Crop yield response to water - Cra

Figure 1 Production trends for sweet cherries in the principal countries (FAO, 2011).TurkeyIranUSAItalySpain450400350Production (1 000 tonne)300250200150100500198519901995200020052009before maturation and leads to a rapid increase in fruit size (Figure 2). This is a phase of rapidexpansive growth. All three stages may take place in less than three months depending on thecultivar used and the temperature regime (growing degree days) of the site.Responses to Water DeficitsThe timing of water stress is important for cherry. Stages I and III are short and very sensitive towater stress. Stage II can be even shorter and usually overlaps with Stages I and III; for this reasonFigure 2Daily patterns of mean individual Summit cherry fresh mass grown in fully irrigated trees. Fruitgrowth stages are signalled in-between vertical lines.1412Fruit fresh mass (g)10864Stage III2Stage II0Stage I8-April 23-April 8-May 23-Maysweet CHERRY 451