Abstract

CASTRO-BOBADILLA, Gerardo; MARTINEZ, Armando J.; MARTINEZ, María L.  and  GARCIA-FRANCO, José G.. Application of located irrigation system to increase the retention of fruit of Vanilla planifolia in the Totonacapan, Veracruz, México. Agrociencia [online]. 2011, vol.45, n.3, pp.281-291. ISSN 2521-9766.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the irrigation system on fruit retention of Vanilla planifolia Andrews. An irrigation system located in orchards with three types of management was designed and tested in Totonacapan, Veracruz, México. During 2000 and 2001, 40 host trees with vanilla plants per host tree and divided into groups of 10 individuals were selected in technical (Te), semitechnical (St) and traditional (Tr) orchards. Irrigation was provided daily at 18:00 h during the dry season (May-June) in four treatments: 1) 1.0 L m^-2 of water; 2) 0.5 L m^-2; 3) 0.25 L m^{" 2}; 4) a control group without irrigation. Fruit retention of vanilla in the plants was monthly quantified and the tree cover in each type of plot to obtain the percentage of shade was measured. Soil pH, temperature, precipitation and atmospheric moisture were measured. The retention of fruits did not vary between years, which was 45 to 70 % and equivalent to 0.44 t ha ^-1; this result is are higher than the domestic average (0.22 t ha ^-1). The orchard with semi-technical management shows retention of 69.5 % of fruits, attributable to irrigation and cropping system characteristics. The combination of soil moisture and management of fields of vanilla crops seem to have a strong influence on fruit retention, improving the condition of the crop.

Keywords : water supply; fructification; crop systems; vanilla; water stress.

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