Version 1
: Received: 4 March 2024 / Approved: 5 March 2024 / Online: 5 March 2024 (05:57:16 CET)
How to cite:
Kokkotos, E.; Zotos, A.; Triantafyllidis, V.; Patakas, A. Impact of Fruit Load on the Replenishment Dynamics of Internal Water Reserves in Olive Trees. Preprints2024, 2024030235. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202403.0235.v1
Kokkotos, E.; Zotos, A.; Triantafyllidis, V.; Patakas, A. Impact of Fruit Load on the Replenishment Dynamics of Internal Water Reserves in Olive Trees. Preprints 2024, 2024030235. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202403.0235.v1
Kokkotos, E.; Zotos, A.; Triantafyllidis, V.; Patakas, A. Impact of Fruit Load on the Replenishment Dynamics of Internal Water Reserves in Olive Trees. Preprints2024, 2024030235. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202403.0235.v1
APA Style
Kokkotos, E., Zotos, A., Triantafyllidis, V., & Patakas, A. (2024). Impact of Fruit Load on the Replenishment Dynamics of Internal Water Reserves in Olive Trees. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202403.0235.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Kokkotos, E., Vassilios Triantafyllidis and Angelos Patakas. 2024 "Impact of Fruit Load on the Replenishment Dynamics of Internal Water Reserves in Olive Trees" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202403.0235.v1
Abstract
This study examined the impact of differences in fruit load of olive trees on the rate of stem refilling. The experiment was conducted in a commercial olive orchard over the consecutive years of 2021 and 2022, during which the biennial bearing cycle of olive trees resulted in minimal fruit production in 2021 and maximal production in 2022. The rate of stem refilling was determined by quantifying the differences in water volume traversing the apex and base of the principal branches of experimental trees using sap flow sensors. Concurrent measurements of tree water status were also conducted using psychrometers, while soil moisture content dynamics were continuously recorded. Results indicate that alternate bearing significantly influences the stem refilling process, while soil moisture availability also plays a pivotal role. Water reserves were more intensively utilized during the year of full production (“ON” year) primarily to fulfill the water demands of developing fruits. This replenishment occurred in various periods during the day, including early morning, afternoon, and night, when stomatal conductance measurements indicated stomatal closure. The study suggests a more intense replenishment of reserves during the night in "ON" year trees, irrespective of soil moisture, water vapor pressure deficit, or phenological fruit development stage.
Keywords
nocturnal sap flow; replenishment of internal reserves; alternate bearing; olive tree water relations
Subject
Biology and Life Sciences, Agricultural Science and Agronomy
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
