Effects of Climate Change on Wheat Agriculture: CROPWAT Model on Adana Province Analysis
Hatice Akmaz
Institute of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Cukurova, Türkiye.
Zeynep Zaimoglu
*
Department of Environmental Engineering, Cukurova University, 01000, Adana, Türkiye.
Burak Şen
Department of Biosystems Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Nigde Omer Halisdemir University, 51240, Nigde, Turkey.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This study was conducted using the CROPWAT software to analyze water use and irrigation requirements for wheat cultivation in Adana Province, located in the Mediterranean Region of Türkiye. The research utilized meteorological data to estimate daily evapo-transpiration and crop water consumption. The calculated irrigation demands were compared with data obtained from local field experiments, and the results from the CROPWAT model were found to be consistent with observed field findings. In addition, climate projection data were integrated into the analysis to evaluate the effects of future temperature increase and precipitation decrease on crop water needs. Scenario assessments indicated that under projected climate change conditions, water availability and irrigation efficiency are expected to decline for wheat, leading to increased irrigation demand. These results emphasize the critical importance of improving irrigation management strategies and water use efficiency to ensure sustainable wheat production under changing climatic conditions.
Keywords: Climate change, agricultural water management, wheat, CROPWAT, Adana