Regulated Deficit Irrigation May Alter Apple Maturity, Quality, and Storage Life

Abstract

<jats:p>`Delicious' apple <jats:italic>(Malus domestica</jats:italic> Borkh.) trees received regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) early in the growing season to determine if fruit quality and storage life would he altered compared to well-watered trees. Soil moisture and leaf water potential were lower in RDI trees than in those that did not receive RDI most of the season. Internal ethylene concentration increased logarithmically earlier in RDI apples. At harvest, RDI fruit were smaller and had a higher soluble solids concentration (SSC) and lower titratable acidity. Starch degradation was delayed in RDI fruit, and their color was not affected. Firmness was not affected when the effect of size on firmness was removed. The SSC of RDI apples remained higher during storage, but starch content, titratable acidity, firmness, and color were similar.</jats:p>

No need for further fruit thinning in water-deprived loquat trees at preharvest

“…in water-deprived trees, although the differences in seed weight between T1 and T2 were very small (6.6 g versus 6.2 g for T1 and T2, respectively; p = 0.25). The findings that deficit irrigation did not affect loquat fruit size do not coincide with previous results on apple and pear, temperate fruit crops close to loquat in which water deficit during different stages of fruit development significantly reduced fruit size at harvest (Caspari et al, 1996;Ebel et al, 1993;Marsal et al, 2000). This discrepancy may be explained by the lack of noticeable effects of water deprivation on loquat physiology as a result of the mild weather during spring, period of the fruit growth and maturation in loquat.…”

Phenotypic diversity of Spanish apple (Malus x domestica Borkh) accessions grown at the vulnerable climatic conditions of the Ebro Valley, Spain

“…'Bellaguardia de Lardero', 'Landetxo' and 'Marinera' showed the lowest FF values, but their high TA values made them not suitable to older people, which in general prefer sweeter fruits apples. FF is also strongly influenced by fruit size (Ebel et al, 1993) with smaller fruits being generally firmer than larger fruits due to a higher cellular density in the former. Nevertheless, FF was poorly correlated with FD in this study.…”

Fruit quality and volatile fraction of ‘Pink Lady’ apple trees in response to rootstock vigor and partial rootzone drying

“…In species like apple ( Malus domestica Borkh. ), however, fruits and shoots grow concurrently3 and water deficit usually reduces fruit size and yields irrespective of timing 4–8. Further efforts toward improving irrigation efficiency of grapes ( Vitis vinifera L.) in Australia has led to the development of a novel technique—partial rootzone drying (PRD)—in which only one half of the rootzone is irrigated, while the other half is not 9.…”