Seasonal variations in water use of japanese plum orchards under micro-sprinkler and drip irrigation methods using fruitlook data

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dc.contributor.authorMashabatu, Munashe
dc.contributor.authorMotsei, Nonofo
dc.contributor.authorJovanovic, Nebojsa
dc.date.accessioned2025-10-29T09:24:05Z
dc.date.available2025-10-29T09:24:05Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.description.abstractSouth Africa is considered one of the driest countries, and its water insecurity challenges are exacerbated by climate change and variability, depletion, and degradation, among other factors. The challenges of water insecurity are exacerbated by some of the introduced crops, like the Japanese plums (Prunus salicina Lindl.) grown in South Africa, as they consume a lot of water. The Japanese plums are grown under irrigation to supplement low and erratic rainfall in the country. There is little information on the water requirements of Japanese plums (particularly in water-scarce regions), a gap addressed by this study. Therefore, the study aims to quantify and compare the seasonal water use of high-performing, full-bearing Japanese plum orchards under drip and micro-sprinkler irrigation in the Western Cape Province, using readily available satellite data from the FruitLook platform. The seasonal water use volumes of selected plum orchards were compared at provincial and farm scales. At a provincial scale, micro-sprinkler-irrigated orchards consumed significantly more water (up to 19%) than drip-irrigated orchards, whilst drip-irrigated orchards experienced an average 38% greater water deficit. Results were more variable at the farm scale, which was attributed to the influence of site-specific soil, climate, and crop conditions on the performance of the irrigation methods. Therefore, a blanket approach cannot be used when selecting an irrigation method and design. Instead, a case-by-case approach is recommended, which takes into account the root distribution, soil texture, and planting density, among other factors. The generated knowledge facilitates allocating and licensing water resources, developing accurate irrigation scheduling, and promoting improved water use efficiency.
dc.identifier.citationMashabatu, M., Motsei, N., Jovanovic, N. and Nhamo, L., 2025. Seasonal Variations in Water Use of Japanese Plum Orchards Under Micro-Sprinkler and Drip Irrigation Methods Using FruitLook Data. Water, 17(3), p.300.
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.3390/w17030300
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10566/21205
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
dc.subjectCrop water use
dc.subjectDeciduous fruit
dc.subjectIrrigation scheduling
dc.subjectPrunus salicina
dc.subjectWater deficit
dc.titleSeasonal variations in water use of japanese plum orchards under micro-sprinkler and drip irrigation methods using fruitlook data
dc.typeArticle

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