Drought effect on water relations and fruit yield in highbush blueberries | Fonctionnement hydrique du myrtillier arbustif et élaboration du rendement
1999
Ameglio, Thierry | Perrier, C. | Le Roux, Xavier | Mingeau, M. | Laboratoire de Physique et Physiologie Intégratives de l'Arbre Fruitier et Forestier (PIAF) ; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Blaise Pascal - Clermont-Ferrand 2 (UBP) | Unité de recherche Agronomie de Clermont (URAC) ; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)
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Show more [+] Less [-]English. The objective of our studies performed on the highbush blueberry plant (Vaccinium c0rymbosum) was to analyse the effects of (i) a drought cycle on key physiological processes, and (ii) moderate or strong water deficits on yield and harvest index. Water potential, embolism, transpiration, photosynthesis and stem diameter variations were surveyed during a drought cycle and after rehydration (experiment 1). Two week-long dry periods (moderate and strong water deficits) occurring at different phenological stages (fruit growth, maturation and after picking) were analysed in relation to the fruit yield (experiment 2). Results and discussion. Blueberry is highly sensitive to a water deficit (i .e., stomata closure and clecrease of photosynthesis occurrecl rapiclly as water poten-tial clecreasecl); the rapicl clecrease of stomacal conductance efficiently restricts water loss and thus water potential decrease, which prevents embolism occurrence; blueberry exhibits a good recovery capacity after rehydration. The most critical stage was during fruit growth. A water stress occurring between late May and late June strongly affected fruit production by decreasing fruit size. Conclusion. Blueberries couid be said to react quite "robustly" to water stress. Nevertheless, to assure high yield, they should be watered regularly. Detailed physiological studlies (experiment 1) and more classical agronomies studies (experiment 2) were complementary to improve the species water relation knowledlge and help cultural practices.
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