S16 - Session P2 - Cherry tree growth in response to varying soil apparent electrical conductivity

Authors: Martin Penzel *, Nele Handtke, Evgeny Gubin, Manuela Zude-Sasse

The apparent soil electrical conductivity (EC a ) of the top soil layer in a mature orchard of Prunus avium L. 'Kordia' / Gi-5 was measured at soil field capacity during bud break in 2019. Seasonal development of shoot length, yield, fruit diameter, internal fruit quality parameters at the time of commercial harvest were recorded from 14 to 65 days after full bloom (DAFB) on trees (n = 20) grown at two EC a levels (low, high). Prior to full bloom, the length of the one-year-old shoots was reduced in low EC a trees compared to high EC a trees, whereas no difference in trunk cross sectional area was observed. Until 60 DAFB, low EC a trees showed decreased shoot growth rate compared to high EC a trees, resulting in reduced shoot length at the end of the growing season. The mean yield of the trees grown at high EC a was 6.8 kg tree -1 , exceeding the yield of low EC a trees of 4.2 kg tree -1 . Consistently, the number of fruit per tree at harvest was enhanced in high ECa trees. Despite the higher crop load of high ECa trees, fruit diameter was decreased on low EC a trees considering the period 29 DAFB until harvest. However, fruit soluble solids content, modulus of elasticity, and hue angle of fruit from low EC a trees was slightly enhanced compared to fruit from trees grown at high EC a . No effect of EC a on root water potential was found pre-dawn and midday. In conclusion, soil EC a , which is frequently used as a proxy for soil variability, can reveal differences in vegetative and reproductive growths of cherry trees for potential application in site specific orchard management.