Intensive sweet cherry production: research objectives and approaches at the Fruit Growing Institute - Plovdiv

Kouman Koumanov

kskoumanov@hotmail.com www.fruitgrowinfinstitute.com

COST Action FA 1104 Fruit Growing Institute

Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Trends in sweet cherry production

Relatively high yields and good fruit quality

Extensive character

Stagnation on a global scale

big size trees

high and gradually increasing labor expenses

late fruiting

delayed pay-back of investments

diminishing profits

Need for intensification

Intensive cherry production

Smaller trees, denser orchards

Early fruiting

Higher yields and fruit quality

Economy of labor, water, mineral nutrients and agrochemicals

Small-tree advantages

harvesting and pruning from the terrain

improved photosynthesis and fruit coloration

easier plant protection and cheaper protective covers

earlier pay-back of investments

Higher initial investments

High expertise required

Dwarfing and productive rootstocks

Traits and “bottlenecks” of the dwarfing rootstocks

tendency to overloading – poor growth – small fruit – stunt trees – dead trees

suited to rainy climates and on fertile soils with good water holding capacity

non-adapted to drought conditions and on poor and light soils (Lang, 2000; Bujdosó et al., 2004; Bujdosó, 2006; Papachtazis, 2006; Jiménes et al., 2007; De Salvador et al., 2008; Godini et al., 2008; Gyeviki et al., 2008; Ster, 2008; Bujdosó and Hrotkó, 2009; Fajt et al., 2009; Hrotkó et al., 2009; Lichev and Papachtazis, 2009; Long, 2009; Cantin et al, 2010; James, 2010; Long and Kaiser, 2010; Long et al., 2011)

critical factors:

pruning

water regime

mineral nutrition

Challenging the paradigms

Irrigation specificity with trees on dwarfing rootstocks

Intensification = Microirrigation

small and slow water applications, frequent (daily) and even continuous, directly in the tree root zone

Small and shallow root system

Concentration of absorbing roots in the limited volume of soil wetting

Lack of water storage in the soil

Dependence on the soil properties

Extending irrigation intervals is detrimental

Trees are highly susceptible to errors in the irrigation regime

Drawing from: Rieul, L. 1990. Irrigation –

Guide pratique, CEMAGREF Any breaches of the microirrigation technology

may subject the cherry trees to water stress for

the most part of their life.

Fertilization specificity with trees on dwarfing rootstocks

Intensification = Fertigation

Fertilization dose is divided into parts and supplied according to the crop nutrient assimilation

Small and shallow root system

Concentration of absorbing roots in the limited volume of soil wetting

Local nutrient depletion in the bulb

Fertigation = “Open Hydroponics”

Soil water status and soil fertility have no significant effect on the tree development

Considerable dependency on external sources of nutrients

Drawing from: Rieul, L. 1990. Irrigation –

Guide pratique, CEMAGREF

Any breach of the nutrient supply may become

limiting to both growth and yield of cherry trees

Guiding postulations

The intensive cherry production differs, almost thoroughly, from the traditional technology regarding pruning, irrigation and fertilization

Microirrigation and fertigation are indispensable elements of the technology, and the fine tuning of irrigation and fertilization regimes is a requisite

The unsatisfactory results come after disregarding the extremely high requirements concerning pruning, water regime and mineral nutrition of the trees grown intensively

The well supplied with water and nutrients soils compensate for eventual breaches of the irrigation and fertilization regimes, thus concealing human mistakes

The research should be carried out by large groups of scientists with diverse expertise, complementing one another

The modern equipment, the high and multivalent grower qualification and the strict execution of each operation are imperative.

Subjects of investigation at FGI

Cultivar-rootstock combinations: planting distances, training and pruning,

tree architecture, growth and yield.

Cultivars: Bigarreau Burlat, Bing, Hudson, Katalin, Kordia, Lapins, Nalina, Regina, Summit, Sunburst.

Rootstocks: Gisela 5, Camil, Damil, Inmil, Prunus Mahaleb and Prunus Avium (Mazzard).

Subjects of investigation at FGI

Scion-rootstock combinations: planting distances, training and pruning,

tree architecture, growth and yield.

Microirrigation (drip & microsprinkling): crop evapotranspiration,

regulated deficit irrigation, spatial and temporal distribution of water and root

extraction in the soil, rainfall efficiency.

Fertigation: timing and doses, tree’s mineral nutrition, fertilizers’ migration

and localization in the soil.

