ABSTRACT

Developing improved water management strategies and on-farm cultural practices are important in reducing pomegranate (Punica granatum L. cv Wonderful) production costs. A pomegranate orchard established in 2010 was irrigated at water replacement rates of 35, 50 and 100% of crop evapotranspiration from 2013 to 2016. A durable white plastic tarp was installed in one half of each water replacement plot to evaluate the added benefits to soil moisture retention, weed control, and plant growth and yield. Edaphic orchard floor conditions such as light reflectance into the lower tree canopy, mid-day soil surface temperature, soil water content, and average daily soil temperatures were moderated or improved by the plastic cover. Phenological changes such as leaf greenness, trunk basal suckering, and trunk diameter were generally enhanced by increased water application rates and plastic use. Marketable and total fruit yields increased by an average of 20 to 29% from 2013 to 2016 with the use of plastic cover compared to bare soil. Total fruit yield increased linearly with increasing water replacement rates. Neither the white plastic nor irrigation rates improved external fruit color. Fruit raw product attributes were little changed by treatments. The research clearly demonstrated the benefit of plastic cover on improving pomegranate production.

摘要

制定改进的水资源管理策略和农场文化实践对于减少石榴（Punica granatum L. cv 精彩）制作成本。2010 年建立的石榴园在 2013 年至 2016 年期间以作物蒸散量的 35%、50% 和 100% 的水置换率进行灌溉。在每个换水地块的一半安装耐用的白色塑料防水布，以评估对土壤水分的额外好处保留、杂草控制以及植物生长和产量。塑料覆盖物缓和或改善了土壤果园地面条件，例如进入较低树冠的光反射率、中午土壤表面温度、土壤含水量和平均每日土壤温度。叶绿度、树干基部吸吮和树干直径等物候变化通常通过增加水分施用率和塑料使用而得到增强。从 2013 年到 2016 年，与裸土相比，使用塑料覆盖物的可销售和总水果产量平均增加了 20% 到 29%。总果实产量随着水分置换率的增加而线性增加。白色塑料和灌溉率都没有改善外部水果的颜色。水果原料产品的属性几乎没有因处理而改变。研究清楚地证明了塑料覆盖物对提高石榴产量的好处。