Evaluation of Fig Performance Based on Tree Ages and Irrigation Intervals Under Dry Temperate Climate

Abstract

An experiment was conducted in orchards with different tree ages (3, 4, and 5 years old), in which three different irrigation intervals (5, 10, and 15 days) were applied to the orchards in two consecutive years, 2021 and 2022, to determine the ideal irrigation intervals based on the tree ages in the dry conditions of Zendejan district (Herat/Afghanistan) by considering different vegetative, productive, and fruit quality performances. According to the results, the highest morphological values observed were the following: average trunk cross sectional area (TCSA; 221.97 cm(2)), tree width (TW; 206.67 cm), annual shoot length (ASL; 118.33 cm), leaf length (LL; 21.77 cm), leaf width (LW; 24.67 cm), petiole length (PL; 13.20 cm), and leaf area (LA; 383.52 cm(2)). The lowest data recorded were the following: average TCSA (25.91 cm(2)), TW (116.67 cm), ASL (66.67 cm), LL (11.83 cm), LW (10.50 cm), PL (3.80 cm), and LA (88.53 cm(2)). Average highest fruit yield per tree (29.63 kg tree(-1)) and yield per hectare (21924.94 kg ha(-1)) were observed in the 5-year-old trees and with 5-day irrigation intervals, while the lowest observed fruit yield per tree (3.93 kg tree(-1)) and yield per hectare (2922.35 kg ha(-1)) were observed in the 3-year-old trees and 15-day irrigation intervals. Our results show that all of the tree performance and fruit qualities were affected by the irrigation intervals and tree ages. For our conclusion to be confirmed, long-term studies are required to optimize the irrigation intervals based on tree ages and to prevent using more water than in needed by the trees, since water shortage is a critical issue in dry regions.