Focus of Working

The Working Group (WG) on “Water Relations & Irrigation” brings together EU and non-EU scientists and stakeholders with extensive experience in eco-physiology, water relations, and soil and irrigation management of horticultural species. The WG focuses on developing innovative strategies to help the EU fruit sector address the many challenges posed by climate change and future resource limitations, such as increased heat and water stress, reduced water availability, competition for water with other sectors, and potential geographical shifts in growing areas for several species.

These strategies include the development of drought-tolerant varieties, improvement of soil management techniques to preserve natural soil properties and mitigate water scarcity, enhancement of irrigation management through plant-based sensors for real-time monitoring of plant water status, decision support systems for precise irrigation scheduling and deficit irrigation protocols, and the creation of orchard management strategies aimed at reducing overall water use.

Active exchange within this WG among researchers and stakeholders facilitates the dissemination and technological transfer of key research outputs and provides scientists with valuable feedback on the actual needs and challenges faced by EU producers.

Activities

2015
Meeting: IRTA FruitCentre, Lleida, February 4th – 5th

2014
Meeting: No meeting was organized in 2014
Outputs: Prompted by AREFLH a “Positioning Document” on the main water-related issues of EU fruit production was produced by the WG. This document has been endorsed by ca. 30 stakeholders from 7 different EU/Extra EU countries

2013
Meeting: Bologna, 6-8 November
Outputs: “Positioning Document” and a “Topic” to highlight the most important challenges related to climate change and to the decrease of water availability that the European Fruit sector is expected to face in the near future.