Previous studies in the southeastern United States have reported benefits of irrigated vs non irrigated orchards, including no major effects of soil-applied fertilizers on fruit yield and quality. However, the benefits of irrigation systems and foliar fertilization effects on yield, and fruit nutrient profiles and quality are limited. This study was conducted in a nine-year-old peach orchard using a split-plot randomized complete block design with two irrigation systems, drip vs micro-sprinkler as whole-plots, and foliar treatments as split plots. Preharvest foliar applications included water (control), nanocellulose crystals (CNC 3%), Calcium (Ca 6%), Potassium Silicate (K2SiO3), plus the combination of CNC with Ca and K2SiO3. Trees received no soil-applied fertilization, and irrigation was managed using the Peach Smart Irrigation App recommendations (https://smartirrigationapps.org/peach-app/). Even though no significant differences were observed in irrigation systems or foliar treatments for fruit weight or perimeter, all foliar treatments resulted in higher total yield compared to the control under drip irrigation. Under micro-sprinkler irrigation, only K2SiO3 and CNC increased total yield relative to the control. Regarding texture, control fruit showed decreased firmness after two weeks of storage at 2 °C and 90% relative humidity. There were main effects of irrigation in total soluble solids (TSS), where micro-sprinkler (10.27%) had higher TSS than drip irrigation (9.67%). Overall, these findings suggest that drip irrigation and foliar applications, particularly with CNC and K2SiO3, may enhance yield in peaches.
