Hydrological Changes in a Fruit Growing Area Under the Influence of Climate Change: on the Amazon Coast

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the water consumption of the mango orchard using the method proposed by Thornthwaite and Mather (1955), called Climatological Water Balance, with the aim of assisting in agricultural planning and decision making.   Theoretical Framework: The Climatological Water Balance was initially developed with the aim of characterizing the climate of a region, in order to be used in the climate classification developed by Thornthwaite in the 1940s. Later, this method began to be used for agronomic purposes given the great interrelationship of agriculture with climatic conditions.   Method: The methodology adopted for this research comprises the information used in the preparation of the water balance and was acquired by instrumentation implemented at the experimental hose site in the village of Cuiarana, district of Salinópolis in the northeast of the state of Pará. The meteorological data were obtained in the Project tower LBA where are measured, by automatic instrumentation, such as: average air temperature (Tar) the relative air humidity (RH) through the HMP45 probe, the Rain acquired by the CSI MODEL TB4-L RAIN GAGE ​​from Campbell Scientific, the collection of data was carried out using a datalogger with recording every 10s and storage of the average every 10 min.   Results and Discussion: The results obtained revealed an increase in air temperature mainly in El-niño years and with a strong reduction in rainfall in these years of approximately 30 to 40% in the annual accumulation. These results imply a reduction in productivity and the regional and local impact of the hydrological cycle.   Research Implications: The practical and theoretical implications of this research are discussed, providing insights into how the results can be applied or influence practices in the field of fruit growing. These implications may include the importance of the vegetation cover of the mango orchard on the socio-environmental quality of the village of Cuiarana.   Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature on mango crops that are not irrigated, it also makes it possible to optimize sowing times, taking into account the average water availability in the studied region, resulting in a more efficient use of rainfall for agricultural production. The relevance and value of this research are evidenced by the fact that the study in the northeast of Pará is still precarious in terms of water consumption by the plant in a region with water deficiency.