Evaluation of the effects of superabsorbent and mulch in rainfed almond orchards for determination of compatible cultivars in Alborz province of Iran

L. Mirzaei, A. Yadollahi
The development of rainfed orchards plays an important role in sustainable agriculture in Iran which is located in the arid and semi-arid area with an average rainfall of less than 247 mm. Regarding the development programs in the country and the lack of water resources, it is essential to reconsider the selection of plant species and methods of orchard establishment. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of organic materials with superabsorbent treatments on some almond cultivars ('Shahrood 10' and '12' grafted on bitter almond seedling and GF677 rootstock) in rainfed orchards to select the most compatible almond cultivars for semi-arid lands. The results showed that the highest soil moisture content was related to the treatment of mulch plus 200 g superabsorbent. The treatment of superabsorbent and mulch increased the almond sapling growth index compared to other treatments. The results indicated that the GF677 rootstock was the best compatible cultivar with rainfed conditions.
Mirzaei, L. and Yadollahi, A. (2021). Evaluation of the effects of superabsorbent and mulch in rainfed almond orchards for determination of compatible cultivars in Alborz province of Iran. Acta Hortic. 1315, 521-526
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2021.1315.76
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2021.1315.76
vegetative growth, drought stress, osmoregulation, drought resistance
English

Acta Horticulturae