The present investigation was carried out in Aly Mubark experimental farm at
El-Bostan in sandy soils, on 4-years old "Canine“ apricot trees budded on apricot
seedling rootstock during 2004 and 2005 seasons. The study aimed to study the
effect of soil matric potential on vegetative growth, fruit yield, amount of water and its
water use efficiency under drip irrigation system in sandy soil using the tensiometers.
Three treatments of soil matric potential were used as T1 (100-200 mbar), T2 (200-
300 mbar), T; (300-400 mbar), and control treatment as farm system which irrigated
with 80 Liter/treefirrigation. Increasing the amount of applied water to apricot trees
enhanced their growth rate, i.e. tree size, trunk cross-sectional area (TCA) and shoot
length while it decreased the total leaf chlorOphyll content. T1 treatment gave the
highest fruit set% followed by control treatment while T3 gave the lowest values. T1
treatment gave insignificant yield increment in first season. but it gave the highest
significant yield increment in the second season. T3 treatment gave higher water use
efficiency than T1, T2 and the control treatment, but it gave the lowest yield.
Calculated seasonal amount of applied irrigation water were 2173.08. 932.40, 621.60
and 3477.5 maifeddan in the first season and 2940.53, 1212.0, 635.04 and 3477.6
mafieddan in the second season for the irrigation treatment T1, T2, T3 and control.
The water use efficiency for T1 and control were 4.0767 and 2.315 Kg! m3 water in
the first season and 3.3926 and 2.6165 Kg! rn3 water in the second season,
respectively. Therefore, using water soil potential at 100-200 mbar was
recommended as the best level for 'Canino“ trees irrigation in sandy soil.