Effects of irrigation deprivation during the harvest period on yield determinants in mature almond trees

Effects of irrigation deprivation during the harvest period on yield determinants in mature almond (Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb cv. Nonpareil) trees were investigated during a 3-year field experiment. Return bloom and fruit set were measured on 2185 individually tagged spurs. Water stress resulting from irrigation deprivation during the harvest period, which purportedly coincides with the time of flower initiation, had no effect on the percentage of spurs that flowered or set fruit during subsequent years. Although water stress had no apparent effect on spur mortality, 66% of the tagged spurs died within 3 years. In addition, many spurs were vegetative by the third year, indicating the importance of spur renewal for sustained fruit production. Reductions in nut yield were evident after two successive years of irrigation deprivation during the harvest period. Regression analysis indicated a loss in yield of 7.7 kg tree(-1) in response to each 1 MPa decrease in stem water potential below -1.2 MPa during the previous seasons. The number of fruiting positions per tree (estimated indirectly for whole trees based on weight of current-year shoots > 5 cm in length) was negatively associated with water stress. Yield reduction in response to water stress during harvest appears to be a compound, multiyear effect, associated with reduced annual growth and renewal of fruiting positions.