Ibrahim Bolat

The Effect of Water Stress on Some Morphological, Physiological, and Biochemical Characteristics and Bud Success on Apple and Quince Rootstocks

The effects of different water stress (control, medium, and severe) on some morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics and bud success of M9 apple and MA quince rootstocks were determined. The results showed that water stress significantly affected most morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics as well as budding success on the both rootstocks. The increasing water stress decreased the relative shoot length, diameter, and plant total fresh and dry weights. Leaf relative water content and chlorophyll index decreased while electrolyte leakage increased with the increase of water stress in both rootstocks. An increase in water stress also resulted in reduction in budding success in Vista Bella/M9 (79.33% and 46.67%) and Santa Maria/MA (70.33% and 15.33%) combinations. However, the water stress in Santa Maria/MA was more prominent. The increase in water stress resulted in higher peroxidase activities as well as phenol contents in both rootstocks. Although catalase activity, anthocyanin, and proline contents increased with the impact of stress, this was not statistically significant. The results suggest that the impact of stress increased with the increase of water stress; therefore, growers should be careful when using M9 and MA rootstocks in both nursery and orchards where water scarcity is present.

Effects of preharvest drip-irrigation scheduling on strawberry yield, quality and growth

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch) cultivars, Oso Grande and Camarosa were grown in the field from July 1999 to May 2000 in order to investigate the effectiveness of preharvest drip-irrigation management on fruit yield, quality (i.e. soluble dry matter, fruit size), leaf macro-nutrient composition and normal growth parameters. All plots were irrigated uniformly until 2 weeks before harvest. Differential treatments were then imposed ranging from a complete cut-off of irrigation to full irrigation through the harvest period. Preharvest drip-irrigation management treatments were (i) complete irrigation cut-off, dry (D), (ii) normal irrigation based on class A pan and percentage cover (C), (iii) 75% of normal irrigation, C (IR1), (iv) 50% of normal irrigation, C (IR2), and (v) 25% of normal irrigation, C (IR3). Normal irrigation (control, C) was created by irrigating plants once every 2 days at 100% A pan (Epan) evaporation. No irrigation (D) and IR3 treatments caused reductions in most parameters measured, except water-soluble dry matter concentrations (SDM) in fruit compared with other treatments. There were no significant differences between C, IR1, and IR2 treatments in normal growth parameters or leaf nutrient composition. Fruit size and SDM were both significantly affected by late-season irrigation management; individual fruit weight was significantly reduced and SDM increased even in the IR2 and IR3 treatments compared with control values. Fruit yield was not affected significantly by reduced water application except in the D treatment. These results clearly indicate that reduced preharvest irrigation was partially detrimental; a small reduction in irrigation (IR1) had little or no effect but 50% or less of normal irrigation, while not reducing overall fruit yield, resulted in smaller fruits.

Influence of rootstocks on growth, yield, fruit quality and leaf mineral element contents of pear cv. 'Santa Maria' in semi-arid conditions.

BackgroundRootstocks play an essential role to determining orchard performance of fruit trees. Pyrus communis and Cydonia oblonga are widely used rootstocks for European pear cultivars. The lack of rootstocks adapted to different soil conditions and different grafted cultivars is widely acknowledged in pear culture. Cydonia rootstocks (clonal) and Pyrus rootstocks (seedling or clonal) have their advantages and disadvantages. In each case, site-specific environmental characteristics, specific cultivar response and production objectives must be considered before choosing the best rootstock. In this study, the influence of three Quince (BA 29, Quince A = MA, Quince C = MC) and a local European pear seedling rootstocks on the scion yield, some fruit quality characteristics and leaf macro (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) and micro element (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn and B) content of ‘Santa Maria’ pear (Pyrus communis L.) were investigated.ResultsTrees on seedling rootstock had the highest annual yield, highest cumulative yield (kg tree−1), largest trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA), lowest yield efficiency and lowest cumulative yield (ton ha−1) in the 10th year after planting. The rootstocks had no significant effect on average fruit weight and fruit volume. Significantly higher fruit firmness was obtained on BA 29 and Quince A. The effect of rootstocks on the mineral element accumulation (N, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn and B) was significant. Leaf analysis showed that rootstocks used had different mineral uptake efficiencies throughout the early season.ConclusionThe results showed that the rootstocks strongly affected fruit yield, fruit quality and leaf mineral element uptake of ‘Santa Maria’ pear cultivar. Pear seedling and BA 29 rootstock found to be more prominent in terms of several characteristics for ‘Santa Maria’ pear cultivar that is grown in highly calcareous soil in semi-arid climate conditions. We determined the highest N, P (although insignificant), K, Ca, Mg, Fe and Cu mineral element concentrations on the pear seedling and BA 29 rootstocks. According to the results, we recommend the seedling rootstock for normal density plantings (400 trees ha−1) and BA 29 rootstock for high-density plantings (800 trees ha−1) for ‘Santa Maria’ pear cultivar in semi-arid conditions.

Morphological, physiological, biochemical characteristics and bud success responses of myrobolan 29 c plum rootstock subjected to water stress

Abstract: Water stress treatments on some morphological, biomass, physiological, biochemical characteristics and budding success of apricot and plum cultivars/Myrobolan 29 C plum rootstock have been studied in a pot-experiment trial. Three different water stress levels (control-100 %, medium-75 %, and severe-50 % of the pot capacity) were applied. The results showed that measured morphological, biomass, physiological and biochemical characteristics as well as budding success of cultivars on the rootstocks were affected by water stress. Water stress, both moderate and severe, significantly decreased the relative shoot length, diameter and shoot stem cross sectional area, plant total fresh and dry weights. Increases in water stress led to increases in peroxidase activities, phenol and proline contents in plum rootstock. Increases in water stress also resulted in reduction in budding success in both Formosa (plum cv)/Myrobolan 29 C (90.00 % and 48.33 %) and San Castrese (apricot cv)/Myrobolan 29 C (87.50 % and 42.83 %).