Response of Different Irrigation Levels on Vegetative Parameters of Sweet Cherry Grown in a High Density Planting System

A field experiment was conducted on four year old plants of Sweet cherry cv. Regina grafted on Gisela- 5 rootstock (planted in 2013) at SKUAST-K Shalimar Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir. The period of experiment covers the years from 2016-2018. The experiment consisted of four irrigation treatment combinations I0(0%), I1 (50%), I2 (75%) and I3 (100%) based on Class A Pan Evaporation percentages (0%, 50%, 75% and 100%) that were applied at four growth stages viz Fruit set stage (T1), Pit hardening stage (T2), Fruit growth stage (T3) and Fruit bud differentiation stage (T4). The quantity of water required was applied through drip irrigation on daily basis as per crop evapotranspiration. The difference between water levels was 25%. The vegetative parameters such as plant height, plant girth, trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA) and annual shoot extension growth of young dwarf sweet cherry plants cv. Regina on Gisela-5 were investigated in temperate climate. The experiment was laid out in Randomised Block Design with three replications. Maximum average values of vegetative growth parameters were obtained in I3 treatment followed by I2. Highest plant height and annual shoot extension growth was recorded at T1 stage however maximum plant girth was recorded at T3 stage and highest TCSA was obtained at T4 stage. Furthermore the highest plant girth was recorded in I3T3 combination. Plants treated with 100% and 75% ETc level of irrigation excelled in vegetative growth parameters.