Climate Change Impacts on UK Top and Soft Fruit Production

Abstract

The impacts of climate change for UK fruit growing regions requiring winter chill dormancy are discussed and insights are drawn from subtropical regions where chilling requirements for these perennial crops have been overcome. A further challenge facing UK soft fruit growers is water availability for irrigation. To maintain future productivity, more sustainable production systems are needed. The authors discuss recent advances in irrigation scheduling and deficit irrigation techniques, along with their potential to reduce water inputs while maintaining yields of high-quality, healthy berries.