Effects of partial root-zone alternative irrigation with different water volume on growth and water use efficiency in apple trees
LIU Song-zhong
WEI Qin-ping
WANG Xiao-wei
ZHANG Qiang
LIU Jun
DING San-jie
Abstract：Potted 3-year-old Gala apple trees with divided root zones were used to investigate effects of partial root zone irrigation on growth and water use efficiency. Results indicated that time and rate of shoot second growth was regulated by irrigation rate. Only shoots of 4/4 root zone treatment showed the second growth at a irrigation rate of 500 mL,however,those could be observed from 2/4,3/4 and 4/4 root zone treatment when irrigated with 750 mL water. Shoots of all the root zone treatments of 1 000 mL irrigation rate acquired the second growth,and large quantity of irrigation rate resulted in earlier growth time and higher growth rate for the second growth of shoots. Dry mass of shoots,branches,leaves and roots enhanced with the increase of irrigation root zone,but no significant differences were observed between irrigation rate treatments of 750 mL and 1 000 mL,moreover,plant water use efficiency decreased with irrigation root zone increasing. In this study,irrigating 2/4 root zone with 750 mL water was the optimal measurement according to maintaining plant growth and increasing water use efficiency.
Keywords：AppleRoot zoneAlternative irrigationGrowthWater use efficiency
Publication Date：2010-01-01
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：5( 163-167 )