Abstract

OJEDA-BUSTAMANTE, Waldo; SIFUENTES-IBARRA, Ernesto; INIGUEZ-COVARRUBIAS, Mauro  and  MONTERO-MARTINEZ, Martín J.. Climate change impact on crop development and water requirements. Agrociencia [online]. 2011, vol.45, n.1, pp.1-11. ISSN 2521-9766.

Due to the impact of climate change, the modification of water cycle processes, mainly evapotranspiration and precipitation, will have a radical effect on irrigation water demands and management of irrigation systems. Climate change projections indicate an increase in air temperature, with spatial and temporal variability. In this study, we analyzed the expected impact of climate change on water demands and crop development, by using climate change projections for the moderate-medium emissions scenario (A1B), for the conditions of Irrigation District 075, Río Fuerte, Sinaloa, México. It was estimated that by the end of the century, the annual increase of reference evapotranspiration will be 10 % compared to current values. Water demand for crops will be reduced by 13 % for the Autumn-Winter season and 6 % for the Spring-Summer season, and it will increase by 7 % for the Perennial season by the end of the century. This can be attributed to the fact that although reference evapotranspiration will increase, the greatest impact from a temperature increase will be in shortening the growing season of annual crops. Therefore, it is necessary to implement adaptation actions: in the first place, using longer season cultivars than those cultivated today, with resistance to thermal stress; and in the second place, compacting the planting season toward the colder months.

Keywords : evapotranspiration; water requirements; adaptation; irrigation district.

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