Effects of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) water status on water consumption, vegetative growth and grape quality: An irrigation scheduling application to achieve regulated deficit irrigation

Abstract

Precision irrigation in grapevines could be achieved using physiologically based irrigation scheduling methods. This paper describes an investigation on the effects of three midday stem water potential (midday ΨS) thresholds, imposed from post-setting, over water use, vegetative growth, grape quality and yield of grapevines cv. Cabernet Sauvignon. An experiment was carried out on a vineyard located at the Isla de Maipo, Metropolitana Region, Chile, throughout the 2002/03, 2003/04 and 2004/05 growing seasons. Irrigation treatments consisted in reaching the following midday ΨS thresholds: -0.8 to -0.95 MPa (T1); -1.0 to -1.2 MPa (T2) and -1.25 to -1.4 MPa (T3) from post-setting to harvest. Res..