Adaptation of orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) to climatic conditions in Cusco as a response to climate change

Abstract

The Cusco Region, due to its geographical and climatic peculiarities, is prone to extreme climatic events, such as the increase in average temperature, intense rainfall, agronomic and meteorological droughts. Citrus fruits, like oranges, adapt to different climates; however, its growth, flowering phenology and fruit set are affected by changes in temperatures and lack of rain; therefore, these abiotic factors are detrimental to citrus production in usual scenarios and in tropical climates. The objective of the research was to develop an experiment to propose a mechanism of adaptation to climate change of the orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) in climatic conditions and altitude of Cusco, located at 3,302 m.a.s.l. evaluating the phenology and the characteristics of the fruit and production. The experiment constitutes a quantitative investigation, of a descriptive and correlational type, using non-probabilistic sampling called consecutive sampling. Management consisted of pruning, removing thorns and applying soil conditioner; the evaluation of the phenology consisted of the observation of the phases of sprouting, flowering, relative rest, fruiting and harvest period; for the conditions in Cusco, the phenological parameters presented two sprouting flows, first between January-May and second, between August-September; two flowering flows, the first between April-June and the second between September-November; the average production was: 229 fruits/tree/year; fruit diameter of 06,44 cm and a production of 26,44 kg/tree/year. The production of oranges at high altitudes shows an adaptation to climate change, constituting an action of economic interest, contributing to the Peruvian proposal, which is committed to the global response to climate change and considers it a priority to update its national contributions to incorporate the objectives adaptation to climate change.