Different irrigation intervals and fertilizer rates effect on development and yield in Ferragnes and Ferraduel almond varieties under Malatya conditions

This study was conducted two years to determine the effects of different irrigation intervals and application times of foliar fertilizer on the vegetative and generative characteristics of Ferragnes and Ferraduel almond varieties. In both of the study years irrigation treatments were started in May and phenological periods of plant generative organs were recorded. Also fertilization treatments applied to starting from April. Plant trunk, main stem, tiller diameter and length values were measured twice a year at the beginning and end of plant development and data were evaluated with SPSS statistical program. Almond trees used in this study had 5x5 intervals established in 2012. 27 trees from each varieties were subjected to 10, 20, 30 days of irrigation and 1, 2, 3 times of foliar fertilizer treatment with 3 replications. After harvesting, the fruit pomological measurements were made by determining the amount of yield per tree. Ferragnes and Ferraduel almond varieties produced about 11.6 kg/tree and 12.3 kg/tree shell; 3.7 kg/tree and 3.1 kg/tree of kernel almonds, respectively in the first year of the study. In the second year the same varieties produced 18.9 kg/tree and 12.9 kg/tree shell; 6.6 kg/tree and 3.4 kg/tree of kernel almonds, respectively. Highest trunk, main stem, tiller diameter and tiller length values in both first and second years of study were obtained from plants with irrigation treatments of 10 days. It was determined that the fruit sizes were proportional to the total yield. At the end of the study, the effect of fertilizer could not be determined, but it was determined that irrigation treatments had significant effects on yields in almonds. In both varieties, plants with 10 and 20 days of irrigation were taken %50-100 more shell and kernel almonds than in compare with water stress (30 days).