Evaluación de la calidad y acreditación en el sistema español de educación universitaria

The aim of this article is a descriptive and critical analysis of quality management in Spain, not only referring to the institutional scope (degrees, departments and services), but teachinf staff (quality assurances and rating) and different kind of degrees (quality assurance and validation). We also try to join the national and autonomic processes of assessment. This is the correct framework to proposals of improvement in the detected weaknesses.En el presente artículo realizamos una exposición descriptiva y un análisis crítico de la gestión llevadas a cabo en España en materia de evaluación (de la calidad), tanto en el ámbito institucional (titulaciones, departamentos y servicios), como del profesorado (acreditación y habilitación) y de los títulos universitarios (acreditación y homologación). Asimismo, intentamos conjugar las vías tanto nacionales como autonómicas de aplicación de los procesos evaluativos, lo que nos brinda el marco imprescindible para la propuesta de mejora en aquellas debilidades detectadas

Water relation response to soil chilling of six olive (Olea europaea L) cultivars with different frost resistance

The relationship between the water relations of six olive cultivars exposed to different soil temperatures (14 0.1, 9.9 0.1 and 5.8 0.2°C) and their inherent frost resistance (as determined by two different methods) was investigated. Soil chilling was achieved by introducing pots of olive plants into water baths. The water relations of these plants were compared to those of plants kept under conditions of room temperature. The cultivars Frantoio, Picual and Changlot Real began to show significant dehydration below 14°C, while Cornicabra, Arbequina and Ascolana Tenera showed this below 10°C. This response is probably due to delayed stomatal closure. Only Cornicabra and Picual showed a significant reduction in leaf conductance (below 10°C and 6°C respectively). This absence of stomatal control led to a significantly greater dehydration in Ascolana Tenera. These variations in response to the soil chilling temperature suggest that different mechanisms may be at work, and indicate that would be necessary to study the influence of rootstock in the frost resistance of olive plants. The variations recorded grouped the cultivars as either resistant (Cornicabra), tolerant (Picual, Ascolana Tenera and Arbequina), or sensitive (Frantoio and Changlot Real). This classification is in line with the frost resistance reported for these cultivars in the literature, and with the results obtained in the present work using the stomatal density and ion leakage methods of determining such resistance.Se ha investigado la relación existente entre el estado hídrico de 6 variedades de olivo expuestas a diferentes temperaturas del suelo y su resistencia al frío (determinada por dos métodos). El frío del suelo fue conseguido introduciendo las macetas de las plantas de olivo en baños de agua. Se comparó el estado hídrico de estas plantas con el de plantas en condiciones de temperatura ambiente. Las variedades Frantoio, Picual y Changlot Real comenzaron a mostrar una deshidratación significativa por debajo de 14°C, mientras que para Cornicabra, Arbequina y Ascolana Tenera lo fue por debajo de 10°C. Esta respuesta es posiblemente debida a un retraso en el cierre estomático. Solamente Cornicabra y Picual mostraron una reducción significativa de la conductancia de la hoja (por debajo de 10°C y 6°C respectivamente). Esta ausencia de control estomático condujo a una significativa mayor deshidratación en Ascolana Ternera. Estas variaciones en respuesta al frío en el suelo sugieren diferentes mecanismos de actuación, e indican que la utilización de un portainjerto puede dar resistencia al frío en plantas de olivo. Los datos agruparon las variedades como resistentes (Cornicabra), tolerantes (Picual, Ascolana Tenera y Arbequina) o sensibles (Frantoio y Changlot Real). Esta clasificación está en consonancia con la resistencia a frío que se recoge en la literatura para estas variedades, y con los resultados obtenidos en este trabajo usando los métodos de densidad estomática y liberación de iones para determinar dicha resistencia

Phenology, Morphology and Physiology Responses of Deficit Irrigated ‘Koroneiki’ Olive Trees as Affected by Environmental Conditions and Alternate Bearing