Herbigation: efficiency, selectivity, duration of the effect, mobility in the soil,

and persistency of the applied herbicides

Insectigation: efficiency, translocation in soil and trees, impact on the soil

micro-flora and fauna; pesticide residues in fruit and plant organs

transfer of viral infections and their impact on the plant productivity under

microirrigation and chemigation

Technology for intensive sweet cherry production

Multipurpose microirrigation systems

V1-MS Microsprinkling

microsprinklers – deflection type

distance – 1.0 m

discharge – 25 L h-1

wetted strip – 2.0 m

V2-DI Drip irrigation

drippers – on 2 laterals

distance – 1.0 m

discharge – 4 L h-1

wetted strip – 2.0 m

Multipurpose microirrigation systems

V3-Std Hand sprayer + Drip

drippers – on 2 laterals

distance – 1.0 m

discharge – 4 L h-1

wetted strip – 2.0 m

V4-Ctrl Non-treated control

drippers – on 2 laterals

distance – 1.0 m

discharge – 4 L h-1

wetted strip – 2.0 m

Microclimatic effect of microirrigation

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

11 12 13 14 15 16

24

26

28

30

32

34

36

38

1.00m 1.75m

2.5m reference

Astronomic time, hours

Relative

Humidity %

Diffe

ren

ce, %

Co

ntr

ol, %

-6

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

0

1

11 12 13 14 15 16

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

1.00m

1.75m

2.50m

reference

Astronomic time, hours

Temperature, °С

Dif

fere

nce

, °С

Co

ntr

ol, °С

Microsprinkling

-6

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

0

1

11 12 13 14 15 16

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

1.00m

1.75m

2.50m

reference

Astronomic time, hours

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

11 12 13 14 15 16

24

26

28

30

32

34

36

38

1.00m 1.75m

2.5m reference

Astronomic time, hours

Temperature, °С

Relative

Humidity, %

Dif

fere

nce

, %

D

iffe

ren

ce, °С

Co

ntr

ol, %

C

on

tro

l, °С

Drip irrigation

almond tree microsprinkler tensiometers neutron probe

access tubes

0.00

0.15

0.30

0.45

0.60

0.75

0.90

0.0

0.5

2.40m

1.0 distance

from the

1.5 microsprinkler

(m)

2.0

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0

distance from the microsprinkler (m)

access tubes – 4 plots, with 12, 15, 16 & 25 tubes

tensionics 10, 30, 50, 70 & 90 cm

neutron probe 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90 & 105 cm

tensiometers 62.5-77.5 cm or 82.5-97.5 cm

tensionics 10, 30, 50, 70 и 90 cm

Nutrient concentrations in the soil solution BigareauxBurlat/Mazzard - 2010

10 c

m d

epth

30 c

m d

epth

Drip irrigation Microsprinkling

0

100

200

300

400

-1 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15

N-N

O3

- , m

g L

-1

0

5

10

15

20

25

P2O

5 &

K2O

, m

g L

-1

EC

, cS

m-1

; p

H

0

100

200

300

400

-1 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15

N-N

O3

- , m

g L

-1

0

5

10

15

20

25P

2O

5 &

K2O

, m

g L

-1

EC

, cS

m-1

; p

HN-NO3- P2O5 К2O

EC pH

0

100

200

300

400

-1 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15

N-N

O3

- , m

g L

-1

0

5

10

15

20

25

P2O

5 &

K2O

, m

g L

-1

EC

, cS

m-1

; p

H

0

100

200

300

400

-1 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15

N-N

O3

- , m

g L

-1

0

5

10

15

20

25

P2O

5 &

K2O

, m

g L

-1

EC

, cS

m-1

; p

H

Nutrient concentrations in the soil solution BigareauxBurlat/Mazzard - 2011

B.B./P.Av.-DI B.B./P.Av.-MS

Дъ

лб

очина

10 c

m

Дъ

лб

очина 3

0 c

m

Дъ

лб

очина 5

0 c

m

0

100

200

300

400

-1 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15

N-N

O3

- , m

g L

-1

0

5

10

15

20

25

P2O

5 &

K2O

, m

g L

-1

EC

, cS

m-1

; p

H

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

-1 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15

N-N

O3

- , m

g L

-1

0

5

10

15

20

25

P2O

5 &

K2O

, m

g L

-1

EC

, cS

m-1

; p

H

0

100

200

300

400

-1 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15

N-N

O3

- , m

g L

-1

0

5

10

15

20

25

P2O

5 &

K2O

, m

g L

-1

EC

, cS

m-1

; p

H

N-NO3- P2O5 К2O

EC pH

0

100

200

300

400

-1 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15

N-N

O3

- , m

g L

-1

0

5

10

15

20

25

P2O

5 &

K2O

, m

g L

-1

EC

, cS

m-1

; p

H

0

200

400

600

800

1000

-1 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15

N-N

O3

- , m

g L

-1

0

5

10

15

20

25

P2O

5 &

K2O

, m

g L

-1

EC

, cS

m-1

; p

H

0

100

200

300

400

-1 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15

N-N

O3

- , m

g L

-1

0

5

10

15

20

25

P2O

5 &

K2O

, m

g L

-1

EC

, cS

m-1

; p

H

10

cm

de

pth

5

0 c

m d

ep

th

30

cm

de

pth

Chemigation

fertigation

herbigation

Fertigation:

