DETERMINATION OF THE CONSUMTIVE USE OF THE APPLE TREE (Malus pumila Mill) cv Goider spur and Red delicious BY THE GRAVIMETRIC METHOD IN CUAUHTEMOC, CHIH.

Abstract

Apple growing in the State of Chihuahua is very important econo­mic activity. Studies carried out at euauhtemoc, chih. indicate that there is not an efficient use of irrigation water, mainly because of lack of information concerning to when, how and how much to apply.

The objetive of this research was to determine the consumptive use (C.U.) of apple trees 13 years old of Golden spur and Red delicious by the gravimetric Method.
Results obtained indicate a c.u. of 112.1 cm from January to December of 1983. The phenology stage that required more water was during the fruit development period from May 15 to August 15 with a consuption of 8.67 mm/day.
Golden spur yielded 1.66 kg/m³ of applied water, whereas Red delicious yielded only 0.35 kg/m³ of water .. Water requirements were satisfied with 8 irrigations from March 18 to July 15 with a total of 72 cm of water applied, supplemented with an effective rain of 40.12 cm from January to December.
Consumptive use determined by other methods yielded the follo­wing: Thorntwaite c.u. = 6.5 cm; Blanney and Criddle c.u. = 100 cm.