New approach for using trunk growth rate and endocarp development in the irrigation scheduling of young olive orchards

Trunk diameter variation (TDV) is considered one of the most promising tools for automating the scheduling of fruit tree irrigation, and trunk growth rate (TGR) a possible indicator of TDV values. The use of TGR in commercial orchards is less common in olive trees than in other species, possibly because the influence of the environment, orchard age and the presence of developing fruit on the olive tree seasonal TGR pattern is poorly understood. In this study the trunk growth rate (TGR) seasonal progression was characterized in fully irrigated young olive trees during fruiting and non-fruiting years. In both years, at the beginning of the season, a period with an almost linear increase was found, mainly determined by temperature. In the non-fruiting year TGR remained almost constant after that initial increase, while during the fruiting year a significant decrease occurred at approximately 25 days, from values around 0.2 mm day−1 to values around 0.1 mm day−1. Since midday shoot water potentials were not affected, this variation was likely not produced by water stress conditions. In addition, the lack of relationship between trunk growth rate and air temperature indicated that the TGR decrease in the fruiting year was not determined either by air temperature. The period of decreasing TGR values, however, coincided with the time that the endocarp reached its maximum transverse area, a significant moment for fruit development which precedes pit hardening. These results suggest that the traditional period where regulated deficit irrigation is done, “the pit hardening”, may be indicated easier and more accurate for TGR decrease and endocarp expansion.