Climate Change Adaptations of Argentine Viticulture

Abstract

The climatic projections indicate an increase in average annual temperature between 1.5 and 4 °C depending on the scenario with a decrease of snow precipitation in the Andes mountains during winter, which will decrease water availability for irrigation. By contrast, an increase in storms with high intensity accompanied by hail during summer is expected. Considering this scenario of higher temperatures and less water for irrigation, some adaptation and mitigation strategies at the vineyard level are discussed in the present chapter. The different adaptation strategies include changes in vineyard establishment, selection of plant material, and viticultural techniques. While the first two strategies have long-term effects, viticultural techniques have short term effects and may apply to established vineyards. They are based on delaying the phenological stages, altering the leaf/fruit ratio to limit sugar accumulation in the berry, or lowering the canopy temperature. Climate change will generate changes on the cultivated varieties and the viticultural practices used to produce grapes in traditional wine regions. On the other hand, it will push planting of new vineyards to regions where no viticulture existed before. Some local information already exists but more knowledge about short- and long-term effects of single and combined adaptation strategies to climate change must still be developed. The adaptation strategies must be applicable and accepted by grapegrowers, and they must consider the final product and its acceptance by consumers. Finally, these strategies must be sustainable, economically beneficial, environmentally friendly, and socially accepted.