Article
Agronomy
Xuanyue Tong, Pute Wu, Xufei Liu, Lin Zhang, Wei Zhou, Zhaoguo Wang
Summary: Deficit irrigation reduces fruit yield but increases water use efficiency in fruit trees, suitable for drought-tolerant varieties in arid regions.
AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Editorial Material
Agronomy
Ray G. Anderson, Joan Girona, Riccardo Gucci
Summary: Perennial vine and tree crops are in high demand due to market demand for fruit and nut products, but their presence in water-scarce regions increases water demand and reduces flexibility to respond to drought. Poor irrigation management can negatively impact crop quality and reduce farmer profitability. This special issue of Irrigation Science presents ten studies on different approaches to optimize irrigation water use and maximize crop quality.
IRRIGATION SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Melissa Venturi, Luigi Manfrini, Giulio Demetrio Perulli, Alexandra Boini, Kushtrim Bresilla, Luca Corelli Grappadelli, Brunella Morandi
Summary: Climate change impacts plant water requirements and rootstock choice can affect tree adaptation. Irrigation levels have significant effects on fruit growth and quality in pear trees, with reduced irrigation leading to better fruit quality features.
Article
Agronomy
Sergio Espinoza-Meza, Samuel Ortega-Farias, Rafael Lopez-Olivari, Miguel Araya-Alman, Marcos Carrasco-Benavides
Summary: Irrigation management strategies based on soil-plant-climate interactions are crucial for improving water productivity and maintaining optimum yield and quality for apple trees grown under Mediterranean conditions. The experiment showed that different irrigation levels had significant effects on fruit yield, quality, and water status. Apple trees irrigated at 50% ETa produced fruits with the highest soluble solids, firmness, and water productivity, but had lower yield and fruit size due to severe water stress. Irrigation scheduling based on 100% ETa and stem water potential of approximately -1.5 MPa may be suitable for microsprinkler-irrigated apple orchards in Mediterranean climate areas.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Xuelian Jiang, Binggang Liu, Xueqiang Guan, Ziqiang Wang, Baojie Wang, Sheng Zhao, Yunpeng Song, Yueling Zhao, Junlai Bi
Summary: Deficit irrigation significantly affects grape yield and fruit quality, with fruit quality being more sensitive during the veraison stage. Linear relationships were found between relative seasonal ET deficit and a decrease in yield, berry quality parameters, and overall fruit quality index. Deficit irrigation can improve water use efficiency and net income, with optimal treatment recommended at certain growth stages for higher quality, efficiency, and income.
IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE
(2021)
Article
Horticulture
You Wu, Shicheng Yan, Junliang Fan, Fucang Zhang, Youzhen Xiang, Jing Zheng, Jinjin Guo
Summary: The research found that with increasing irrigation amount, aboveground biomass, leaf area index, plant height, and fruit yield all increased. However, the lowest levels of soluble solids, vitamin C, and soluble sugar in tomato fruits were found under the W1 irrigation regime. Deficit drip irrigation has the potential to support tomato growth, improve marketable yield and water use efficiency.
SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE
(2021)
Article
Horticulture
Mauricio da Silva Amorim, Iumi da Silva Toyosumi, Wilson do Amorim Lopes, Luciana Rodrigues Camillo, Laiane Nascimento Ferreira, Dilson Souza Rocha Junior, Walter dos Santos Soares Filho, Abelmon da Silva Gesteira, Marcio Gilberto Cardoso Costa, Mauricio Antonio Coelho Filho
Summary: The study demonstrated that in tropically grown sweet oranges, partial rootzone drying (PRD) and regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) can significantly improve water use efficiency and yield quality, positively impacting fruit quality.
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE & BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Horticulture
Angela Fernandes, Christina Chaski, Carla Pereira, Marina Kostic, Youssef Rouphael, Marina Sokovic, Lillian Barros, Spyridon A. Petropoulos
Summary: This study evaluated the effects of three biostimulant products on the nutritional value, chemical composition, and bioactive properties of greenhouse tomato fruit. The results showed that the biostimulant products had different effects depending on the level of irrigation.
Article
Plant Sciences
Lenka Plavcova, Martin Meszaros, Karel Silhan, Radek Jupa
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between vegetative and reproductive growth in fruit trees through grafting experiments. The results showed a negative correlation between fruit yield and radial growth, especially in low vigour trees. However, when trunk radial growth was expressed as basal area increment, the negative relationship disappeared. The effect of low yield was associated with increased secondary growth, not only in trunks but also in branches and roots.
