2. Materials and methods
2.1. Experimental site
The study was performed during three consecutive years (2009,
2010 and 2011) in a commercial orchard located in Murcia (38◦8
N; 1◦13 W). The experimental plot had an area of 2 ha of 7-
year-old early nectarine trees cv ‘Flanoba’ grafted onto hybrid
GF677 rootstock at a spacing of 5.5 m
×
3.5 m. The soil, with an
average depth of 1.55 m, had low-available potassium (236 ppm)
and phosphorus content (6.6 ppm), low organic matter (0.76%)
and a clay loam texture. The electrical conductivity (EC) of the
irrigation water varied between 1.5 and 2.5 dS m−1, depending
on the source used (irrigation canal, well water or a mixture of
both), with maximum levels of chloride and sodium around of
12.6 and 13.4 mequiv. L−1, respectively. Usual cultural practices
(e.g. weed control, fertilization, pruning, fruit thinning and banding)
were carried out by the technical department of the commercial
orchard.