Linking water stress and carbon partitioning

Despite the well-known effects of water potential on fruit-tree growth and development, very few models combine carbohydrate allocation with water transport. Da Silva et al. introduce a xylem circuit into the L-Peach model, based on an electrical circuit analogy and the Hagen–Poisseuille law for hydraulic conductance, and find that it is able to simulate both the water uptake over a season and the effect of different irrigation treatments on tree development, growth and fruit yield. The model thus allows complex interactions between water transport, carbohydrate allocation and physiological functions to be simulated at the organ level.