IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/agiwat/v271y2022ics0378377422003419.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Optimal irrigation management for avocado (cv. 'Hass') trees by monitoring soil water content and plant water status

Author

Listed:
  • Beyá-Marshall, Víctor
  • Arcos, Emilia
  • Seguel, Óscar
  • Galleguillos, Mauricio
  • Kremer, Cristián

Abstract

Irrigation scheduling based on soil water content (Ɵw) sensors requires that Ɵw be maintained within a range (management lines) that is optimal for plant growth. The lower limit or “breaking point” is determined following the soil water content dynamics on the transition of a rapid rate of depletion to a slower, under similar reference evapotranspiration. Although this criterion is practical, its implementation should be validated with plant water status measurement that contemplate weather condition, such as stem water potential “non-stressed” baseline (Ψₓ as a function of vapor-pressure deficit (VPD) in Ɵw conditions that do not limit yield). A study was conducted on a mature cv. ‘Hass’ avocado orchard in Central Chile during two seasons. There were 5 irrigation treatments: T1, Control; T2 and T3 with 29% less and 25% more of what was applied in T1, respectively; T4 and T5 same as Control until first and second fruit drop abscission, respectively, and then with 29% less. T1 trees were irrigated using a continuous frequency domain reflectometry (FDR) probe to maintain the root zone between field capacity and the breaking point. There was biweekly monitoring of the Ɵw prior to irrigation, Ψₓ and VPD. The Ψₓ decline proportional to the intensity and the timing of water restriction; however, no treatment affected the crop load in either season. T2 did not show significant detrimental in fruit size, production and maturation, despite that frequently reached water content levels at the limit of the breaking point, and showed lower levels of stem water potential than Control, being the treatment with the highest water productivity. The results confirm that breaking point is an effective criterion to establish irrigation management. Additionally, when comparing the baseline for our non-stressed trees with a baseline from full irrigation treatments obtained from the literature, 30% water savings were achieved.

