a higher 2008 crop yield and a delay in 2008 crop maturity as indicated by lower harvest colour and SSC and higher stem pull force. Mulch application, relative to control treatments, resulted in trees with higher vigour (but only with I1 irrigation) and leaf K concn. and had few effects on initial fruit yield or quality. There were important differences in cultivar responses to treatments. Cristalina vigour was lower than that of Skeena, whose fruit had lower firmness and pedicel retention than Cristalina.