What are the control measures for drought damage in jujube trees?

The drought resistance of jujube trees is relatively strong; it is commonly known as the “iron-stem crop”, but if drought persists for a long time and cannot meet the minimum water required for the growth and development of jujube trees, it will seriously affect the growth, development and fruiting of jujube trees.

1. Symptoms of drought damage

(1) Growth and development stop. Because the root system cannot absorb water for a long time to supply what the aboveground parts need for growth and development, transpiration exceeds absorption, causing an imbalance in the water balance within the tree, resulting in slow or stopped growth and development of jujube trees and accelerating their aging. This is especially true for nursery seedlings and newly developed young trees; if they cannot obtain water for a long time, the entire seedlings and young trees often dry up.

(2) Leaf drop, scorched flowers, and fruit drop. If drought occurs without rain during the growing season of jujube trees, the leaves curl, then turn yellow and fall off; if drought occurs during the flowering period, the flowers scorch, produce no nectar, and the fruit-setting rate is extremely low; if drought occurs during the young fruit stage, the young fruit becomes soft, shrivels, loses water and drops.

(3) Reduced ability to resist diseases and pests. Long-term drought leads to weakened trees and reduced ability to resist diseases and pests. For example, long-term drought often leads to outbreaks of jujube bud mites and red spider mites, and epidemics of scorched leaf disease.

2. Control measures

(1) When establishing an orchard, pay attention to the construction of an irrigation system, and water promptly during drought to replenish moisture.

(2) Strengthen jujube orchard management, carry out intertillage and weeding, tree-disc mulching and other measures to maintain soil moisture.

(3) Spray water in the jujube orchard to increase air humidity, reduce water evaporation, and alleviate part of the drought.