Trend Analysis of Different Climate Parameters and Watering Requirements for Hazelnut in Central Italy Related to Climate Change

In this study, the effects of climate change on the irrigation water requirement of hazelnut trees were investigated in Central Italy. The meteorological variables considered were precipitation, temperature, chilling units, and the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) in Central Italy. The hydrolo...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Alessandra Vinci, Bruno Di Lena, Silvia Portarena, Daniela Farinelli
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-05-01
Series:Horticulturae
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/9/5/593
Description
Summary:In this study, the effects of climate change on the irrigation water requirement of hazelnut trees were investigated in Central Italy. The meteorological variables considered were precipitation, temperature, chilling units, and the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) in Central Italy. The hydrological variables were the reference evapotranspiration (ET<sub>0</sub>) and the water requirement based on soil water balance. Climate data were collected from eight meteorological stations for the period 1974–2021, and ET<sub>0</sub> was estimated by the Hargreaves and Samani equation. The SPI index was calculated for a four-month time scale corresponding to the hazelnut growing season (April–August). A statistical analysis of the trends of the variables considered was conducted. The results showed an increasing trend for temperature, ET<sub>0</sub>, and water requirements, while a decreasing trend was shown for the chilling units. No significant trends were detected for precipitation and SPI.
ISSN:2311-7524