Regulated Deficit Irrigation and Its Effects on Yield and Quality of <i>Vitis vinifera</i> L., Touriga Francesa in a Hot Climate Area (Douro Region, Portugal)

Abstract

Under a climate change scenario, vineyards will experience serious challenges in the future. In an attempt to overcome such difficulties, this experiment offers a study on the effect of regulated deficit irrigation as a method for short-term adaptation to climate change in cv. Touriga Francesa, grafted into the rootstock 110R in the Douro region during a three-year period. Water stress on the plant and its effects on canopy, production, and quality of musts were analyzed. Rainfed vines (R0) were compared to three deficit irrigation regimes as a function of estimated crop evapotranspiration (ETc): R25 (25% ETc), R50 (50% ETc), and R75 (75% ETc). Water was applied on a weekly basis whenever predawn water potential showed moderate water stress until 15 days prior to harvest. The results suggest that rainfed plants under these circumstances suffered, in general, a negative impact on vine performance, while moderate water stress had more favorable effects on fruit composition, as well as in yield. Nonetheless, further studies should be conducted as irrigation did not show consistent effects on yield or berry composition.

Keywords

• climate change
• evapotranspiration
• must composition
• production
• regulated deficit irrigation
• water stress