In order to investigate how hazelnut responds to microsprinkler irrigation, a field experiment was conducted on three and four year’s old trees, during the 2013 and 2014. The experiment was conducted on a private household located on the southern slopes of Fruska gora mountain, a narrow, island mountain in Pannonia plain, with favorable microclimatic conditions for orchard production. Prior to orchard establishment the soil pit was dug in order to assess the water-physical characteristics at the investigation site. The hazelnut was grown on Colluvic Calcaric Regosol (Loamic), according to WRB classification. A bush type of hazelnut, Istarski dugi variety was used. Plants were spaced 3 m apart within the row and 4 m apart between rows. Irrigation was scheduled on the basis of water balance, using the reference evapotranspiration (ETo) and crop coefficients. ETo was calculated daily by FAO 56 Penman-Monteith method and the amount of precipitation was measured by rain gauge. The irrigation was conducted with microsprinklers, with irrigation rate of 50 mm. The control, rainfed variant was also included. Analyzes of yield and yield components were carried out in the Laboratory for the analysis of plant material and pedology and water regime of soil, the Department of Field and Vegetable Crops at the Faculty of Agriculture in Novi Sad. The study design featured six replications per variant. Yield was registered per tree on both irrigated and nonirrigated variant and parameters of vegetative growth (plant height, cross-section of a tree, the crown volume) were also analyzed. The relationship between the kernel and the shell was determined. Vegetative growth and yield characters were positively affected by irrigation. Number and weight of nut per tree and percentage of kernel were slightly increased on irrigated variant. However, the irrigation effect highly depends on weather conditions, which confirms its supplementary character. Irrigation primarily reduces the number and weight of empty and defected nuts, which were higher under rainfed conditions. Calculated values of water used on evapotranspiration, which amounted about 478 mm, in average, could be considered as the season water requirements of hazelnut, in initial years, for climate conditions of the region. The results indicate the necessity of irrigation of hazelnut in agroecological conditions of Vojvodina.

hazelnut, irrigation, yield, water use

Presentation: poster