Effect of ditching and mulching on fruit quality attributes and water consumption of 'Hakuho' peach

The effect of mulching and ditching on fruit quality, yield and water consumption of peach under local ecological conditions in northern China (39 degrees 58' N, 116 degrees 40'E) was studied in a three-year experiment. Three treatments were established as follows: conventional cultivation (CK); the same as CK with alternating south-north-oriented ditches between rows (PF); the same as PF with black polyethylene film covering the entire soil surface (PFM). Results showed that water consumption was approximately 627 mm during the peach growing season. The timing and intensity of rainfall were the driving factor increasing water supply to peach in July and August. Due to an effect of the mulching film, the soil water content of PFM was lower than that of CK at the same depths when there was a rain. Pruning fresh weight ranked as CK > PF > PFM in average. The concentration of sucrose, glucose, fructose, and sorbitol of PFM fruit showed a 6.5, 8.7, 10.9, 10.7%, 7.9, 8.0, 11.1, 14.6% and 11.0, 9.4, 13.5, 17.3% increase compared to that of CK in 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively, and sugar content in CK was significantly decreased. Mulching was responsible for improving the fruit quality by decreasing soil water content.