Reducing post-harvest irrigation in sweet cherry production
Introduction
This study investigated whether reducing post-harvest irrigation in 'Sweetheart' cherry orchards would negatively affect fruit quality, yield, the timing of flower bud development, or flower bud cold hardiness.
The Okanagan Valley is one of the main production areas for sweet cherry in Canada, alongside other high-value tree fruits and wine grapes. Irrigation strategies that improve water-use efficiency while safeguarding crop yield and quality need to be evaluated to improve agricultural climate resiliency in the face of increasingly likely water restrictions.
Previous studies have shown that reducing irrigation post-harvest did not negatively affect fruit yield or quality for apricot, Japanese plum, peach, and sweet cherry. However, there has been limited research on the impact of water reductions on flower bud development and cold hardiness, factors that directly impact fruit yield and quality.
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About this Brief
This brief was prepared by the BC Food Web team with the help of Elizabeth Houghton, and is based on the following scientific journal article:
Houghton, E., Bevandick, K., Neilsen, D., Hannam, K., & Nelson, L. M. (2023). Effects of post-harvest deficit irrigation on sweet cherry (Prunus avium) in five Okanagan Valley, Canada, orchards: II. Phenology, cold hardiness, fruit yield, and quality. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 103(2), 184-200. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjps-2022-0201
Key Findings
Post-harvest watering of ‘Sweetheart’ cherry trees was reduced by 30% and 50% with no negative effects on fruit quality and yield, timing of flower bud development, or flower bud cold hardiness over three years.