Response of 'Rhode Red Valencia‘ orange (Citrus sinensis) to microirrigation in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico

Abstract

Orange [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osb.] is a crop of great economic importance in the world and in Puerto Rico despite the negative impact caused by the presence of Huanglongbing disease. To maintain profitability, growers must optimize management practices. Important practices include proper use of supplemental irrigation, using improved rootstocks and cultivars, and effective disease control. To assess the response of 'Rhode Red Valencia‘ trees to supplemental microirrigation, an experiment was conducted in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, at an orchard originally established in 2007 under microirrigation. From 2011 to 2013, the adult orange trees were submitted to three treatments. In two of the treatments, microirrigation was scheduled using tensiometers at soil water tension between 10 and 15 kPa and between 30 and 35 kPa. A third treatment, without microirrigation (rainfed), was included as a check. Water stress periods were evident from January through June during the years 2008 to 2014. Microirrigation treatments did not have a significant effect on number of fruits, fruit weight and canopy volume during 2011 to 2013. Hence, under the conditions of this experiment, supplemental irrigation was not necessary for an adequate production of 'Rhode Red Valencia‘.