Effects of Different Irrigation Levels on Fruit Yield and Quality of Valencia Late Orange Under Northern Cyprus Conditions

Abstract

This study was carried out to define different drip irrigation approaches on fruit yield and quality parameters of orange (Citrus sinensis cv. Valencia Late) trees during 2014-2016 at the private farm in Güzelyurt, Northern Cyprus. The amount of irrigation water was applied based on the total evaporation amount obtained from the Class A pan (Kcp1:1.25, Kcp2:1.00, Kcp3:0.75 and Kcp4:0.50) and experimental plots were irrigated when the total evaporation of Class A pan was about 35 ± 5 mm. It was determined that irrigation treatments affect yield, weight, length, width and juice of fruit, total soluble sugar, total acidity, pH and vitamin C content except for peel thickness. The average evapotranspiration values were 1343.5 mm for Kcp1, 1135.0 mm for Kcp2, 956.0 mm for Kcp3, and 787.3 mm for Kcp4 irrigation treatments. According to the average data of 2 years, yearly yield for Kcp1, Kcp2, Kcp3, and Kcp4 irrigation levels were 45.0, 47.1, 38.7, and 19.2 t ha-1, respectively. It is determined that Valencia Late can be irrigated by means of the volume of irrigation equivalent to 75% of Class A Pan in Güzelyurt region in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Keywords

• citrus
• drip irrigation
• water use
• yield
• total soluble sugar