Article
Agronomy
Yao Zhang, Hongguang Liu, Ping Gong, Xinlin He, Jiaxin Wang, Zonglan Wang, Jingrui Zhang
Summary: The study finds that applying irrigation at 100% of evapotranspiration through root zone infiltration significantly improves plant growth, fruit yield and quality in Korla fragrant pear orchards. Subsurface and root zone infiltration irrigation methods have higher water-use efficiency and fruit quality compared to surface drip irrigation. These methods also help in the even distribution of soil moisture and salt control.
Article
Agronomy
Yang Wu, Zhi Zhao, Feng Zhao, Xiaolei Cheng, Pingping Zhao, Songzhong Liu
Summary: The study revealed the impact of moderate water stress on fine root length density of mature pear trees, with recovery and improved fruit yield in the SRDI-1 treatment during the fruit enlargement stage. Moderate water stress applied during different stages did not significantly affect fruit yield.
Article
Plant Sciences
Kun Hao, Xiaogang Liu, Xiukang Wang, Liangjun Fei, Lihua Liu, Feilong Jie, Yilin Li, Qiliang Yang, Yunhui Shan
Summary: Reasonable water and light management technology has a positive impact on the economic benefits, coffee yield, and quality. The study found that the shade cultivation treatments had significant effects on growth, crop yield, photosynthetic characteristics, and nutritional quality. A specific management method was identified to achieve the best coffee quality in a subtropical monsoon climate region.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Pravukalyan Panigrahi
Summary: Water scarcity is a major limitation for citrus production in tropical regions. Proper irrigation scheduling using modern tools like infrared thermometry for measuring plant water stress can improve water productivity and fruit quality in citrus production. The study found that irrigation based on CWSI of 0.4 and 60% ETc resulted in significant water savings and improved fruit quality compared to full irrigation.
IRRIGATION SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Victor Blanco, Pedro J. Blaya-Ros, Roque Torres-Sanchez, Rafael Domingo
Summary: The study evaluated the combined effects of deficit irrigation and crop load level on the physiological and agronomic response of sweet cherry trees. The results showed that the irrigation strategies had a greater impact on water relations, with deficit irrigation leading to decreased gas exchange and stem water potential. Fruit quality was also influenced by both irrigation strategies and crop load management, with trees with lower crop load producing larger fruits and darker, more acidic cherries under deficit irrigation. Rainfall before harvest had different effects on mature cherries, with a higher proportion of cracked cherries in trees with higher crop load.
Article
Plant Sciences
Abd El-Aty Ibrahim, Taia Abd El Mageed, Yasmin Abohamid, Hanan Abdallah, Mohamed El-Saadony, Synan AbuQamar, Khaled El-Tarabily, Nasr Abdou
Summary: The exogenous application of osmoprotectants, such as proline, is an important method for mitigating the negative effects of abiotic stresses on plants. This study conducted field trials to investigate the effects of deficit irrigation and the exogenous application of proline on maize productivity and yield under different irrigation systems. The results showed that the drip irrigation system improved crop growth and yield while reducing water input. The application of proline significantly enhanced plant growth and yield, particularly at moderate irrigation levels.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Jesus Maria Dominguez-Nino, Jordi Oliver-Manera, Joan Girona, Jaume Casadesus
AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT
(2020)
Article
Horticulture
Maria Teresa Prats-Llinas, Hector Nieto, Theodore M. DeJong, Joan Girona, Jordi Marsal
SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jesus Maria Dominguez-Nino, Gerard Arbat, Iael Raij-Hoffman, Isaya Kisekka, Joan Girona, Jaume Casadesus
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Jesus Maria Dominguez-Nino, Jordi Oliver-Manera, Gerard Arbat, Joan Girona, Jaume Casadesus
Article
Plant Sciences
Boris Basile, Natalie Brown, Jose Miguel Valdes, Mariateresa Cardarelli, Pasquale Scognamiglio, Alessandro Mataffo, Youssef Rouphael, Paolo Bonini, Giuseppe Colla
Summary: The study investigated the impact of foliar application of a novel tropical-plant extract as a biostimulant on the yield and fruit quality of Kordia and Regina, two important commercial sweet cherry cultivars. Results showed significant increases in fruit yield in both cultivars and improvements in fruit quality attributes, suggesting the tropical-plant extract as a sustainable and effective alternative to synthetic hormones for sweet cherry cultivation.
