Plant water status of apple trees and its measurement in the field. V. The dye technique for the measurement of fruit water potential

Abstract

Of the techniques available for the measurement of water potentials in plant storage organs, most are inconvenient and unsatisfactory for field use. The dye method, a densiometric technique, has been developed for the measurement of apple fruit water potentials in the field. A description of the technique is given. Provided precautions relating to fruit exposure, equilibration time and fruit insertion height are observed, the technique appears to be satisfactory for field use.