Assessment of different irrigation strategies on yield and quality characteristics of drip irrigated pomegranate under mediterranean conditions

This research was carried out to determine the effect of drip irrigation strategies on yield and quality characteristics of pomegranate (Punica granatum L. cv. Hicaznar) trees during the growing seasons between 2013 and 2015 years at BatA +/- Akdeniz Agricultural Research Institute in Antalya, Turkey. The amount of irrigation water applied was based on cumulative Class A pan evaporation (K (cp1) 0.50, K (cp2) 0.75, K (cp3) 1.00 and K (cp4) 1.25) measured in two irrigation intervals (D (1), 3 days; D (2,) 6 days). It was determined that irrigation intervals did not affect yield, while irrigation water levels were found to be statistically significant. The average water consumptions determined from a soil water balance were 797 mm for K (cp4), 730 mm for K (cp3), 658 mm for K (cp2), and 591 mm for K (cp1) irrigation level. According to the averaged values of 3 years, annual yield for K (cp4), K (cp3), K (cp2), and K (cp1) irrigation levels were 29.2, 28.9, 23.6, and 18.8 t ha(-1), respectively. While the effects of irrigation treatment on fruit weight, total soluble solids, total acidity and pH of juice were not significant, its effect on canopy volume and total trunk cross sectional area were found to be significant. It is concluded that pomegranate trees can be irrigated at 6 days interval using the amount of irrigation equal to 75% of cumulative Class A Pan evaporation to obtain the highest water use efficiency.