Vol. 71 No: 2

Title:
Quality of ‘Flamekist’ Nectarine Fruits from an Orchard Irrigated with Reclaimed Sewage Water

Authors:
SUSAN LURIE, S. ZILKAH, I. DAVID, ZORIA LAPSKER and RUTH BEN ARIE

pp: 313-320

Abstract:
The effect of irrigation of an orchard of nectarine (Prunus persica L. cv. Flamekist) with reclaimed sewage water on fruit quality and storability was investigated during two seasons. Irrigation with reclaimed sewage water was also combined with additional nitrogen fertilizer, summer pruning, and reduced irrigation during the month before harvest, and compared with fruits from trees irrigated with fresh water. Average fruit size was unaffected by the treatments, although there was a higher percentage of fruits larger than 70 mm in diameter from trees irrigated with fresh water. Trees with additional nitrogen fertilizer had fewer fruits and delayed ripening. The treatments did not affect firmness or titratable acidity at harvest, but fruits from trees irrigated with sewage water had higher soluble solids than those from fresh water irrigation. Summer pruning further enhanced, and extra nitrogen decreased, soluble solids in one out of two seasons. After six weeks of controlled atmosphere storage 35–50% of the fruits from fresh water and from sewage water irrigation had healthy flesh, but fruits from fresh water were less juicy. The only treatment which gave a majority of fruits with acceptable eating quality (80 to 90%) was reduced irrigation with reclaimed sewage water during the month before harvest.

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