To test the efficacy and sustainability of evaporative cooling, four blocks of a commercial Fuji Apple orchard in Medelana (Ferrara, Italy) were subjected to two irrigation regimes: drip irrigation alone (DRI) or, between July and August (the hottest period of the year), supplemented by overcanopy irrigation (OCI). Stem/leaf water potential, leaf gas exchange and leaf fluorescence measurements where performed the day before, soon after and the day after OCI, twice along the growing season. Daily fruit growth, leaf and fruit temperature and microclimatic parameters within the blocks where monitored for the entire experiment. No difference was found in leaf/stem water potentials, leaf fluorescence or leaf gas exchanges the day prior and after OCI. Photosynthesis, transpiration and stomatal conductance were improved on the OCI day. Also, fruit growth increased only on the OCI day, with higher rates all day long, but no further effects in the following days. Leaf, fruit temperature and microclimatic measurements within the blocks were only affected during OCI. Yield data show no difference between the two irrigation regimes. OCI in the environment tested affects tree performance only during application and a few hours afterwards. This management practice reduces water use efficiency resulting in more water applied per ton of fruit, likely a result related to the hot and humid climate of the Ferrara province

Luigi Manfrini, G.G. (2018). Microclimatic physiological and productive effect of the overcanopy irrigation in an apple orchard [10.6092/unibo/amsacta/5886].

Microclimatic physiological and productive effect of the overcanopy irrigation in an apple orchard

Luigi Manfrini
Primo
;
Giacomo Gatti
Secondo
;
Brunella Morandi;Luca Corelli Grappadelli;Gianmarco Bortolotti;
2018

Abstract

To test the efficacy and sustainability of evaporative cooling, four blocks of a commercial Fuji Apple orchard in Medelana (Ferrara, Italy) were subjected to two irrigation regimes: drip irrigation alone (DRI) or, between July and August (the hottest period of the year), supplemented by overcanopy irrigation (OCI). Stem/leaf water potential, leaf gas exchange and leaf fluorescence measurements where performed the day before, soon after and the day after OCI, twice along the growing season. Daily fruit growth, leaf and fruit temperature and microclimatic parameters within the blocks where monitored for the entire experiment. No difference was found in leaf/stem water potentials, leaf fluorescence or leaf gas exchanges the day prior and after OCI. Photosynthesis, transpiration and stomatal conductance were improved on the OCI day. Also, fruit growth increased only on the OCI day, with higher rates all day long, but no further effects in the following days. Leaf, fruit temperature and microclimatic measurements within the blocks were only affected during OCI. Yield data show no difference between the two irrigation regimes. OCI in the environment tested affects tree performance only during application and a few hours afterwards. This management practice reduces water use efficiency resulting in more water applied per ton of fruit, likely a result related to the hot and humid climate of the Ferrara province
2018
Atti del XXI Convegno Nazionale di Agrometeorologia
118
122
Luigi Manfrini, G.G. (2018). Microclimatic physiological and productive effect of the overcanopy irrigation in an apple orchard [10.6092/unibo/amsacta/5886].
Luigi Manfrini, Giacomo Gatti, Domenico Solimando, Tommaso Letterio, Brunella Morandi, Luca Corelli Grappadelli, Gianmarco Bortolotti, Slaven Tadic, F...espandi
File in questo prodotto:
Eventuali allegati, non sono esposti

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11585/913289
 Attenzione

Attenzione! I dati visualizzati non sono stati sottoposti a validazione da parte dell'ateneo

Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus ND
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
social impact