Crop yield response to water - Cra

Figure 1 Production trends for peaches in the principal countries (FAO, 2011).ItalyTurkeySpainUSAGreeceChinaFrance8 0004 0000Production (1 000 tonne)2 0001 5001 0005000198519901995200020052010Fruit qualityThere are many factors determining peach fruit quality and some of them have asignificant influence in the crop value, particularly, fruit size. Fresh market peaches arevalued for their size, and large sizes fetch premium prices in many markets. Fruit sizedepends on tree fruit numbers and is affected by environmental factors such as waterdeficits. Colour and lack of visual defects are also important quality aspects; the colouris determined by light exposure during fruit growth that, in turn depends, on treeconfiguration, degree of vegetative growth and fruit position on the tree. Other qualityfactors include firmness, concentrations of total soluble solids (TSS), soluble sugars,titratable acidity (TA), sugar to acid ratio, aroma volatiles, enhanced maturity and betterstorability (shelf-life). All of these parameters respond to variations in the tree watersupply that affect tree water status.branches throughout the tree canopy. Sometimes, trellises are used with the trees shaped in ahorizontal plane, or in a V shape. For the very intensive plantations, low tree vigour is favouredto reduce mutual shading and harvest costs. Some dwarf tree cultivars have been bred in thepast, but have had little commercial success.peach 393