Abstracto
- In Colombia the area planted with citrus is marginal when compared to the potential area for cultivation, due to factors such as water deficit, nutrition and efficiency of fruit formation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of water deficit by controlled application of water through soil profile in orange crop var. Valencia (Citrus sinensis Osbeck) in the foothills Meta department, Colombia. The irrigation treatments (T) were: T1 = 100% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc); T2 = 50% ETc; T3 = control = 0% ETc. Irrigation was applied from the beginning of flowering in February to fruit formation in April 2011. The experimental design was randomized complete blocks with three replicates per treatment. The variables evaluated were: soil moisture (θg), plant water status (Ψtallo), phenology, budding, flowering, formation, growth and fruit quality. The trees in the T1 had a higher number and size of fruit, but found no differences (P> 0.05) in yield and quality compared to the control, the θg and Ψtallo were different (P <0.05) between treatments and the control showed reduced values 13.82% and -2.5 MPa, indicating moderate stress.
