Rec. Layne et al., CULTIVAR, GROUND-COVER, AND IRRIGATION TREATMENTS AND THEIR INTERACTIONS AFFECT LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE OF PEACH-TREES, Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, 119(1), 1994, pp. 12-19
Three cultivars ('Garnet Beauty', 'Harbrite', 'Canadian Harmony'), two
ground covers (temporary cover vs. permanent sod), and no irrigation
vs. season-long trickle irrigation were studied in a high-density (633
trees/ha) peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] orchard established on F
ox sand in 1980. From 1985 to 1989, soil water content in the top 130
cm was similar in nonirrigated and trickle-irrigated plots except duri
ng the growing season (May to September). Total soil water was lowest
in nonirrigated plots that had permanent sod strips in the row middles
and fell below the permanent wilting point for greater-than-or-equal-
to 1 months in summer but not at depths below 130 cm. Trunk cross-sect
ional area (TCA) was greater for 'Canadian Harmony' and 'Harbrite' tha
n 'Garnet Beauty', ground-cover treatments had no effect, and irrigate
d trees were generally larger than those not irrigated. Photosynthetic
rate and stomatal conductance differed by cultivar, were unaffected b
y ground cover, and were enhanced by irrigation. Defoliation differed
by cultivar, ground cover had little effect, and irrigation usually de
layed defoliation. Flower bud and shoot xylem hardiness differed by cu
ltivar but not by ground cover and were generally enhanced by irrigati
on. Tree survival was significantly affected by cultivar, being best w
ith 'Harbrite' and 'Canadian Harmony' and poorest with 'Garnet Beauty'
. Permanent sod enhanced tree survival while trickle irrigation reduce
d it. Cumulative marketable yields were affected more by cultivar than
by ground cover or irrigation. 'Canadian Harmony' had the highest yie
ld, followed by 'Harbrite', then 'Garnet Beauty'. Yields in sod were s
lightly higher than in temporary cover and yields with trickle irrigat
ion were slightly higher than without irrigation. The best soil-manage
ment system when TCA, marketable yield, and tree survival were conside
red was a combination of permanent creeping red fescue sod strips in t
he row middles and trickle irrigation in the tree row. This system is
being recommended to commercial growers in southwestern Ontario.