2 minute read
In Conversation
from Ipoma 02
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In Conversation ipoma
Brunella Morandi, an expert in tree physiology and water management in fruit growing, on targeted measures for more precise and more efficient water use.
01 Are apple orchards irrigated efficiently these days?
Our research has revealed that the tendency is to apply too much water. In our environments, fruit tree orchards could be irrigated 30 percent less without impacting on tree physiology, productivity, or fruit quality. In fact, irrigating less can actually lead to improved physiological reactions in the plant.
02 How come?
Several studies show that targeted water management with controlled deficits at the right point in time leads to higher dry matter content. This improves the flavor, the shelf life, and the nutrient content of the fruit – which in turn increases consumer acceptance.
03 So another thumbs up for automatic systems that measure demand and irrigate accordingly?
Even the latest systems can sometimes go too far and recommend excessive amounts of water. It’s different in drier countries like Israel or some regions of Spain, where much more thought is given to water usage and farmers and the systems developed there irrigate more efficiently.
04 What does this mean for the apple industry in a future shaped by global warming?
There are multiple challenges. Firstly, fruit producers will need to be put in a position to irrigate with greater precision. To do so they will need monitoring tools, technologies such as sensors, and even more accurate decision support systems. Secondly, farmers must also trust these systems. Neither of these are a given.
05 Are there other potential solutions?
Research is currently being done into alternative water sources such as purified wastewater from households and industry. Another strategy is to use anti-hail shading nets, which slow down evaporation without affecting photosynthesis and productivity. We have discovered that the light in fruit tree orchards is often too strong. In our conditions, reducing it up to 40% increases the performance of the plants and reduces abiotic stress factors such as drought, photoinhibition and sunburn.
Brunella Morandi is a professor of tree ecophysiology at the University of Bologna. She leads the EUFRIN Working Group on Water Relations and Irrigation and researches plant/environment relationships to develop new strategies for efficient water use in the face of climate change. She is a jury member of the Interpoma Award 2022 for innovative water management.
