Environmental and Agro-Economic Sustainability of Olive Orchards Irrigated with Reclaimed Water under Deficit Irrigation
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Published:2023-10-20
Issue:20
Volume:15
Page:15101
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ISSN:2071-1050
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Container-title:Sustainability
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language:en
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Short-container-title:Sustainability
Author:
Vanella Daniela1ORCID, Consoli Simona1ORCID, Continella Alberto1ORCID, Chinnici Gaetano1ORCID, Milani Mirco1ORCID, Cirelli Giuseppe Luigi1ORCID, D’Amico Mario1ORCID, Maesano Giulia2ORCID, Gentile Alessandra1, La Spada Paolo1ORCID, Scollo Francesco1, Modica Giulia1, Siracusa Laura3ORCID, Longo-Minnolo Giuseppe1ORCID, Barbagallo Salvatore1
Affiliation:
1. Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Di3A), University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 98, 95123 Catania, Italy 2. Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 50, 40127 Bologna, Italy 3. Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (ICB-CNR), Via Paolo Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy
Abstract
Increasing the economic and environmental sustainability of irrigated agriculture is a vital challenge for the Mediterranean crop production sector. This study explores the effects of the adoption of reclaimed water (RW) as source of irrigation in conjunction with the application of deficit irrigation strategies in an olive orchard (different genotypes) located within the “Valle dei Margi” farmhouse (Eastern Sicily). Specifically, the RW was obtained in situ by treating the wastewater coming from the farmhouse throughout a nature-based treatment wetland system (TW). The effects of RW on crop water status (CWS) was assessed by conducting plant-based measurements (i.e., leaf water potential, Ψ; and leaves’ relative water content, RWC) and determining satellite-based biophysical indicators. An economic and environmental evaluation of the proposed sustainable irrigation practices was carried out using the life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. The RW quality showed high variability due to fluctuations in the number of customers at the farmhouse during the COVID-19 pandemic period. A strong impact on the variation in Ψ was observed among the olive orchard under the different water regimes, evidencing how CWS performances are conditioned by the genotype. However, no differences in leaves’ RWC and in satellite-based biophysical indicators were detected. Finally, the results of the LCA analysis underlined how the use of RW may permit us to obtain important economic and environmental gains, representing an added value for olive growing for operating in accordance to more sustainable development models.
Funder
Miglioramento delle produzioni agroalimentari mediterranee in condizioni di carenza di risorse idriche—WATER4AGRIFOOD
Subject
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law,Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment,Geography, Planning and Development,Building and Construction
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