Suggested Citation

  • Beyá-Marshall, Víctor & Arcos, Emilia & Seguel, Óscar & Galleguillos, Mauricio & Kremer, Cristián, 2022. "Optimal irrigation management for avocado (cv. 'Hass') trees by monitoring soil water content and plant water status," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 271(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:271:y:2022:i:c:s0378377422003419
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2022.107794
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377422003419
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.agwat.2022.107794?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Thompson, R.B. & Gallardo, M. & Valdez, L.C. & Fernandez, M.D., 2007. "Determination of lower limits for irrigation management using in situ assessments of apparent crop water uptake made with volumetric soil water content sensors," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 92(1-2), pages 13-28, August.
    2. Yuhong Yang, 2005. "Can the strengths of AIC and BIC be shared? A conflict between model indentification and regression estimation," Biometrika, Biometrika Trust, vol. 92(4), pages 937-950, December.
    3. Corell, M. & Pérez-López, D. & Martín-Palomo, M.J. & Centeno, A. & Girón, I. & Galindo, A. & Moreno, M.M. & Moreno, C. & Memmi, H. & Torrecillas, A. & Moreno, F. & Moriana, A., 2016. "Comparison of the water potential baseline in different locations. Usefulness for irrigation scheduling of olive orchards," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 308-316.
    4. Silber, Avner & Israeli, Yair & Levi, Menashe & Keinan, Ami & Chudi, George & Golan, Avner & Noy, Michael & Levkovitch, Irit & Narkis, Kfir & Naor, Amos & Assouline, Shmuel, 2013. "The roles of fruit sink in the regulation of gas exchange and water uptake: A case study for avocado," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 21-28.
    5. Silber, A. & Naor, A. & Israeli, Y. & Assouline, S., 2013. "Combined effect of irrigation regime and fruit load on the patterns of trunk-diameter variation of ‘Hass’ avocado at different phenological periods," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 87-94.
    6. Ortuño, M.F. & Conejero, W. & Moreno, F. & Moriana, A. & Intrigliolo, D.S. & Biel, C. & Mellisho, C.D. & Pérez-Pastor, A. & Domingo, R. & Ruiz-Sánchez, M.C. & Casadesus, J. & Bonany, J. & Torrecillas,, 2010. "Could trunk diameter sensors be used in woody crops for irrigation scheduling? A review of current knowledge and future perspectives," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 97(1), pages 1-11, January.
    7. Abrisqueta, I. & Vera, J. & Tapia, L.M. & Abrisqueta, J.M. & Ruiz-Sánchez, M.C., 2012. "Soil water content criteria for peach trees water stress detection during the postharvest period," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 62-67.
    8. Thompson, R.B. & Gallardo, M. & Valdez, L.C. & Fernandez, M.D., 2007. "Using plant water status to define threshold values for irrigation management of vegetable crops using soil moisture sensors," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 88(1-3), pages 147-158, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Pascual-Seva, Núria & San Bautista, Alberto & López-Galarza, Salvador & Maroto, José Vicente & Pascual, Bernardo, 2018. "Influence of different drip irrigation strategies on irrigation water use efficiency on chufa (Cyperus esculentus L. var. sativus Boeck.) crop," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 208(C), pages 406-413.
    2. Blanco, Víctor & Domingo, Rafael & Pérez-Pastor, Alejandro & Blaya-Ros, Pedro José & Torres-Sánchez, Roque, 2018. "Soil and plant water indicators for deficit irrigation management of field-grown sweet cherry trees," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 208(C), pages 83-94.
    3. Abdelfatah, Ashraf & Aranda, Xavier & Savé, Robert & de Herralde, Felicidad & Biel, Carmen, 2013. "Evaluation of the response of maximum daily shrinkage in young cherry trees submitted to water stress cycles in a greenhouse," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 150-158.
    4. Nolz, R. & Cepuder, P. & Balas, J. & Loiskandl, W., 2016. "Soil water monitoring in a vineyard and assessment of unsaturated hydraulic parameters as thresholds for irrigation management," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 164(P2), pages 235-242.
    5. Belén Cárceles Rodríguez & Víctor Hugo Durán Zuazo & Dionisio Franco Tarifa & Simón Cuadros Tavira & Pedro Cermeño Sacristan & Iván Francisco García-Tejero, 2023. "Irrigation Alternatives for Avocado ( Persea americana Mill.) in the Mediterranean Subtropical Region in the Context of Climate Change: A Review," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-27, May.
    6. Vera-Repullo, J.A. & Ruiz-Peñalver, L. & Jiménez-Buendía, M. & Rosillo, J.J. & Molina-Martínez, J.M., 2015. "Software for the automatic control of irrigation using weighing-drainage lysimeters," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 4-12.
    7. Kassaye, Kassu Tadesse & Boulange, Julien & Lam, Van Thinh & Saito, Hirotaka & Watanabe, Hirozumi, 2020. "Monitoring soil water content for decision supporting in agricultural water management based on critical threshold values adopted for Andosol in the temperate monsoon climate," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 229(C).
    8. Corell, M. & Martín-Palomo, M.J. & Pérez-López, D. & Centeno, A. & Girón, I. & Moreno, F. & Torrecillas, A. & Moriana, A., 2017. "Approach for using trunk growth rate (TGR) in the irrigation scheduling of table olive orchards," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 192(C), pages 12-20.
    9. Mira-García, Ana Belén & Conejero, Wenceslao & Vera, Juan & Ruiz-Sánchez, M.Carmen, 2022. "Water status and thermal response of lime trees to irrigation and shade screen," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 272(C).
    10. Assouline, Shmuel & Hochberg, Uri & Silber, Avner, 2021. "The impact of tree phenology on the response of irrigated avocado: The hysteretic nature of the maximum trunk daily shrinkage," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).
    11. Corell, M. & Martín-Palomo, M.J. & Girón, I. & Andreu, L. & Trigo, E. & López-Moreno, Y.E. & Torrecillas, A. & Centeno, A. & Pérez-López, D. & Moriana, A., 2019. "Approach using trunk growth rate data to identify water stress conditions in olive trees," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 222(C), pages 12-20.
    12. Kaneko, Teruko & Gould, Nick & Campbell, David & Snelgar, Patrick & Clearwater, Michael J., 2022. "The effect of soil type, fruit load and shaded area on ‘Hass’ avocado (Persea americana Mill.) water use and crop coefficients," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).
    13. Incrocci, Luca & Thompson, Rodney B. & Fernandez-Fernandez, María Dolores & De Pascale, Stefania & Pardossi, Alberto & Stanghellini, Cecilia & Rouphael, Youssef & Gallardo, Marisa, 2020. "Irrigation management of European greenhouse vegetable crops," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 242(C).
    14. Blanco, Victor & Kalcsits, Lee, 2023. "Long-term validation of continuous measurements of trunk water potential and trunk diameter indicate different diurnal patterns for pear under water limitations," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
    15. Chen, Xiaoping & Qi, Zhiming & Gui, Dongwei & Sima, Matthew W. & Zeng, Fanjiang & Li, Lanhai & Li, Xiangyi & Gu, Zhe, 2020. "Evaluation of a new irrigation decision support system in improving cotton yield and water productivity in an arid climate," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).
    16. Nolz, R. & Kammerer, G. & Cepuder, P., 2013. "Calibrating soil water potential sensors integrated into a wireless monitoring network," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 12-20.
    17. Li, Doudou & Fernández, José Enrique & Li, Xin & Xi, Benye & Jia, Liming & Hernandez-Santana, Virginia, 2020. "Tree growth patterns and diagnosis of water status based on trunk diameter fluctuations in fast-growing Populus tomentosa plantations," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 241(C).
    18. Conesa, María R. & Conejero, Wenceslao & Vera, Juan & Agulló, Vicente & García-Viguera, Cristina & Ruiz-Sánchez, M. Carmen, 2021. "Irrigation management practices in nectarine fruit quality at harvest and after cold storage," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    19. De la Rosa, J.M. & Domingo, R. & Gómez-Montiel, J. & Pérez-Pastor, A., 2015. "Implementing deficit irrigation scheduling through plant water stress indicators in early nectarine trees," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 207-216.
    20. Chirwa, Themba G. & Odhiambo, Nicholas M., 2016. "What Drives Long-Run Economic Growth? Empirical Evidence from South Africa," Economia Internazionale / International Economics, Camera di Commercio Industria Artigianato Agricoltura di Genova, vol. 69(4), pages 429-456.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:271:y:2022:i:c:s0378377422003419. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/agwat .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.