Use of infrared thermography on canopies as indicator of water stress in 'Arbequina' olive orchards

Abstract

Irrigation scheduling is critical for olive orchards, since it affects both fruit yield and olives composition. Regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) strategies have been applied with positive results in the past. However, to successfully regulate stress levels, it is necessary to have accurate measurements of plant water status, which is usually done using a pressure chamber. Canopy temperature (Tc) is another potential accurate indicator of water stress. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate three methods to obtain Tc values from infrared thermal images to calculate the crop water stress index (CWSI). Furthermore, the relation between CWSI and midday stem water potential (MSW..