Effects of deficit drip irrigation at different growth stages on citrus leaf physiology, fruit growth, yield, and water productivity in South China

Seasonal droughts and extreme weather events are threatening citrus production in south China. Investigating the effect of deficit irrigation (DI) on leaf physiology, fruit growth, yield and crop water productivity (WPc) is significantly important for the sustainable development of citrus industry....

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Main Authors: Fei Chen, Ningbo Cui, Shouzheng Jiang, Wenjiang Zhang, Hongping Li, Xiaomeng Li, Min Lv, Chunwei Liu, Rangjian Qiu, Zhihui Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-02-01
Series:Agricultural Water Management
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377424005420
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author Fei Chen
Ningbo Cui
Shouzheng Jiang
Wenjiang Zhang
Hongping Li
Xiaomeng Li
Min Lv
Chunwei Liu
Rangjian Qiu
Zhihui Wang
author_facet Fei Chen
Ningbo Cui
Shouzheng Jiang
Wenjiang Zhang
Hongping Li
Xiaomeng Li
Min Lv
Chunwei Liu
Rangjian Qiu
Zhihui Wang
author_sort Fei Chen
collection DOAJ
description Seasonal droughts and extreme weather events are threatening citrus production in south China. Investigating the effect of deficit irrigation (DI) on leaf physiology, fruit growth, yield and crop water productivity (WPc) is significantly important for the sustainable development of citrus industry. In this study, a full irrigation treatment (CK) and 16 DI treatments were designed including the low (LD, 85 %CK), mild (M1D, 70 %CK), moderate (M2D, 55 %CK) and severe (SD, 40 %CK) DI treatments at bud bust to flowering stage (I), young fruit stage (II), fruit expansion stage (III) and fruit maturation stage (IV), respectively. Compared with CK, DI treatments at stage I-IV raised the hydrogen peroxide content by 14.4 %-76.6 %, except for LD treatment. Meanwhile, the activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase and the content of proline also increased by 10.5 %-47.3 %, 24.9 %-77.4 %, 20.2–49.8 % and 10.1 %-39.0 %, respectively, which allowed crop to cope with DI-induced oxidative stress. When stomatal conductance (Gs) at stage I-IV reached 0.030–0.040, 0.074–0.096, 0.204–0.219, and 0.114–0.142 mmol·m−2·s−1, respectively, leaf net photosynthesis rate (Pn) did not significantly change, but transpiration rate was limited, and hereby enhanced instantaneous water use efficiency. In addition, although DI treatments at all stages reduced Pn, they did not always have a negative impact on yield due to the obvious improvement of leaf photosynthesis and fruit growth after re-irrigation. Specifically, re-irrigation after I-M1D, II-M1D and III-LD treatments increased the fruit growth rate at stages II, III and IV, respectively, which could further maintain or even enhance the yield, and improve WPc by 5.6 %-7.0 %, 5.7 %-8.6 % and 3.4 %-4.7 %, respectively. IV-M2D treatment increased WPc by 13.7 %-14.5 %. In summary, DI treatment could regulate Gs and fruit compensatory growth after re-irrigation, respectively, so as to achieving water saving and high yield of citrus. I-M1D, II-M1D, III-LD and IV-M2D treatments was recommended as the suitable deficit drip irrigation pattern to ensure efficient citrus production.
