Alternate partial root-zone irrigation with high irrigation frequency improves root growth and reduces unproductive water loss by apple trees in arid north-west China

Abstract

Alternate partial root-zone irrigation (APRI) can improve water use efficiency in arid areas. However, the effectiveness and outcomes of different frequencies of APRI on water uptake capacity and physiological water use have not been reported. A two-year field experiment was conducted with two irrigation amounts (400 and 500 mm) and three irrigation methods (conventional irrigation, APRI with high and low frequencies). Root length density, stomatal conductance, photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, leaf water use efficiency, midday stem and leaf water potentials were measured. The results show that in comparison with conventional irrigation, APRI with high frequency significantly increased root length density and decreased water potentials and stomatal conductance. No differences in the above indicators between the two APRI frequencies were detected. A significantly positive relationship between stomatal conductance and root length density was found under APRI. Overall, alternate partial root-zone irrigation with high frequency has a great potential to promote root growth, expand water uptake capacity and reduce unproductive water loss in the arid apple production area.

Keywords

alternate partial root-zone irrigation / apple tree / leaf water use efficiency / root length density / stomatal conductance / water potential

References

[1] Liu C, Kang S, Li F, Li S, Du T. Canopy leaf area index for apple tree using hemispherical photography in arid region. Scientia Horticulturae, 2013, 164: 610–615

[2] Kang S, Hao X, Du T, Tong L, Su X, Lu H, Li X, Huo Z, Li S, Ding R. Improving agricultural water productivity to ensure food security in China under changing environment: from research to practice. Agricultural Water Management, 2017, 179: 5–17

[3] Singh S, Angadi S V, Grover K, Begna S, Auld D. Drought response and yield formation of spring safflower under different water regimes in the semiarid Southern High Plains. Agricultural Water Management, 2016, 163: 354–362

[4] Zhu L, Zhao P, Wang Q, Ni G, Niu J, Zhao X, Zhang Z, Zhao P, Gao J, Huang Y, Gu D, Zhang Z. Stomatal and hydraulic conductance and water use in a eucalypt plantation in Guangxi, southern China. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 2015, 202: 61–68

[5] Hernandez-Santana V, Fernández J E, Rodriguez-Dominguez C M, Romero R, Diaz-Espejo A. The dynamics of radial sap flux density reflects changes in stomatal conductance in response to soil and air water deficit. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 2016, 218–219: 92–101

[6] Bota J, Tomás M, Flexas J, Medrano H, Escalona J M. Differences among grapevine cultivars in their stomatal behavior and water use efficiency under progressive water stress. Agricultural Water Management, 2016, 164: 91–99

[7] Alcaras L M A, Rousseaux M C, Searles P S. Responses of several soil and plant indicators to post-harvest regulated deficit irrigation in olive trees and their potential for irrigation scheduling. Agricultural Water Management, 2016, 171: 10–20

[8] Robles J M, Botía P, Pérez-Pérez J G. Subsurface drip irrigation affects trunk diameter fluctuations in lemon trees, in comparison with surface drip irrigation. Agricultural Water Management, 2016, 165: 11–21

[9] Davies W J, Wilkinson S, Loveys B. Stomatal control by chemical signalling and the exploitation of this mechanism to increase water use efficiency in agriculture. New Phytologist, 2002, 153(3): 449–460

[10] Atkinson C J, Policarpo M, Webster A D, Kingswell G. Drought tolerance of clonal Malus determined from measurements of stomatal conductance and leaf water potential. Tree Physiology, 2000, 20(8): 557–563

[11] Whitehead D, Beadle C L. Physiological regulation of productivity and water use in Eucalyptus: a review. Forest Ecology and Management, 2004, 193(1–2): 113–140

[12] Parvizi H, Sepaskhah A R, Ahmadi S H. Physiological and growth responses of pomegranate tree (Punica granatum (L.) cv. Rabab) under partial root zone drying and deficit irrigation regimes. Agricultural Water Management, 2016, 163: 146–158

[13] Blackman P G, Davies W J. Root to shoot communication in maize plants of the effects of soil drying. Journal of Experimental Botany, 1985, 36(1): 39–48

[14] Davies W J, Zhang J. Root signals and the regulation of growth and development of plants in drying soil. Annual Review of Plant Physiology and Plant Molecular Biology, 1991, 42(1): 55–76

[15] Siopongco J D L C, Sekiya K, Yamauchi A, Egdane J, Ismail A M, Wade L J. Stomatal responses in rainfed lowland rice to partial soil drying; Evidence for root signals. Plant Production Science, 2008, 11(1): 28–41

[16] Zhang X, Shao L, Sun H, Chen S, Wang Y. Incorporation of soil bulk density in simulating root distribution of winter wheat and maize in two contrasting soils. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 2012, 76(2): 638–647