Climate change is affecting water resources in the Mediterranean region. In olive orchards, irrigation water use efficiency could be increased by accounting for trees’ alternate bearing behaviour and growth-stage sensitivity to drought. The main objective of this study is to examine olive tree phenology, morphology and physiology in “on” and “off” productive years for the improvement of irrigation scheduling. A regulated (RDI) and a sustained (SDI) deficit irrigation treatment were applied in a ‘Koroneiki’ olive orchard in Cyprus. Flowering occurred on 11 May 2019 and on 27 April 2021, which was caused by the lower temperatures in 2019. The Kc for the irrigation season, computed from daily water balance observations, was 0.37 in 2019 (38% canopy cover) and 0.41 in 2021 (62% canopy cover). Irrigation treatments did not significantly affect plant morphology and stem water potentials. In “on” years, shoot elongation ceased early in the season and stem water potential towards the end of September (−4.0 MPa) was lower than in the “off” year. Stem water potential recovery in the September of the “off” year indicated that irrigation could be less than 35% ETc in early fall. Water savings in RDI were 24–32% in “on” and 48% in “off” years relative to SDI, with no statistically significant effects on olive yield

Limitations and usefulness of maximum daily shrinkage (MDS) and trunk growth rate (TGR) indicators in the irrigation scheduling of table olive trees

Maximum daily trunk shrinkage (MDS) is the most popular indicator derived from trunk diameter fluctuations in most fruit trees and has been reported to be one of the earliest signs in the detection of water stress. However, in some species such as olive trees (Olea europaea L.), MDS does not usually change in water stress conditions and trunk growth rate (TGR) has been suggested as better indicator. Most of this lack of sensitivity to drought conditions has been related to the relationship between the MDS and the water potential. This curvilinear relationship produces an uncertain zone were great variations of water potential do not imply any changes of MDS. The MDS signal, the ratio between measured MDS and estimated MDS with full irrigation, has been thought to be a better indicator than MDS, as it reduces the effect of the environment.. On the other hand, though literature results suggest an effect of environment in TGR values, there are not clear relationship between this indicator and meteorological data. The aims of this work are, on one hand, to study the improvements of the baseline approach in the MDS signal and, on the other, study the influence of several meteorological variables in TGR. Three years’ data from an irrigation experiment were used in to carry out the MDS analysis and six years’ data for full irrigated trees during pit hardening period were used for TGR study. The comparison between MDS vs. water potential and MDS signal vs. water potential presented a great scattering in both relationships. Values of MDS signal between 1.1 and 1.4 were always identified with moderate water stress conditions (−1.4 to −2 MPa of water potential). However, since this MDS signal values are around the maximum in the curvilineal relationship with water potential, greater values of MDS signal (in the range of 1.1–1.4) were not necessary lower values of water potential. In addition, during low fruit load seasons MDS signal was not an accurate indicator. On the other hand, absolute values of several climatological measurements were not significantly related with TGR. Only daily increments explain part of the variations of TGR in full irrigated trees. In all the data analysed, the daily increment of average vapour pressure deficit was the best indicator related with TGR. The increase of this indicator decreased TGR values. In addition, the agreement between this indicator and TGR was affected for fruit load. Great yield seasons decrease the influence of VPD increment in TGR.Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, (AGL2010-19201-CO4-03 and AGL2013-45922-C2-1-R

Estudio de la gestión de las estrategias de riego en los olivares tradicionales.

El riego en el olivar tradicional permite aumentar el rendimiento, pero supone un coste adicional que debe optimizarse. La provincia de Jaén (España) es el lugar del mundo donde el riego de este tipo de olivar es más importante. La gran homogeneidad existente en los sistemas de riego localizados y la tipología de las instalaciones y equipos instalados en estos cultivos tradicionales en esta provincia, permite estudiar y caracterizar diferentes estrategias para el diseño de proyectos de riego que no afecten al rendimiento del cultivo, cuando se disminuye la dosis de aplicación. El objetivo de este trabajo es caracterizar el riego del olivar en una amplia región. Para ello, se estudia la variación del contenido de agua en el suelo de una finca típica de olivos bajo diferentes escenarios de precipitación, demanda evaporativa, tasa de aplicación y disponibilidad temporal de agua de riego para estimar las necesidades y estrategias de riego más adecuadas. El estudio se ha realizado con los datos disponibles de 18 estaciones agroclimáticas con las que se han establecido patrones de precipitación máxima, media y mínima. Se consideraron tasas de aplicación diaria en instalaciones típicas de 3,2 (1 sector), 1,6 (2 sectores) y 1,1 (3 sectores) mm día‐1, combinadas con tres tipos de disponibilidad de agua: diaria, sólo durante 20 días al mes y con ausencia total en agosto. Los resultados se analizaron desde el punto de vista del momento de inicio del estrés hídrico, las necesidades de riego, las horas de funcionamiento del sistema y la dosis de riego. Los resultados sugieren que la estrategia de riego de 2 sectores con ausencia de riego en agosto podría ser económicamente la de mayor interés para el olivicultor. Por otro lado, se obtiene que la estrategia que garantiza un mejor perfil hídrico en el suelo es la que corresponde a la implantación de la sectorización en un solo sector y la aplicación de la estrategia de riego E3: RDI, calendario de marzo a septiembre con riego deficitario controlado en agosto