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spelling doaj-art-86c0783056a347a79dfdd60eee87a4942025-08-20T01:48:28ZengElsevierAgricultural Water Management1873-22832025-02-0130710920610.1016/j.agwat.2024.109206Effects of deficit drip irrigation at different growth stages on citrus leaf physiology, fruit growth, yield, and water productivity in South ChinaFei Chen0Ningbo Cui1Shouzheng Jiang2Wenjiang Zhang3Hongping Li4Xiaomeng Li5Min Lv6Chunwei Liu7Rangjian Qiu8Zhihui Wang9State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering & College of Water Resource and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering & College of Water Resource and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Correspondence to: College of Water Resource and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering & College of Water Resource and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering & College of Water Resource and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering & College of Water Resource and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu, ChinaLuzhou Economic Crops Station, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering & College of Water Resource and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu, ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Agricultural Meteorology, School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044, ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Agricultural Meteorology, School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering & College of Water Resource and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Correspondence to: College of Water Resource and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.Seasonal droughts and extreme weather events are threatening citrus production in south China. Investigating the effect of deficit irrigation (DI) on leaf physiology, fruit growth, yield and crop water productivity (WPc) is significantly important for the sustainable development of citrus industry. In this study, a full irrigation treatment (CK) and 16 DI treatments were designed including the low (LD, 85 %CK), mild (M1D, 70 %CK), moderate (M2D, 55 %CK) and severe (SD, 40 %CK) DI treatments at bud bust to flowering stage (I), young fruit stage (II), fruit expansion stage (III) and fruit maturation stage (IV), respectively. Compared with CK, DI treatments at stage I-IV raised the hydrogen peroxide content by 14.4 %-76.6 %, except for LD treatment. Meanwhile, the activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase and the content of proline also increased by 10.5 %-47.3 %, 24.9 %-77.4 %, 20.2–49.8 % and 10.1 %-39.0 %, respectively, which allowed crop to cope with DI-induced oxidative stress. When stomatal conductance (Gs) at stage I-IV reached 0.030–0.040, 0.074–0.096, 0.204–0.219, and 0.114–0.142 mmol·m−2·s−1, respectively, leaf net photosynthesis rate (Pn) did not significantly change, but transpiration rate was limited, and hereby enhanced instantaneous water use efficiency. In addition, although DI treatments at all stages reduced Pn, they did not always have a negative impact on yield due to the obvious improvement of leaf photosynthesis and fruit growth after re-irrigation. Specifically, re-irrigation after I-M1D, II-M1D and III-LD treatments increased the fruit growth rate at stages II, III and IV, respectively, which could further maintain or even enhance the yield, and improve WPc by 5.6 %-7.0 %, 5.7 %-8.6 % and 3.4 %-4.7 %, respectively. IV-M2D treatment increased WPc by 13.7 %-14.5 %. In summary, DI treatment could regulate Gs and fruit compensatory growth after re-irrigation, respectively, so as to achieving water saving and high yield of citrus. I-M1D, II-M1D, III-LD and IV-M2D treatments was recommended as the suitable deficit drip irrigation pattern to ensure efficient citrus production.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377424005420Growth compensation effectAntioxidant systemDeficit drip irrigation pattern
spellingShingle Fei Chen
Ningbo Cui
Shouzheng Jiang
Wenjiang Zhang
Hongping Li
Xiaomeng Li
Min Lv
Chunwei Liu
Rangjian Qiu
Zhihui Wang
Effects of deficit drip irrigation at different growth stages on citrus leaf physiology, fruit growth, yield, and water productivity in South China
Agricultural Water Management
Growth compensation effect
Antioxidant system
Deficit drip irrigation pattern
title Effects of deficit drip irrigation at different growth stages on citrus leaf physiology, fruit growth, yield, and water productivity in South China
title_full Effects of deficit drip irrigation at different growth stages on citrus leaf physiology, fruit growth, yield, and water productivity in South China
title_fullStr Effects of deficit drip irrigation at different growth stages on citrus leaf physiology, fruit growth, yield, and water productivity in South China
title_full_unstemmed Effects of deficit drip irrigation at different growth stages on citrus leaf physiology, fruit growth, yield, and water productivity in South China
title_short Effects of deficit drip irrigation at different growth stages on citrus leaf physiology, fruit growth, yield, and water productivity in South China
title_sort effects of deficit drip irrigation at different growth stages on citrus leaf physiology fruit growth yield and water productivity in south china
topic Growth compensation effect
Antioxidant system
Deficit drip irrigation pattern
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377424005420
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