[17] Wright J P, Naeem S, Hector A, Lehman C, Reich P B, Schmid B, Tilman D. Conventional functional classification schemes underestimate the relationship with ecosystem functioning. Ecology Letters, 2006, 9(2): 111–120

[18] Vanninen P, Mäkelä A. Fine root biomass of Scots pine stands differing in age and soil fertility in southern Finland. Tree Physiology, 1999, 19(12): 823–830

[19] Hayashi T, Yoshida T, Fujii K, Mitsuya S, Tsuji T, Okada Y, Hayashi E, Yamauchi A. Maintained root length density contributes to the waterlogging tolerance in common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Field Crops Research, 2013, 152: 27–35

[20] Kang S, Zhang J. Controlled alternate partial root-zone irrigation: its physiological consequences and impact on water use efficiency. Journal of Experimental Botany, 2004, 55(407): 2437–2446

[21] Liu C, Kang S, Li F, Li S, Du T, Tong L. Relationship between environmental factor and maximum daily stem shrinkage in apple tree in arid region of northwest China. Scientia Horticulturae, 2011, 130(1): 118–125

[22] Liu C, Du T, Li F, Kang S, Li S, Tong L. Trunk sap flow characteristics during two growth stages of apple tree and its relationships with affecting factors in an arid region of northwest China. Agricultural Water Management, 2012, 104: 193–202

[23] Turner N C. Techniques and experimental approaches for the measurement of plant water status. Plant and Soil, 1981, 58(1–3): 339–366

[24] Mingo D M, Theobald J C, Bacon M A, Davies W J, Dodd I C. Biomass allocation in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) plants grown under partial rootzone drying: enhancement of root growth. Functional Plant Biology, 2004, 31(10): 971–978

[25] Lo Bianco R, Talluto G, Farina V. Effects of partial rootzone drying and rootstock vigour on dry matter partitioning of apple trees (Malus domestica cvar Pink Lady). Journal of Agricultural Science , 2012, 150(1): 75–86

[26] Williams L E. Determination of evapotranspiration and crop coefficients for a chardonnay vineyard located in a cool climate. American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, 2014, 65(2): 159–169

[27] Du S, Kang S, Li F, Du T. Water use efficiency is improved by alternate partial root-zone irrigation of apple in arid northwest China. Agricultural Water Management, 2017, 179: 184–192

[28] Stoll M, Loveys B, Dry P. Hormonal changes induced by partial rootzone drying of irrigated grapevine. Journal of Experimental Botany, 2000, 51(350): 1627–1634

[29] Collins M J, Fuentes S, Barlow E W R. Partial rootzone drying and deficit irrigation increase stomatal sensitivity to vapour pressure deficit in anisohydric grapevines. Functional Plant Biology, 2010, 37(2): 128–138

[30] Du T, Kang S, Yan B, Zhang J. Alternate furrow irrigation: A practical way to improve grape quality and water use efficiency in arid northwest China. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2013, 12(3): 509–519

[31] Consoli S, Stagno F, Roccuzzo G, Cirelli G L, Intrigliolo F. Sustainable management of limited water resources in a young orange orchard. Agricultural Water Management, 2014, 132: 60–68

[32] Greenwood M S, Ward M H, Day M E, Adams S L, Bond B J. Age-related trends in red spruce foliar plasticity in relation to declining productivity. Tree Physiology, 2008, 28(2): 225–232

[33] Du T, Kang S, Zhang J, Li F, Hu X. Yield and physiological responses of cotton to partial root-zone irrigation in the oasis field of northwest China. Agricultural Water Management, 2006, 84(1–2): 41–52

[34] Mercier V, Bussi C, Lescourret F, Génard M. Effects of different irrigation regimes applied during the final stage of rapid growth on an early maturing peach cultivar. Irrigation Science, 2009, 27(4): 297–306

[35] Jiang J, Huo Z, Feng S, Zhang C. Effect of irrigation amount and water salinity on water consumption and water productivity of spring wheat in Northwest China. Field Crops Research, 2012, 137: 78–88

[36] Ji X, Kang E, Chen R, Zhao W, Zhang Z, Jin B. A mathematical model for simulating water balances in cropped sandy soil with conventional flood irrigation applied. Agricultural Water Management, 2007, 87(3): 337–346

[37] Puerto P, Domingo R, Torres R, Pérez-Pastor A, García-Riquelme M. Remote management of deficit irrigation in almond trees based on maximum daily trunk shrinkage. Water relations and yield. Agricultural Water Management, 2013, 126: 33–45

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Fundation of China (51621061, 91425302) and the 111 Program of Introducing Talents of Discipline to Universities (B14002).

Compliance with ethics guidelines

Shaoqing Du, Ling Tong, Shaozhong Kang, Fusheng Li, Taisheng Du, Sien Li, and Risheng Ding declare that they have no conflicts of interest or financial conflicts to disclose.

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

The Author(s) 2017. Published by Higher Education Press. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)