Effect of irrigation regime on water use efficiency and qualitative properties of panonia grapes

Abstract

The cultivation of plant cultures, in this case vines, largely depends on the climate, which directly affects the growth and development of grapes. The aim of this study is to determine the impact of different irrigation regimes on yield, water use efficiency (WUE), and grape quality parameters. The experiment was conducted in a vineyard growing a white varietal (cv. Panonia) at Plavinci, Serbia. During the experimental year (2021), temperatures were significantly higher and precipitation significantly below average during the phenophase of maturation, so irrigation was applied in three regimes as a percentage of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) during the vegetation period: full irrigated, F (100% ETc); deficit, D (50% ETc); and rainfed, R (0% ETc). The watering turn was 7 days, and the watering norm, ie. the amount of water given in one watering was 15 mm for D and 30 mm for F treatment. The obtained results indicate that the yields are significantly higher in irrigation treatments, ie. they range from: 12.776,04 kg•ha-1, 13.763,56 kg•ha-1 and 10.122,08 kg•ha-1 for F, D, R, respectively. Irrigation water use efficiency is 14,74 kg•ha-1•mm-1 and 40,46 kg•ha-1•mm-1 for IWUEF and IWUED. In the non-irrigated treatment, WUER is 39,53 kg•ha-1•mm-1. The sugar content in the wider by treatments is 22,4%, 22,8% and 21,1% for F, D, R, respectively. The content of total acids is 5,25 g/l, 6,15 g/l and 5,33 g/l, for F, D, R, respectively. The treatment of deficit irrigation shows the best results because it consumes water efficiently and has excellent grape quality.