INFLUENCE OF IRRIGATION ON THE GROWTH AND PRODUCTION OF YOUNG HAZELNUTS

A three year irrigation experiment was carried out on young hazelnut plants, cv. Tonda gentile romana. Irrigation was applied starting from the second year after planting. Three different watering treatments, corresponding to the restitution of respectively 50,75,100 % of ETM measured from class A evaporation were applied and compared to an unirrigated treatment. Shoot elongation, trunk and shoot basal diameter growth, leaf area and LAI development and yield per hectare were affected by water availability, the optimal balance between vegetative growth and production observed at 75 % ETM.