Water relations of olive trees (cv. Morisca) and Japanese plum trees (cvs. Red Beaut and Angeleno) in Extremadura [Spain] | Relaciones hídricas del olivo (cv. Morisca) y el ciruelo japonés (cvs. Red Beaut y Angeleno) en Extremadura
2010
Martín Vertedor, A.I.
In semiarid regions such as Extremadura, the rational use of irrigation to ensure the development of a modern agriculture, respecting the environment it is important. For the development of different irrigation strategies it is important to understand water relations of crops and their response to different water availability to maximize the benefits of irrigation, avoiding the waste of water. In the last 20 years, irrigation has been introduced in traditional rainfed crop, such as olives; while new irrigated crops have been introduced in this region having a growing economic importance, as in the case of Japanese plum trees. Both have a great economic and social development in the area, due to the high crop surface, the economical profits and the high labour requirements. With the achievement of this work, the objective is to move forward in the knowledge of water relations of both species and find out solutions to characteristic agronomic behaviours of specific cultivars growth in the zone. In the case of olive, cultivar Morisca was chosen for being an important cultivar in the region about which little information is available. This cultivar has a marked alternate bearing and excessive vegetative growth, which requires severe pruning operations, increasing cultivation costs. Accurate information on the physiological response of the tree to water deficit, at different growth stages and crop load levels, is essential for designing irrigation strategies for optimizing resources and maximizing farmers' profits. For this purpose two field experiments of three years each, between 2002 and 2007 were performed. The objective was to understand the individual and interactive effect that crop load level and different water supply have on vegetative growth, water relations, water use, and olive and oil yield of olive trees. (...)
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