Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Parlier, California » San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center » Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #305052
Title: Biophysical responses of young pomegranate tree to different irrigation and nitrogen treatments

Author
item Zhang, Huihui
item Wang, Dong
item Ayars, James
item PHENE, CLAUDE - Consultant

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/28/2014
Publication Date: 11/3/2014
Citation: Zhang, H., Wang, D., Ayars, J.E., Phene, C. 2014. Biophysical responses of young pomegranate tree to different irrigation and nitrogen treatments. ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meeting, November 2-5, 2014, Long Beach, California. p. 72:7.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Due to recurrent water shortages in California, many farmers are looking for crops that have some degree of drought resistance and higher economic value. Pomegranate has been identified as a crop with drought and salinity tolerance, and nutritional benefits. There are currently approximately 6,000 ha of pomegranate under cultivation in California. However, very little is known about pomegranate tree response to water and/or nitrogen requirements, especially, during the early plant development. This study was conducted in two experimental orchard fields located at the USDA-ARS San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center and the University of California Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension (UC KARE) Center in Parlier, CA in 2012-2013. Both fields have automated weighing lysimeters to determine crop water use. The USDA-ARS orchard was planted in 2010 with four surface drip irrigation levels: 35%, 50%, 75% and 100% of crop water use determined by the weighing lysimeter. UC KARE orchard was also planted in 2010 with three nitrogen (N) rates: 50%, 100%, and 150% of the required N and two irrigation methods: surface drip irrigation (DI) and sub-surface drip irrigation (SDI) all irrigated at 100% of crop water use measured by the weighing lysimeter. Canopy ground cover (fc), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), canopy temperature, and leaf chlorophyll were measured periodically in 2012-2013. In the USDA-ARS field, the results showed that ground-based NDVI was highly correlated to fc, and fc was highly correlated to crop coefficient. Canopy temperatures were higher in irrigation treatments of 30% and 50%, compared to those in the 75% and 100% irrigation treatments. In the UC-KARE field, results showed that leaf chlorophyll meter readings responded to N treatment rates; and SDI treatments had higher canopy ground cover compared to DI treatments. In both fields, total fruit weight was highly correlated to crop canopy cover. With a potential for increased acreage of pomegranate throughout California, results from the study provide valuable information needed by both farmers and the water district managers.