Irrigation scheduling of olive orchard based on midday stem water potential

Irrigation scheduling of fruit trees according to the water balance showed significant differences between locations. In recent years, water status measurements such as leaf water potential have been suggested as irrigation tools in different fruit trees. The aim of this study was to adjust water potential threshold values previously studied and water application approaches that permit the estimation of irrigation requirements of olive trees based on midday stem water potential. The experiments were performed during three seasons (from 2005 to 2007) in two different locations (Badajoz and Ciudad Real) with different weather and cultural conditions. In both locations, the olive orchards were seven years old at the beginning of the experiment but had significantly different canopy development. In Ciudad Real the canopy shaded area at the beginning of the experiment was 15% and the first crop was harvested in 2003. On the other hand, the canopy shaded area of the olive orchard in the Badajoz experiment was 40% and the first crop was harvested in 2001. We therefore considered the Ciudad Real orchard as young and Badajoz as mature. Three different irrigation treatments were compared in both locations: Control treatment with traditional water balance as irrigation scheduling and two treatments in which midday stem water potential (SWP) provided the information about water management. In the midday stem water potential irrigation (WI) treatment the threshold value of SWP was −1.2 MPa before the beginning of the massive pit hardening period and −1.4 MPa after this date. Finally, in the deficit irrigation (DI) treatment the threshold value of SWP was −2.0 MPa throughout the season. In the WI and DI treatments irrigation was applied when SWP reached the threshold value. No significant differences were found between Control and WI in any of the seasons or locations when SWP, leaf conductance, shoot and fruit growth and yield (fruit and oil) were considered. In both locations, the same SWP value in WI treatment resulted in similar water application as the Control treatment. In DI treatment, shoot growth was significantly reduced in both locations in all the seasons. The SWP in DI trees was clearly affected in both locations, while leaf conductance was only reduced in the Badajoz experiment. In the Ciudad Real experiment no significant differences between DI and the other treatments were found in fruit growth, whereas differences were found in Badajoz. However, in Ciudad Real yield in DI treatment was significantly reduced, but not in Badajoz. WI treatment was successful for non-water-stress conditions. On the other hand, DI treatment was a mild water stress treatment which reduced yield only in low covered orchards, but not in the orchards with almost maximum canopy shaded area.Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones RTA04-046-C

Umbrales sostenibles de estrés hídrico durante el endurecimiento del hueso en la producción de aceituna de mesa

La programación del riego deficitario controlado (RDC) es una necesidad derivada de la escasez de agua disponible para el riego. La resistencia al estrés hídrico de los diferentes estados fenológicos en olivar está bastante bien documentada pero no así los niveles de estrés hídrico. El objetivo de este trabajo es sugerir en base a experimentos realizados en los últimos 7 años los niveles de estrés hídrico para el manejo del RDC en olivar.Los experimentos descritos en la presente comunicación se han desarrollado en la finca “La Hampa” propiedad del IRNAS (CSIC) en Coria del Río (Sevilla), en un olivar de 37 años cv “Manzanillo” y a un marco de 7*5m. Los experimentos se establecieron con diferentes tratamientos de riego, aplicando condiciones de estrés hídrico durante endurecimiento de hueso y unas semanas antes de cosecha. Se discute los diferentes umbrales detectados y su efecto en cosecha, cantidad y calidad, y en la fisiología de la planta en el años en curso en el ciclo bianual del olivo.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad AGL2007-66279-C03-00Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad AGL2010-19201-CO4-03Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad AGL2013-45922-C2-1-

Identification of water stress conditions in olive trees through frequencies of trunk growth rate