Kristalon

Labin

Compo

Ammonium nitrate

Herbigation:

pendimetalin

oxifluorofen

diquat

pendimetalin

oxifluorofen diquat

Insectigation effect

Regulated deficit irrigation

4,5

57,6

9

5,8

3

4,9

2

6,3

1

6,8

6

1,4

8

1,7

0

3,5

0

6,3

7

5,5

0

7,5

7

4,7

1

6,0

2

1,1

6

1,1

5

4,5

5

6,1

0

6,0

2

6,4

3

5,0

0

6,3

8

2,6

9

1,5

7

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

m3

Gisela5 GM61/1 GM79 GM9 Gisela5 GM61/1 GM79 GM9 Gisela5 GM61/1 GM79 GM9

0.5 ET1.0 ET

Burlat Regina Bing

0

50

100

150

kg/tre

e

Burlat Regina Bing

0,5 ET

1,0 ETCumulative yield (2007-2010)

on Gisela 5

Effect of the application rates on the canopy volume

Cherry tree architecture

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

2 3 4 5 6 7

Wood age, years

Pa

rt o

f th

e to

tal fr

uit, % Sunburst

Regina

Kordia

Lapins

Katalin

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

2 3 4 5 6 7

Wood age, years

Pa

rt o

f th

e to

tal fr

uit, % B. Burlat

Nalina

Summit

Hudson

0

2

4

6

8

10

0 2 5 7

Number of leaves per fruit

Fru

it m

ass,

mm

girdled shoots

non-girdled shoots

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

0 2 5 7

Number of leaves per fruit

Fru

it s

ize

, m

m

girdled shoots

non-girdled shoots

mm

Temperature regime and rainfalls

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

01/04

11/04

21/04

01/05

11/05

21/05

31/05

10/06

20/06

30/06

10/07

20/07

30/07

09/08

19/08

29/08

08/09

18/09

28/09

08/10

18/10

28/10

Дати

Тем

пература н

а в

ъзуха T

, °C

0

6

12

18

24

30

36

42

48

54

60

Ва

ле

жи

P, m

m

P

Тav.d.

Тmax

Tmin

203 mm, p = 80 %; 19.9 °C, p = 24%

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

01/04

11/04

21/04

01/05

11/05

21/05

31/05

10/06

20/06

30/06

10/07

20/07

30/07

09/08

19/08

29/08

08/09

18/09

28/09

08/10

18/10

28/10

Дати

Тем

пература н

а в

ъзуха T

, °C

0

6

12

18

24

30

36

42

48

54

60

Ва

ле

жи

P, m

m

P

Тav.d.

Тmax

Tmin

203 mm, p = 80 %; 19.9 °C, p = 24% 2009

-5.0

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

35.0

40.0

45.0

01/04

11/04

21/04

01/05

11/05

21/05

31/05

10/06

20/06

30/06

10/07

20/07

30/07

09/08

19/08

29/08

08/09

18/09

28/09

08/10

18/10

28/10

Дати

Тем

пература н

а в

ъзуха T

, °C

0

6

12

18

24

30

36

42

48

54

60

Вал

еж

и P

, m

m

P

Тav.d.

Тmax

Tmin

164 mm, p = 86%; 20.0 °C, p = 14 % 2011

-5.0

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

35.0

40.0

45.0

01/04

11/04

21/04

01/05

11/05

21/05

31/05

10/06

20/06

30/06

10/07

20/07

30/07

09/08

19/08

29/08

08/09

18/09

28/09

08/10

18/10

28/10

Дати

Те

мпе

ра

тура

на

въ

зуха

T,

°C

0

6

12

18

24

30

36

42

48

54

60

Вал

еж

и P

, m

m

P

Тav.d.

Тmax

Tmin

2012 222 mm, p = 66 %; 21.2 ºC, p = 1 %

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

01/04

11/04

21/04

01/05

11/05

21/05

31/05

10/06

20/06

30/06

10/07

20/07

30/07

09/08

19/08

29/08

08/09

18/09

28/09

08/10

18/10

28/10

Дати

Те

мпе

ра

тура

на

въ

зуха

T,

°C

0

6

12

18

24

30

36

42

48

54

60В

ал

еж

и P

, m

mP

Тav.d.

Тmax

Tmin

2000 131 mm; p=95 % 21.0 °C; p=2 %

Our research team

Kouman Koumanov – Fruitgrowing Institute – meliorations, fruitgrowing technologies

Kolyo Kolev – Fruitgrowing Institute – fruitgrowing, training and pruning

Maria Ilieva - Fruitgrowing Institute – irrigation regime, fruitgrowing

Georgi Kornov – Fruitgrowing Institute – fruitgrowing

Irina Tsareva – Fruitgrowing Institute – agrochemistry, fertilization

Zarya Rankova – Fruitgrowing Institute – herbology, weed control

Veselin Arnaudov – Fruitgrowing Institute – entomology and phytopathology

Snezhana Milusheva – Fruitgrowing Institute – virology

Iliana Kozanova – Fruitgrowing Institute – toxicology, pesticide residues

Stefan Shilev – Agricultural University, Plovdiv – soil microbiology

Zhenya Ilieva – Institute of soil science, agrotechnologies and plant protection, Sofia – helmintology (nematodes)

Ilian Ivanov – Plovdiv University „Paisiy Hilendarski” – organic chemistry

Stoyanka Nikolova – Plovdiv University „Paisiy Hilendarski” – organic chemistry, pesticide residues

Dimitar Bozhilov – Plovdiv University „Paisiy Hilendarski” – Ph.D. student

Thank you