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Scientia Silvae Sinicae ›› 2014, Vol. 50 ›› Issue (12): 40-46.doi: 10.11707/j.1001-7488.20141206

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Effects of Soil Moisture on Fruit Growth of Camellia oleifera

Wang Ruihui, Zhong Feixia, Liao Wenting, Li Ting   

  1. Key Laboratory of Silviculture, Central South University of Forestry and Technology Changsha 410004
  • Received:2014-04-21 Revised:2014-06-24 Online:2014-12-25 Published:2015-01-08

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Abstract:

A 10-year-old Camellia oleifera ‘Xianglin 81’ clone, in the south hilly area of Changsha was subjected to five different soil water regimes of: no drought stress (T1), slight drought stress (T2), moderate drought stress (T3), severe drought stress (T4), and natural state (T5). The fruit growth of C. oleifera was regularly measured. The results showed that the fruit diameter, fruit height, and fruit volume were greatest in the group T2 and smallest in the group T4, and their terminal values were 35.7 mm,40.0 mm,26.6 cm3 in the group T2, and 29.6 mm,36.2 mm,16.6 cm3 in the group T4, respectively. All the fruit diameter, fruit height and fruit volume growth models, except fruit diameter and fruit high in group T1, were cubic polynomial with their R2s of over 0.944. However the fruit diameter and fruit high in T1 were quadratic polynomial with the fruit volume growth. Meanwhile the terminal value of fruit-shape-index was smallest in T2 of 1.12, and greatest in T1 of 1.29, indicating that T1 treatment benefited for the fruit diameter growth. The fruit growth of C. oleifera can be divided into four periods: the early growth stage (before July 14), fast growth I period (July 14 to August 13), fast growth II period (August 14 to September 7) and the later growth stage (after September 7). The key period for the fruit growth is middle July to early September, especially middle August to early September. The fruit growth in this period is sensitive to soil moisture. Experiments showed that soil moisture had a significant influence on the fruit growth, and maintaining a slight-water-shortage was the most effective way for the fruit growth. These results can provide the technical support for improving the water management and keeping high and stable yield of C. oleifera.

Key words: Camellia oleifera, soil moisture, fruit growth, water management

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