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Water Status and Yield Response to Deficit Irrigation and Fertilization of Three Olive Oil Cultivars under the Semi-Arid Conditions of Tunisia

Author

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  • Mouna Aïachi Mezghani

    (Olive Tree Institute Sousse, Ibn Khaldoun Street, B.P.: 14, Sousse 4061, Tunisia)

  • Amel Mguidiche

    (Olive Tree Institute Sousse, Ibn Khaldoun Street, B.P.: 14, Sousse 4061, Tunisia)

  • Faiza Allouche Khebour

    (Higher Institute of Agronomy of Chott Mariem, Sousse 4061, Tunisia)

  • Imen Zouari

    (Olive Tree Institute Sousse, Ibn Khaldoun Street, B.P.: 14, Sousse 4061, Tunisia)

  • Faouzi Attia

    (Agro-Nutrition, Toulouse, France, 3 Avenue de l’orchidée, Parc Activestre, 31390 Carbonne, France)

  • Giuseppe Provenzano

    (Department Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze 12, Bld 4, 90128 Palermo, Italy)

Abstract

Sustainability of olive production is possible by adopting the modern techniques of irrigation and fertilization. In Tunisia, olive trees are usually cultivated in poor soils, under semi-arid conditions characterized by water scarcity. This study investigated the effects of different water supply and fertilization on leaf water status and crop yield of three different olive oil varieties cultivated in central Tunisia, during four experimental seasons (2014–2017). Three treatments were examined: trees conducted under rainfed conditions (TRF), which represented the control treatment, trees irrigated with 50% ET c (T50) and, finally, trees irrigated with 50% ET c and with additional fertilization (T50F). Leaf water content and potential, yield and water use efficiency have been monitored on three different varieties, Chetoui, Chemlali, and Koroneiki, which are quite typical in the considered region. For all the growing seasons, midday leaf water potentials were measured from April to September. Midday leaf water potentials (MLWP) were generally higher for the two irrigated treatments (T50 and T50F) than for non-irrigated trees (TRF). As the season proceeded, MLWPs tended to decrease during summer for all the treatments and varieties. The lowest values were observed for the non-irrigated trees, varying between −3.25 MPa to −4.75 MPa. Relative leaf water content followed the same trends of midday leaf water potentials. Chetoui showed the lowest yield, which did not exceed 1530 Kg/(ha year), even for irrigated and fertilized trees. On the other hand, the yields of Chemlali and Koroneiki, cumulated in the four years, reached the maximum value of about 20 tons/ha. For these two varieties, the cumulated yield obtained in the control treatment (TRF) resulted significantly lower than the corresponding of the other two treatments (T50 and T50F). The highest irrigation water use efficiency (WUE) was estimated for Chemlali (T50) and (TRF). WUE was equal to 1.22 Kg/m 3 for Koroneiki under fertigated treatment (T50F). Application of the only water supply (50% ET c ) or associated with fertilizer improved the tree water status and increased the productivity of Chemlali and Koroneiki varieties.

Suggested Citation

  • Mouna Aïachi Mezghani & Amel Mguidiche & Faiza Allouche Khebour & Imen Zouari & Faouzi Attia & Giuseppe Provenzano, 2019. "Water Status and Yield Response to Deficit Irrigation and Fertilization of Three Olive Oil Cultivars under the Semi-Arid Conditions of Tunisia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-18, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:17:p:4812-:d:263703
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Marjan Aziz & Sultan Ahmad Rizvi & Muhammad Azhar Iqbal & Sairah Syed & Muhammad Ashraf & Saira Anwer & Muhammad Usman & Nazia Tahir & Azra Khan & Sana Asghar & Jamil Akhtar, 2021. "A Sustainable Irrigation System for Small Landholdings of Rainfed Punjab, Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-15, October.
    2. Nektarios N. Kourgialas & Georgios Psarras & Giasemi Morianou & Vassilios Pisinaras & Georgios Koubouris & Nektaria Digalaki & Stella Malliaraki & Katerina Aggelaki & Georgios Motakis & George Arampat, 2022. "Good Agricultural Practices Related to Water and Soil as a Means of Adaptation of Mediterranean Olive Growing to Extreme Climate-Water Conditions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-16, October.

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