Review
Agronomy
Carlo Andreotti, Youssef Rouphael, Giuseppe Colla, Boris Basile
Summary: This review examines the use of biostimulant substances in fruit production and summarizes the predominant mode and time of application. The study finds that biostimulants have a wide range of applications, including foliar treatments and soil application, with varying dosages and number of applications. The review also highlights the importance of further research to validate biostimulant claims and evaluate their cost-effectiveness in the fruit production sector.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Boris Basile, Alessandro Mataffo, Marcello Forlani, Giandomenico Corrado
Summary: Traditional crop varieties offer significant and unexplored diversity, making them increasingly important in sustainable agriculture, conservation genetics, and plant science. This study focused on 44 traditional apricot landraces in Campania, Italy, and found that each variety had distinctive phenotypes, with fruit traits being the most influential for landrace classification. These findings emphasize the importance of understanding the morphological and fruit characteristics for the conservation and exploitation of local germplasm.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Raffaele Sacchi, Giandomenico Corrado, Boris Basile, Daniele Mandarello, Maria Luisa Ambrosino, Antonello Paduano, Maria Savarese, Nicola Caporaso, Maria Aponte, Alessandro Genovese
Summary: 'Oliva di Gaeta' is the most important PDO table olive in Italy, and its characteristics are influenced by variations in the duration of water fermentation and salt concentration. Different treatment conditions can change the microbial dynamics, polyphenols, volatile organic compounds, and sensory features of 'Oliva di Gaeta'. A longer initial water fermentation leads to lower pH values and a higher bacterial count, while the addition of salt affects the volatile profiles of the olives. Salt concentration and the duration of the first-stage water fermentation do not significantly impact the content of the bitter tastant oleuropein or the count of microorganisms at the end of fermentation. A panel test showed that salt application at 30 days resulted in a more sour and bitter taste, while lower salt concentration and late saline treatment provided a more fruity profile.
Article
Agronomy
Fadwa Benyahia, Flavio Bastos Campos, Ahmed Ben Abdelkader, Boris Basile, Massimo Tagliavini, Carlo Andreotti, Damiano Zanotelli
Summary: A study on potted grapevines subjected to drought cycles was conducted to assess their water status by integrating information from different physiological indexes. The transpiration rate of the vines was mainly influenced by environmental factors, but became affected by soil water availability under evident water stress. The results highlight the importance of specific physiological indexes for effective deficit irrigation strategies in viticulture.
Review
Microbiology
Luisa Velasquez-Camacho, Marta Otero, Boris Basile, Josep Pijuan, Giandomenico Corrado
Summary: Environmental and economic costs require a rapid transition to sustainable farming systems, which still heavily rely on chemicals for crop protection. Powdery mildew and downy mildew pose economic challenges for grape and wine production. It is crucial to accurately predict infections to minimize losses and environmental impacts and enable timely intervention.
Article
Plant Sciences
Eliana Dell'Olmo, Massimo Zaccardelli, Vincenzo Onofaro Sanaja, Boris Basile, Loredana Sigillo
Summary: During the last three years, an Italian research project focused on the analysis, preservation, and collection of over 300 landraces from different plant species, aiming to preserve local biodiversity. The study identified common pathogens as well as novel seedborne pathogens never detected before. The characterization of these pathogens helps in diagnosing their presence in seed lots and preventing outbreaks of new diseases.
Article
Plant Sciences
Alessandro Mataffo, Pasquale Scognamiglio, Carlo Molinaro, Giandomenico Corrado, Boris Basile
Summary: The size and number of grapes and the length of the grape bunch determine the compactness of the bunch. Different canopy management strategies, such as leaf removal and shoot trimming, can affect the key factors of bunch compactness. This study shows that the position and method of leaf removal can have varying effects on fruit set, berry quantity, size, and composition, but have limited influence on bunch compactness.
Article
Horticulture
Akath Singh, Ramesh Kumar Kaul, Pratapsingh Suresh Khapte, Kuldeep Singh Jadon, Youssef Rouphael, Boris Basile, Pradeep Kumar
Summary: Nematodes are a serious problem in pomegranate-growing areas, especially in light sandy soils of arid regions. This study explores integrated approaches for nematode control, including genotype screening and the use of chemical treatments with promising results.
Article
Horticulture
Mukesh Kumar Berwal, Chet Ram, Pawan Singh Gurjar, Jagan Singh Gora, Ramesh Kumar, Ajay Kumar Verma, Dhurendra Singh, Boris Basile, Youssef Rouphael, Pradeep Kumar
Summary: Tumba, a prostrate herb, has high tolerance against abiotic stresses and its seed oil contains bioactive compounds with nutraceutical properties, making it an excellent dietary source.
Article
Horticulture
Alessandro Genovese, Boris Basile, Simona Antonella Lamorte, Maria Tiziana Lisanti, Giandomenico Corrado, Lucia Lecce, Daniela Strollo, Luigi Moio, Angelita Gambuti
Summary: The ripening stage of grapes plays a crucial role in determining the phenolic and volatile compounds in red wines, with higher maturity levels leading to increased levels of key secondary metabolites. Late-harvested grapes result in wines with higher content of certain compounds, while extending ripening to sugar concentrations beyond 22 degrees Brix improves the biochemical profile and health-related benefits of aged wine.
