Effect of supplemental irrigation timing and potassium fertilizer on rain-fed fig in micro-catchment: yield and yield quality

In this study, the effect of supplemental irrigation timing (treatments included no supplemental irrigation; supplemental irrigation in middle of March; supplemental irrigation in early May; supplemental irrigation in early August; and two supplemental irrigation events in middle of March and early May) and potassium (K) application (treatments included no-fertilizer; ۱۵۰ and ۲۵۰ g fertilizer per tree applied by fertigation method and no-fertilizer; ۱.۵ and ۳.۰ kg fertilizer per ۱۰۰۰ L water used by foliar application) on yield and yield quality of rain-fed fig trees were studied at the Estahban fig orchards in Fars province, Iran, through a three-year experiment. Results showed that supplemental irrigation for fig resulted in an increase in yield and fruit size, and improved the fruit peel color. However, it decreased total soluble solid of fruit. For one irrigation during the growing season, irrigation in late winter (March) with ۱۲۵۰ L of applied water per tree was better than irrigation in spring (May) with a similar amount applied water which was used as the supplemental irrigation of rain-fed fig trees under severe drought conditions. Two irrigation in March and May with ۱۵۰۰ L and ۱۲۵۰ L of applied water per tree for each event for the first year and two subsequent years, respectively, was more effective on the yield and fruit quality than single irrigation due to higher applied irrigation water. Using ۱۵۰ g K per tree by fertigation method or ۳.۰ kg/۱۰۰۰L foliar K fertilizer resulted in significant effect on the yield and yield quality of fig and improved them.

کلیدواژه ها:

Fig tree ، supplemental irrigation timing ، potassium fertilizer ، Yield ، yield quality