Composition and quality of ‘Braeburn’ apples under reduced irrigation

• Published in: Scientia horticulturae 1996-11, Vol.67 (1), p.1-11
• Main Authors: Kilili, A.W., Behboudian, M.H., Mills, T.M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural and forest climatology and meteorology. Irrigation. Drainage; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Apple colour; Biological and medical sciences; CALIDAD; CHEMICAL COMPOSITION; COLOR; COLOUR; COMPOSICION QUIMICA; COMPOSITION CHIMIQUE; COULEUR; CROP YIELD; DEFICIT DE HUMEDAD EN EL SUELO; DEFICIT HYDRIQUE DU SOL; DROUGHT STRESS; ESTRES DE SEQUIA; FERMETE; FIRMEZA; FIRMNESS; FRUIT; FRUTO; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; IRRIGATION; Irrigation. Drainage; Malus domestica; MALUS PUMILA; PEEL; PELURE; PIEL (VEGETAL); QUALITE; QUALITY; Regulated deficit irrigation (RDI); RENDEMENT DES CULTURES; RENDIMIENTO DE CULTIVOS; RIEGO; SOIL WATER DEFICIT; STRESS DU A LA SECHERESSE; Water relations; Water stress
• ISSN: 0304-4238; 1879-1018
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-4238(96)00939-9

Four irrigation treatments were applied to ‘Braeburn’ apple ( Malus domestica Borkh.) trees to investigate the effect of withholding irrigation at different times of the season on fruit composition, quality, and yield. Treatments were: (i) fully watered control (C); (ii) early withholding (EW) of irrigation from full bloom until 104 days after full bloom (DAFB); (iii) late withholding (LW) of irrigation from 104 DAFB until harvest at 194 DAFB; (iv) droughted (D), where trees were not irrigated during the entire growing season. Withholding irrigation at any stage caused a reduction in leaf water potential. At harvest, total soluble solids, soluble sugars (fructose, sucrose and sorbitol but not glucose), flesh firmness, and red skin colour intensity were higher in D and LW than in C. Total yield per tree was similar among the treatments. Mean fruit weight at harvest and return bloom were reduced in EW and D but not in LW. Withholding irrigation late in the season can therefore be used in apple production to improve fruit quality in terms of increased total soluble solids, firmness, soluble sugars and intensified red skin colour without adverse effects on fruit size and yield.