Water scarcity is particularly affecting fruit trees that use high amounts of irrigation water particularly in summer. In many Mediterranean countries, waters of increasing salinity were used to reduce the gap between supply and demand. During droughts drastic cuts in supply have been observed. Because of chronic shortages, traditional management based on full irrigation and maximum yields is no Longer appropriate. The concept of agricultural intensification needs probably to be reviewed. Adoption of Deficit Irrigation (DI) as a strategy in irrigation seems to be a relevant choice. This document explores the potential of this strategy to save water in orchards. Application to the peach species shows that irrigation water could be reduced by one third without affecting significantly yield (10 percent reduction). Results obtained on apple show a similar potential. In both cases, appropriate scheduling seems to be a key element in water saving and reducing soil salinization risks.