Pistachio Phenology and Yield in a Cold-Winter Region of Spain: The Status of the Cultivation and Performance of Three Cultivars

In recent years, pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) cultivation is undergoing a great expansion in Spain, which is promising for regions where water and winter chilling are not limiting. Many areas of Castilla y León (Spain) provide suitable conditions for pistachio production, but heat requirement could...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Núñez, Lidia, Martín, Hugo, Mirás-Avalos, José Manuel, Álvarez Martín, Sara
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2024
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/373636
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/373636
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Flowering
Heat accumulation
Nut size
Nut yield
Pistacia vera L.
Shell splitting
Winter chill
Descripción
Sumario:In recent years, pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) cultivation is undergoing a great expansion in Spain, which is promising for regions where water and winter chilling are not limiting. Many areas of Castilla y León (Spain) provide suitable conditions for pistachio production, but heat requirement could be a limiting factor. The aims of this study were (i) to investigate the status of pistachios in Castilla y León and the relationships between phenology and agroclimatic conditions and (ii) to assess the performance of three pistachio cultivars (‘Kerman’, ‘Lost Hills’, and ‘Golden Hills’) in a plantation within this region. This work describes the phenological and productive behavior of three pistachio varieties in seven orchards over three years. The chilling requirements were exceeded, and heat accumulation was sufficient to complete the cycle in all seasons. Bloom and harvest occurred later in ‘Kerman’ than in ‘Golden Hills’ and ‘Lost Hills’. In general, ‘Kerman’ had higher nut yield than the other two cultivars but also had more non-split and blank nuts, aspects that should be considered for future plantations. Despite the interannual variability in yield, a trend to increase the production with water received was observed, but this also affected the quality and modified the splitting percentage.