Category: Water management
Irrigation of ‘Hass’ avocado: effects of constant vs. temporary water stress
The main objectives of the present study were to assess the water demand for heavy fruit load of ‘Hass’ avocado throughout the growth periods and to investigate the effects of deficit irrigation during sensitive phenological phases on yield. The experimental set-up allowed the comparison between trees responses to three irrigation strategies during the entire growth period (no water stress; excessive irrigation; constant water stress) as well as the comparison between regulated deficit irrigation
Avocado Production: Water Footprint and Socio-economic Implications
The market for avocados is among the fastest expanding markets worldwide, and consumption, particularly in North America and Europe, has increased during recent decades due largely to a combination of socio-economic and marketing factors. Avocado production, however, is associated with significant water conflicts, stresses and hot spots, as well as with other negative environmental and socio-economic impacts on local communities in the main production zones. In considering near-future climatic change
Economic analysis of irrigation and fertilization management of avocados
The effect of integrated applications of various irrigation and fertilization rates on productivity (yield and size) and returns of the 'Hass' avocado (Persea americana Mill.) have been analyzed from 1987 to 1991 in western Riverside County. Eighteen treatment combinations comprised of three irrigation levels [80%, 100%, and 120% crop water use (ETc)], three N fertilizer levels (0.16, 0.7, and 1.4 kg/tree per year), and Zn (0 and 0.2 kg/tree per year) were included in the analysis, Using a partial
Soil oxygen and water dynamics underlying hypoxic conditions in the root-zone of avocado irrigated with treated wastewater in clay soil
Alternative water sources for agriculture are in high demand in a world with diminishing fresh water (FW) availability. Treated wastewater (TWW) offers a reliable alternative, but increasing evidence is pointing to damage to TWW irrigated orchards planted in clay soils related to soil hypoxia. The mechanisms responsible for this hypoxia have not been extensively studied to date. The aim of this study was to elucidate meaningful insights into the mechanisms responsible for the hypoxia in TWW irrigated
Impact of deficit irrigation on fruit yield and lipid profile of terraced avocado orchards
Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is a subtropical tree, particularly sensitive to either an excess or a lack of water. Understanding this balance is crucial to determine the optimum water supply and enhance crop productivity. The rising shortage of water resources in semiarid producing regions and the need for irrigation optimization call for sustainable water savings. A 3-year monitoring study with avocado cv. “Hass” tested sustained-deficit irrigation strategies supplying 33, 50 or 75% of the