The exponential increase of planting almond in Castilla-La Mancha of central Spain is bringing many challenges related with the orchard management, and irrigation scheduling with the limited available irrigation water. Almond growers and technicians in the area usually deprive irrigation during the pre-harvest period which causes a higher lignification level to the trunk and prevents injury during the subsequent mechanical harvest. A field experiment was carried out during the 2021 growing season in a 9-ha mature almond orchard. Crop growth, physiology, and the productive responses of almond trees in irrigated (T1), and water restricted (T2) plots were assessed during the 15 days prior to harvest. Although T2 received no irrigation water in the 15 days prior to harvest, there were not significant differences on tree growth and kernel yield compared with T1. The midday stem water potential (Ψstem) measurements showed almond trees reached 12 to 52% more moderate to severe stress in T2 during the last stage of the kernel development. A higher intrinsic water use efficiency was reached by T2 (up to 12% more than T1) during the deficit irrigation period, although this difference was not significant. Finally, no visual injuries were observed in the trunk after harvesting date in both treatments, so the use of T2 in this area may be not justified since almond trees may reach a severe water deficit at postharvest period which could affect to the productive parameters in the next cropping season.

Peer reviewed