Effect of water regimes on yield and quality of apple under semi-arid, Libya [electronic resource].

Includes references.

This study, was carried out in 201112012, to investigate the yield and quality parameters of apple fruits (double red delicious) with different irrigation systems; surface and trickle irrigation and with different water levels; 100, 75 and 50 % of ETc. Traditional irrigation (rainfall irrigation) presented 34.8% from ETc. The water irrigation requirement was determined by using Penman-Monteith's equation. An increase in fruit yield, properties and quality (fruit diameter, fruit weight, total soluble solid and sugar) has been noted with trickle irrigation method comparing with surface and rainfall irrigations. The highest fruit diameter (80.9 mm), fruit mass (216.3 g), extra and class 1 fruit ratios (36.2 and 36.5%), total soluble solid (1.551 ton/fed) and sugar (1.38 ton/fed) were observed with DET100 treatment. To obtain a high quantity and quality apples, DET100 treatment with 100% ETc and trickle irrigation system are recommended during transition from rainfall and surface irrigation to trickle irrigation for similar climatic and soil conditions. The results showed that trickle irrigation system incre"Eses the qualitative and quantitative properties of apple fruits. Key words: surface irrigation, trickle irrigation, deficit irrigation, apple, yield, water use efficiency, quality parameters.

Summary in Arabic.

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