Abstract
The south of Portugal is one of the regions that will be most affected by the impacts of climate change (CC), with an expected increase in water scarcity. Irrigated super-intensive olive orchards occupy a large area of the used agricultural surface in the Alentejo region, south of Portugal, making it necessary to adapt this crop to the effects of CC. This study assessed the impacts of CC and defined adaptation measures concerning irrigation management of the super-intensive olive orchard. To compute the crop irrigation requirement (CIR), the soil water balance model ISAREG was combined with climate data relative to the reference period 1971–2000 and to the representative concentration pathways RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 for the periods 2011–2040, 2041–2070, and 2071–2100. The growing degree-days (GDD) approach was used to estimate olive phenology for these CC scenarios. Unchanged irrigation management with an average CIR increase up to 16% in RCP4.5 and 31% in RCP8.5 is expected. By adopting higher levels of water deficit, water savings of up to 22% can be realized. The results showed that the anticipated CIR increase for the CC scenarios can be mitigated through regulated deficit irrigation strategies.
Highlights
The Mediterranean region is an area that will be most affected by climate change [1,2]
The present study assessed the impact of climate change on the super-intensive olive orchard irrigation requirements in the Alentejo region throughout the 21st century, and it defined and evaluated adaptation measures based on regulated deficit irrigation, while allowing for the efficient and sustainable use of water
An assessment of climate change impacts on the irrigation requirements of a super-high-density olive orchard in the Alentejo region was performed, and an adaptation measure based on regulated deficit irrigation was proposed and evaluated
Summary
The Mediterranean region is an area that will be most affected by climate change [1,2]. The phenological cycle of the olive trees was adjusted, taking into account the growing degree-days (GDD) accumulated since 1 February following the methodology proposed in Melo-Abreu et al [18] Another example of the use of soil water balance models to assess the CC impacts on the olive orchard was developed by Paulo and Pinto [8] using the ISAREG model to evaluate CC impacts on the rainfed olive groves in the Alentejo region and projected a significant increase in regional crop water requirements. The present study assessed the impact of climate change on the super-intensive olive orchard irrigation requirements in the Alentejo region throughout the 21st century, and it defined and evaluated adaptation measures based on regulated deficit irrigation, while allowing for the efficient and sustainable use of water
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