EMPOWERMed researchers have established a field experiment in a citrus orchard in Morocco to examine how water stress affects tree growth and to identify irrigation strategies suited to increasingly challenging climatic conditions.
The work was carried out under air temperatures reaching 45 °C. These demanding conditions underline that climate pressure is not a distant concern for Mediterranean agriculture, but a present-day challenge for farmers, water managers and researchers.
🍊 Field experiment focus
The experiment brings together researchers from Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) and Morocco’s National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), with field-technology support from SOWIT | AgriTech.
The team installed sensors and delivered field equipment before implementing an experimental protocol designed to generate reliable observations under extreme heat. High-quality field data are necessary for understanding crop responses to water stress and for evaluating irrigation strategies under real operating conditions.
📊 Reliable evidence under extreme conditions
Conducting research at 45 °C introduces practical and methodological challenges. Equipment installation, protocol consistency and data quality must all be maintained despite heat exposure and difficult working conditions.
The experiment therefore represents both an investigation of citrus water stress and a test of how robust field technologies and research procedures perform in climatic conditions that are becoming increasingly relevant across the Mediterranean.
🤝 Research through collaboration
The activity demonstrates the value of combining academic research, agricultural knowledge and field technology. EMPOWERMed acknowledges the contributions of the UM6P, INRA and SOWIT teams, including Mohamed Ouarani, Yassine Bouslihim, Ghizlane Makhchane, Anass and their colleagues.
💧 About EMPOWERMed
EMPOWERMed is a PRIMA-funded research project developing integrated approaches to water-scarcity management in Mediterranean regions. It brings together hydrological modelling, water accounting, digital tools, socio-economic research, agricultural demonstrations and stakeholder engagement.
🔭 What’s next?
The research team will analyse the field observations to improve understanding of water-stress effects on citrus growth and the suitability of different irrigation approaches. Findings should be reported only after the data have been quality-checked and the experimental analysis has been completed.
Source and further reading: original field update on LinkedIn.