Economic analysis of different mulch applications and irrigation programs in apple production

Abstract

Economic analysis of different mulch materials and irrigation programs on Fuji apple variety grafted onto M9 rootstock was made in this study. Mulch treatments consisted of four different mulch materials including black textile, wheat straw, rose oil processing wastes and no mulch. There were three different irrigation programs for each mulch treatment. Irrigation programs also consisted of three different programs including starting irrigation when available water holding capacity of 20%, 40% and 60% at the effective root zone. Total production costs had fluctuating according to treatments. While rose oil processing and the program starting irrigation when available water holding capacity of 60% at the root zone was used had the lowest total production costs, wheat straw and the program starting irrigation when available water holding capacity of 20% at the root zone was used had the highest values. But, black textile mulch and the program which starting at irrigation when available water holding capacity of 20% at the root zone was used had the lowest unit production cost with 0.39 TL kg-1 highest yield, extra and class I fruits. Furthermore, according to apple marketing prices of 2014, considering yield and fruit quality, the highest gross profit with 51 223 TL ha-1 was obtained from black textile mulch and the program starting irrigation when available water holding capacity of 20% at the root zone was used.

Keywords

• Gross profit
• Economic analysis
• Quality
• M9 Rootstock
• Yield