Late Ripening Apple Production Benefits from High Shading and Water Limitation under Exclusion Netting
In highly solar irradiated areas, apple production can face challenges due to high evaporative water demands. Shading can be used to lower irrigation requirements and make apple growing more sustainable. In this trial, a white exclusion net (40% shading) integrated with rain protection was compared...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Horticulturae |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/8/10/884 |
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| author | Alexandra Boini Gianmarco Bortolotti Giulio Demetrio Perulli Melissa Venturi Alessandro Bonora Luigi Manfrini Luca Corelli-Grappadelli |
| author_facet | Alexandra Boini Gianmarco Bortolotti Giulio Demetrio Perulli Melissa Venturi Alessandro Bonora Luigi Manfrini Luca Corelli-Grappadelli |
| author_sort | Alexandra Boini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In highly solar irradiated areas, apple production can face challenges due to high evaporative water demands. Shading can be used to lower irrigation requirements and make apple growing more sustainable. In this trial, a white exclusion net (40% shading) integrated with rain protection was compared with a regular anti-hail black net (20% shading), on Rosy Glow apple. Crop physiology, yield and quality parameters were monitored during two consecutive years, under conditions of full and restricted irrigation. Since Et<sub>0</sub> under the two cover systems was different, their respective 100% irrigation replacement was different; both covers also received a restricted irrigation treatment (70% replacement of Et<sub>0</sub>). Tree physiology (midday stem water potential, leaf gas exchanges, seasonal fruit growth) was not affected, neither by less light nor by less water. Moreover, marketable yield, fruit color and soluble solid content were improved under the more shaded environment, even when the irrigation volume was limited. These results are encouraging, as an overall 50% of water was saved (ca. 190 mm tree<sup>−1</sup> per year), compared to the control irrigation treatment, under a classic anti-hail system (ca. 370 mm tree<sup>−1</sup> per year). |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:08:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3c219dea54874d04aee3f1cd7f01abc2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2311-7524 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:08:32Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Horticulturae |
| spelling | doaj.art-3c219dea54874d04aee3f1cd7f01abc22023-11-24T00:22:48ZengMDPI AGHorticulturae2311-75242022-09-0181088410.3390/horticulturae8100884Late Ripening Apple Production Benefits from High Shading and Water Limitation under Exclusion NettingAlexandra Boini0Gianmarco Bortolotti1Giulio Demetrio Perulli2Melissa Venturi3Alessandro Bonora4Luigi Manfrini5Luca Corelli-Grappadelli6Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL), University of Bologna, Viale G. Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL), University of Bologna, Viale G. Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL), University of Bologna, Viale G. Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL), University of Bologna, Viale G. Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL), University of Bologna, Viale G. Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL), University of Bologna, Viale G. Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, ItalyInterdepartmental Center for Agri-Food Industrial Research (CIRI-Agroalimentare), University of Bologna, Via Quinto Bucci 336, 47521 Cesena, ItalyIn highly solar irradiated areas, apple production can face challenges due to high evaporative water demands. Shading can be used to lower irrigation requirements and make apple growing more sustainable. In this trial, a white exclusion net (40% shading) integrated with rain protection was compared with a regular anti-hail black net (20% shading), on Rosy Glow apple. Crop physiology, yield and quality parameters were monitored during two consecutive years, under conditions of full and restricted irrigation. Since Et<sub>0</sub> under the two cover systems was different, their respective 100% irrigation replacement was different; both covers also received a restricted irrigation treatment (70% replacement of Et<sub>0</sub>). Tree physiology (midday stem water potential, leaf gas exchanges, seasonal fruit growth) was not affected, neither by less light nor by less water. Moreover, marketable yield, fruit color and soluble solid content were improved under the more shaded environment, even when the irrigation volume was limited. These results are encouraging, as an overall 50% of water was saved (ca. 190 mm tree<sup>−1</sup> per year), compared to the control irrigation treatment, under a classic anti-hail system (ca. 370 mm tree<sup>−1</sup> per year).https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/8/10/884<i>Malus domestica</i>sustainabilitylightirrigationharvest |
| spellingShingle | Alexandra Boini Gianmarco Bortolotti Giulio Demetrio Perulli Melissa Venturi Alessandro Bonora Luigi Manfrini Luca Corelli-Grappadelli Late Ripening Apple Production Benefits from High Shading and Water Limitation under Exclusion Netting Horticulturae <i>Malus domestica</i> sustainability light irrigation harvest |
| title | Late Ripening Apple Production Benefits from High Shading and Water Limitation under Exclusion Netting |
| title_full | Late Ripening Apple Production Benefits from High Shading and Water Limitation under Exclusion Netting |
| title_fullStr | Late Ripening Apple Production Benefits from High Shading and Water Limitation under Exclusion Netting |
| title_full_unstemmed | Late Ripening Apple Production Benefits from High Shading and Water Limitation under Exclusion Netting |
| title_short | Late Ripening Apple Production Benefits from High Shading and Water Limitation under Exclusion Netting |
| title_sort | late ripening apple production benefits from high shading and water limitation under exclusion netting |
| topic | <i>Malus domestica</i> sustainability light irrigation harvest |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/8/10/884 |
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