Dc. Percival et al., SUPPLEMENTARY IRRIGATION AND MULCH BENEFIT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF HERITAGE PRIMOCANE-FRUITING RASPBERRY, Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, 123(4), 1998, pp. 518-523
Field experiments including supplementary trickle irrigation (IR), IRT
-76 plastic film (PF), and straw mulch (STR) treatments were conducted
during 1993 and 1994 to determine the influence of root-zone temperat
ure and soil moisture status on carbon assimilation and dry mass distr
ibution, and soil and plant nutrient content, during the establishment
of Rubus idaeus L. 'Heritage' primocane-fruiting raspberries. The IR,
PF, and STR treatments were reapplied after the 1993 establishment ye
ar to examine their effects on an established, hedgerow planting. Phys
ical environment, vegetative and reproductive data were collected. PF
increased root and shoot mass, total flower number, and total berries
harvested. Maximum leaf net photosynthetic (Pn) rates were observed un
der cool air temperatures and root-zone temperature of 25 degrees C. F
ield Pn measurements indicated that there was no seasonal decline in P
n, Mulch treatments however, were not beneficial to the established (i
.e., 2-year-old) hedgerow planting. The root system of the 2-year-old
planting was largely confined to an area within the foliage wall and a
lso at a greater depth from the mulch treatments. Therefore, beneficia
l effects of mulch management on the growth and development of raspber
ries may be limited to the establishment year.