The influence of canopy cover and cultivar on rates of water use in apple orchards in the Western Cape Province, South Africa

Abstract

Water availability and climate related issues are some of the greatest crop production risks to irrigated agriculture in arid regions. In South Africa, for example, the increasing frequency and severity of droughts related to climate change and the growing competition for limited water resources among different users threaten the sustainability and growth of irrigated agriculture, especially the water-intensive fruit industry. Major fruit such as apples (Malus domestica Borkh) are produced entirely under irrigation in South Africa. As a result, there has been considerable research to accurately quantify the water requirements of fruit tree orchards in order to maximize water productivity.