## 4 Discussion
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c c} \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Treatment**} & **Y** & **FW** & **WPi** & **TSS** & **FF** & **RC** \\  & **(t ha\({}^{-1}\))** & **(g)** & **(kg m\({}^{-3}\))** & **(\({}^{\circ}\)Brix)** & **(kg cm\({}^{-2}\))** & **(\%)** \\ \hline T & 15.25 & 234.46 & ab & 8.39 & b & 14.16 & 4.58 & 84.07 \\ M & 16.78 & 256.65 & a & 16.22 & a & 13.75 & 4.96 & 93.89 \\ F & 13.56 & 211.65 & b & 7.45 & b & 14.13 & 4.26 & 93.33 \\ S & 14.35 & 216.92 & b & 14.03 & a & 13.78 & 3.58 & 84.63 \\ \hline \(F\)-_value_ & _0.19_ & _3.49_ & & _4.56_ & _0.73_ & _0.76_ & _2.38_ \\ _p-value_ & _0.899_ & _0.052_ & _0.026_ & _0.553_ & _0.539_ & _0.125_ \\ \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 5: Yield (Y), fruit fresh weight (FW), water productivity (WPi), sugar content (TSS) flesh firmness (FF) and fruit skin red overcolor, measured on the 4 treatments under investigation in 2016. Data were subjected to ANCOVA analysis, considering the number of fruits per tree as a covariate variable and were adjusted accordingly. For each variable, different letters indicate a statistical difference at \(p\leq 0.05\). stress integral (Sv). Reflective mulding, preventing the excessive soil evaporation and increasing the diffuse light, maintained the pedo-climatic conditions favorable to photosynthetic activity of leaves [13; 14] for the entire vegetative-reproductive season in the two years of study (Figures 4A and 5A). Excluding the measure performed in 2016 at 124 DAFB (12 July), \(\Sigma\)Pn, \(\Sigma\)Tr and Sv in M were similar, and in some cases higher than T receiving double the amount of water (Figures 4 and 5). When water shortage was associated to tillage (S), tree water status (Sv) was affected and net photosynthesis was subjected to stomatal limitation (reduction in average gs and \(\Sigma\)Tr) and probably to non-stomatal limitation as well (Figures 4 and 5). Previous research in pear, apple, peach and grapevine suggested that stomatal closure could affect leaf thermoregulation inducing the increase in leaf temperature and raising the activity of photorespiration [48; 49; 50]. This process is a photoprotective strategy for the plant, but it means a loss of carbon in terms of biomass accumulation [51; 52; 53]. The use of natural mulding associated with full irrigation (F) did not affect leaf functionality (\(\Sigma\)Pn and \(\Sigma\)Tr) in comparison with T till the end of July, in both years (Figures 4 and 5). This suggested the absence of such competition between the main and the service crop and the positive effect of the flattening technique in controlling weeds. This positive effect was already observed in vegetable crops [54; 55]. In August, when the flattened crop was disrupted and the soil cracking caused a rapid water depletion (Figure 5, 163 DAFB), Sv, \(\Sigma\)Pn and \(\Sigma\)Tr values in F were the lowest of the four treatments. From a leaf functioning point of view the use of the flattening technique for all of the dry season appeared to be detrimental under particular pedoclimatic conditions such as hot summer, clay and poor of organic matter soils. The differences among the treatments appeared more evident when high temperature and VPD were associated with soil moisture limitation. The comparison between the days 86 and 87 DAFB of year 2015 revealed that SWC did not change markedly within each treatment as well as Sv (Figure 4C). However, at 87 DAFB, the environment was more water demanding than the previous day: the average Tair and VPD passed from 36.4 to 37.5 \({}^{\circ}\)C and from 3.5 to 4.5 kPa, respectively. As a consequence, soil with an adequate SWC allowed leaves to maintain the stomata opened, increasing \(\Sigma\)Tr and \(\Sigma\)Pn. On the other hand, S, having a low SWC, reduced gs and leaf transpiration [56], thus carbon assimilation (Figure 4A). Trees, being in the middle of the Soil Plant Air Continuum (S.P.A.C.) were strongly influenced by the status of rhizosphere and air.