Multi-state Project W-128 "Microirrigation technologies for protection of natural resources and optimum production", Report for 2002-2003, New York, Geneva Station
Member - Alan N. Lakso,
Dept. of Horticultural Sciences, email anl2@cornell.edu
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/hort/faculty/lakso/
Cooperators
Terence L. Robinson
Pomology Cornell, Geneva
Robert M. Pool
Viticulture Cornell, Geneva
Gerry White
Ag Economics Cornell, Ithaca
Martin Goffinet
Plant Anatomy Cornell, Geneva
David Eissentstat
Root Biology Penn. State Univ.
Terry Bates
Viticulture Cornell, Fredonia
Richard Dunst
Viticulture Cornell, Fredonia
Highlights
Objective 1 - To evaluate and refine microirrigation management strategies to promote natural resource protection and optimal crop production.
Wine production in
NY and the Eastern US has increased dramatically in the last 20 years.
It has been noted in dry years is that grapevines that are stressed too
much produce white wines that have poor flavor development, very poor aging
characteristics and the development of specific unpleasant aromas (red
wines are not affected in the same way). These effects have been
related to excessive water stress and poor nitrogen in the grape juice.
So, beginning in 2001 we have examined the effects of irrigation and nitrogen
interactions on 'Riesling' grapevine productivity, fruit composition and
wine characteristics. In 2001 there was a late-season drought that
reduced leaf function, berry size and ripening of the non-irrigated vines.
Wines were made and after only 6 months differences were noted with the
irrigated vines showing more typical flavor development and fewer of the
characteristics of poor-aging wines. Tasting at 18 months showed
further declines in the stressed wines. 2002 was even drier with
severe mid-season stress and late-season stress although the stress was
relieved about 3 weeks before harvest. Wines again were made although
more fruit rot disease occurred in some of the irrigated plots that had
more leaf area and thus denser canopies. This interaction made analysis
more difficult. The 2003 season was much wetter and cooler than average.
No clear irrigation effects were seen due to the weather.
Objective 2 - To improve,
modify and evaluate microirrigation system design and components for natural
resource protection and optimal crop production.
No activities in this
objective.
Objective 3 - To assess and develop decision criteria for adoption of microirrigation technologies.
Apple growers in the Northeast US are increasingly interested in irrigation due to several significant drought periods in the past 5 years. Crop coefficients from arid climates due to the complexity of the microclimate of large discontinuous canopies, internal physiological factors affecting conductances, and different advective components (from cool lakes vs hot, dry areas). In 2002 we estimated water use by multiple replicate apple trees with sap flow gauges calibrated for shorter periods with whole canopy gas exchange chambers. The orchard tested was a mature slender spindle system on M.9 dwarfing rootstock with about 55% cover or light interception. We found that for the heat-pulse gauges used, the direct calibration with the gas exchange chambers was needed as the gauges gave greatly varying estimates on replicate trees. Mid-season healthy average orchard water use averaged about 3.0 mm ha-1 (21 mm week-1) from mid-June until the end of July. The estimates were compared to estimates of ET for a reference grass (by the current FAO modified equation) and to published apple crop coefficients. The actual Kc values peaked at about 0.8 in early July, lower than published values. There was not a good correlation between daily estimates by sap flow vs (Eto x Kc). The results showed that the published Kc values for apples for arid climates are approximately 30% too high for the Northeast.
Meteorological measures confirmed
that there were almost no gradients of humidity from the canopy to the
bulk air, i.e. essentially no boundary layer. This means that VPD
as well as stomatal conductance were important regulators of tree water
use in addition to net radiation. A further modification of the Penman-Monteith
equation to include the minimal boundary layer, as well as light and VPD
effects on stomatal conductance led to improved estimates of tree water
use in the variable climate of NY.
Objective 4 - To promote
appropriate microirrigation technologies through formal and informal educational
activities.
The results of these studies have been communicated to growers via popular publications (see below) and seminars presented at growers meetings in the Northeast region. Also results have been incorporated into the fruit crop physiology component of a graduate class on Woody Crop Physiology at Cornell University. The work on apple water use was the focus of a PhD thesis at Cornell University by Danilo Dragoni in the Department of Horticultural Sciences at Geneva.
Note – A. Lakso was awarded the 2003 New York Wine and Grape Foundation's Outstanding Research Award for significant research contributions to the grape and wine industries. This was based in large part on the irrigation research.
Presentations
Grower Presentations:
• NY Wine Industry Workshop,
Geneva, NY 2003 - Water stress/irrigation and wine quality problems
• Western NY Tree Fruit
Schools (2) – Water Stress and Water use in Apples
• Viticulture 2003 Regional
Grape Symposium
- Water Balance in vineyards
- Irrigation in Juice Grapes
Scientific Presentations:
• Invited Dept. Seminar,
Horticulture Department, Michigan State University
• American Society
for Enology and Viticulture / Eastern Section – Grapevine water use in
NY
• International Symposium
on Irrigation of Horticultural Crops – Davis CA – Measuring and modeling
water use in apple trees in the humid Northeast US
Potential Impact
This continuing work on juice grape irrigation has led more grape growers to put in drip irrigation systems, especially for newly planted Niagara grapes that is a growth component of the industry. This work led to the NY industry research award, attesting to its impact on the grape and wine industry. Also there has been a significant increase in grower interest in and installations of irrigation systems for apples and wine grapes in New York and elsewhere in the Northeast. For example, in 1999 a local evening grape grower meeting on irrigation drew 7 growers, but the same in 2002 drew over 60 growers. Irrigation is now considered an important management tool by many growers in the Northeast who previously assumed it was not necessary.
Recent Relevant Publications
Lakso, A.N. 2002. Getting a "feel" for water stress. Finger Lakes Vineyard Notes No. 7 (July 23), pp. 3-4.
Lakso, A.N., D.M. Eissenstat, L. Comas and R. Dunst. 2002. Effects of Irrigation and Pruning on Concord Grape Productivity and Seasonal Root Development. 2002 Proc. Irrig. Association (CD-ROM)
Lakso, A.N. 2003. Water relations of apples. P. 167-194. In: Apples: botany, production and uses. D.C. Ferree and I.A. Warrington (eds.), CAB International, Wallingford, Oxon, UK.
Lakso, A.N., D.M. Eissenstat, L. Comas and R. Dunst. 2003. Effects of Irrigation and Pruning on Concord Grape Productivity and Seasonal Root Development. International Water and Irrigation 23 (2)32-34.
Anderson, L.J., L.H. Comas, A.N. Lakso and D.M. Eissenstat. 2003. Multiple factors in root survivorship: a four-year study in Concord grape. New Phytologist 158(3): 489-501.
Li, K-T., A.N. Lakso, R.M. Piccioni, and T.L. Robinson. 2003. Summer pruning reduces whole-canopy carbon fixation and transpiration in apple trees. J. Horticultural Science and Biotechnology (in press)