Continuous monitoring of the tree water status will enhance irrigation performance, particularly when applying deficit schedules. The olive tree is a highly drought-resistant species and management of the water stress could increase water savings. Trunk diameter fluctuations can be displayed as daily curves representing the shrinkage and swelling, and can provide information about tree water status. In olive trees, trunk growth rate (TGR) is the most useful indicator, but the daily variability reduced the commercial applications. Recently, weekly frequencies of TGR values were associated to the water status in one seasonal experiment. The aim of this work is to study the seasonal pattern and the interannual variations of these parameters in order to integrate them in an irrigation scheduling tool. The experiment was performed during two consecutive seasons (2018 and 2019) in a superhigh density mature olive orchard at Carmona (Seville, Spain). Three different irrigation scheduling treatments were considered in a randomized complete block design. The control treatment was fully irrigated with 150–175% crop evapotranspiration (ETc) in order to ensure an optimum water status. Regulated deficit irrigation-1 (RDI-1) was scheduled using only TGR data provided through the continuous measurements from a dendrometer. In this treatment, water stress conditions were controlled during the pit hardening period. RDI-2 was similar to RDI-1, but with a more severe water stress conditions during pit hardening and a maximum seasonal amount of water that limited rehydration. Water stress was greater during the 2019 season than the 2018 season, according to the midday stem water potential (SWP). Weekly frequencies of TGR values lower than − 0.3 mm day− 1 (Severe FR) and values between − 0.1 and 0.3 mm day− 1 (Good FR) described the water status pattern in the three treatments for both seasons. Only under severe water stress conditions (SWP more negative than − 4 MPa) the values of these frequencies did not identify accurately the water status. However, the use of weekly frequencies of values greater than 0.3 mm day− 1 (Alert FR) and the pattern of these Severe FR and Good FR themselves identified such conditions. The use of these three weekly frequencies (Severe, Good and Alert (SGA) approach) are suggested for continuous deficit irrigation scheduling in olive trees

Identification of the water stress level in olive trees during pit hardening using the trunk growth rate indicator.

Water scarcity is generating an increasing interest in deficit irrigation scheduling. The trunk diameter fluctuations are daily cycles that have been suggested as tools for irrigation scheduling. The trunk growth rate (TGR) was suggested as the best indicator for olive trees during pit hardening. The aim of this work is to clarify how the TGR could be used to identify water stress levels. The experiment was performed during the 2017 season, in a commercial, super-high-density orchard in Carmona (Seville, Spain). Four different irrigation treatments were performed according to midday stem water potential values and TGR. The data obtained were very variable and both indicators presented a wide range of water status throughout the season. The maximum trunk diameter data clearly showed the pattern of the trees water status but the comparison between treatments and the identification of the water stress level was not possible. The average TGR was linked to the midday stem water potential, but with a minimum amount of data. Irrigation scheduling based on the average TGR was difficult because of the great increases in some daily TGR values. For clarity, the pool of data was grouped by midday stem water potential. These water stress levels were characterized using the weekly frequency of TGR values. The increase of water stress reduced the frequency of values between -0.1 and 0.3mm day-1 from 60% to less than 25%. Moderate water stress levels increased the percentage of values lower than -0.3mm day-1 from 7% to 37%. The most severe water stress conditions increased the TGR values between -0.3 and -0.1mm day-1 from 16% up to 22%.IRNASINSTITUTO DE LA GRASACSI

Plant water status indicators for detecting water stress in pomegranate trees

Measurements obtained by the continuous monitoring of trunk diameter fluctuations were compared with discrete measurements of midday stem water potential (stem) and midday leaf conductance (gl) in adult pomegranate trees (Punica granatum (L.) cv. Mollar de Elche). Control plants (T0) were irrigated daily above their crop water requirements in order to attain non‐limiting soil water conditions, while T1 plants were subjected to water stress by depriving them of irrigation water for 34 days, after which time irrigation was restored and plant recovery was studied for 7 days. T1 plants showed a substantial degree of water stress, which developed slowly. Maximum daily trunk shrinkage (MDS) was identified to be the most suitable plant‐based indicator for irrigation scheduling in adult pomegranate trees, because its signal:noise ((T1/T0):coefficient of variation) ratio was higher than that for stem ((T1/T0):coefficient of variation) and gl ((T0/T1):coefficient of variation). MDS increased in response to water stress, but when the stem fell below −1.67 MPa, the MDS values decreased.This research was supported by CICYT/FEDER (AGL2010‐19201‐C04‐01AGR) and AECID (A1/035430/11) grants to the authors. AG, JCG and ZNC were funded by a FPU, a FPI and a AECID grant, respectively