Dissemin is shutting down on January 1st, 2025

Published in

Sociedade de Ciências Agrárias de Portugal, Revista de Ciências Agrárias, 2020(Vol. 43 N.º nsp2 ), p. nº. especial 2, 2021

DOI: 10.19084/rca.19651

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Redesigning irrigated almond and pistachio cultivation: implications of a shift towards sustainable intensification

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

Full text: Download

Red circle
Preprint: archiving forbidden
Red circle
Postprint: archiving forbidden
Green circle
Published version: archiving allowed
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

The global warming is increasing the variability of rainfall and temperature, peculiarly, in arid and semiarid environments worlwide. Alterations in precipitation patterns and evapotranspiration in these areas will provoke an augmentation in the water requirements for crops, therefore, a collapse in the water resources systems is contemplated. This work presents the deficit irrigation as an adaptation tool for water shortage in reducing the vulnerability of woody-fruit crops in the Mediteraean area. In this context, almond (Prunus dulcis Mill.) and pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) are traditional Mediterranean crops well-adapted to rainfed conditions with highly producer potential under irrigation, therefore, both fruit crops are convenient alternative due to its congenital response to water-stress. In general, moderate deficit irrigation technique enables to save about 30% of irrigation water at yield reductions below 20%. That is, the application of deficit irrigation could be recommended especially in those areas where the full water requeriments for crops are not available due to environmental constrains. In addition, the success of deficit irrigation is based on relevant knowledge of crop phenological development and its physiological reaction to water stress. Thus, the implementation of properly redesign of irrigated fruit plantations under climate change is vital, in order to mitigate the impact on yield, increase water-use efficiency, and preserve or improve the production quality.