Manipulation of Irrigation, Emitter Discharges, and Some Anti- Stress Substances in an Attempt to Elevate Le-Conte pear Trees Productivity

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Horticulture Research Institute, ARC

2 Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Benha University, Moshtohor, Toukh 13736, Egypt.

3 Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Benha University, Moshtohor, Toukh 13736, Egypt

Abstract

This study was carried out during two successive seasons in 2021 and 2022 on 17 year-old "Le-Conte" pear trees grafted on Pyrus communis and growing in loamy sandy soil under a drip irrigation system to investigate the effects of irrigation rate treatments (75 and 100% of crop water requirement) as well as different two emitter discharges (4 and 8 L/h) and anti- stress treatments substances (wuaxal amino and free sal ) to enhance water use efficiency. Yield (kg/tree), fruit quality (fruit physical and chemical characteristics), and water use efficiency (WUE) were assessed. Results showed that the highest yield values were recorded by applying an irrigation rate of 100% under emitter discharges of 4 L/h with the addition of wuxal or free sal alone. On the other side, increasing the irrigation rate caused an increasing of some fruit characteristics (weight, volume, length, and diameter). The same results were investigated by using emitter discharges of 8 L/h; also, applying wuxal alone was more effective in these characteristics. While both firmness and TSS increased 
by decreasing the irrigation rate to 75%. The interaction between CWR at 100% + discharges of 8 L/h + wuxal increased fruit weight, volume, length, and diameter. The interaction between CWR at 75% + discharges of 8 with (W+F) or discharges 4L/h with wuxal induced the highest TSS values. While the highest fruit firmness was recorded by the control. Concerning the water use efficiency (WUE), the results indicated that the lower irrigation rate at 75% encouraged the highest WUE values, and the addition of free sal or wuxal alone enhancement WUE values. The interaction between CWR at 75% + discharges of 4 L/h, + wuxal or free sal increased WUF during both seasons.

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