INNOVATIVE BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF WATER AND NITROGEN USE AND THE FRUIT QUALITY IN TREE CROPS

Project Information

Grant agreement ID: FAIR950030

Project closed

Start date 1 March 1996

End date 28 February 2000

Funded under

• Specific research, technological development and demonstration programme in the field of agriculture and fisheries (including agro-industry, food technologies, forestry, aquaculture and rural development), 1994-1998

Total cost

€ 727 500,00

EU contribution

€ 727 500,00

Coordinated by

UNIVERSIDAD DE CORDOBA
Spain

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Deliverables

Irrigation programs for olive, apple, peach and citrus trees

Irrigation scheduling programs based on using deficit irrigation approaches and Trunk Diameter Fluctuations (TDF) sensors using recommendations on threshold values of TDF that vary depending of evaporative demand. Regulated Deficit Irrigation (RDI) programs for olive and citrus (RDI programs allowed significant, 25-30% in olive and 8-22% in citrus, water saving without reducing yield). -Threshold values for TDF derived parameters for irrigation applications could be estimated from the results of this work to be between 200-300 microns of maximum daily shrinkage (MDS) for apple and peach trees, 250-350 microns for citrus and 400-600 microns for olives, depending on the evaporative demand. Such values may now be used for developing irrigation programs in the species studied in this project. -The deficit irrigation programs tested under this project demonstrated that it is possible to reduce irrigation applications in olive, citrus, apple, and peach trees (between 10 to 30 percent of the standard requirements under excellent management) without affecting yield and often with increases in fruit quality.

Prototype for automatic irrigation

The automata prototype developed under this project for programming irrigation using plant and soil-based sensors, proved to be reliable and practical for field operation and attracted the interest of a commercial corporation who currently markets this product. The principles for automatic irrigation using soil-based and plant-based sensors were applied to the development of a prototype for irrigation scheduling. Group 6 developed prototype named ISIS and, in conjunction with a private corporation, generated a commercial system called MicroISIS. It can use different kinds of soil-based or plant-based sensors, and different criteria that incorporate thresholds from several sensors for irrigation scheduling. The MicroISIS was tested under field conditions for two seasons performed satisfactorily.