Management of Trickle Irrigated Orchards for Increased Water-Use Efficiency. Volume I. Plant Responses of Drip Irrigated Trees to Climate and Water Stress

摘要

Past irrigation research has shown that peach trees vary in their field response to water stress, and the degree of stress is a function of the plants' environment. This research examined the effect of environmental variables on leaf water potential, leaf resistance, canopy resistance and transpiration rate, and evaluated their ultimate effect on yield, water use efficiency and pruning weights for trees under four drip irrigation regimes at Stephenville, Texas. Proper irrigation increased total yields and also the number of fruit within a marketable size range, while maintaining high water use efficiency, resulting in economic benefits to the farmer.