Citrus Fruits in the Province of Alicante are Experiencing a Second Bloom in the Same Season, says the president of Asaja-Alicante
Citrus fruits in the province of Alicante are blooming for the second time in the same season, a completely unusual phenomenon. The first bloom occurred in March but was weak, resulting in few and low-quality flowers.
Now, in the middle of summer, oranges and mandarins in the Vega Baja region are blooming again, when normally they would be ripening the fruit for the next year, focusing their energy on a natural process that has been disrupted by extreme weather changes.
Plants Going Haywire Due to Climate Variations
“The plants are going crazy. Due to climate variations, they have a hormonal disorder, thinking it’s spring and blooming. Truly, climate change is impacting everything,” warns José Vicente Andreu, president of Asaja-Alicante and a citrus producer with extensive knowledge of the sector.
Current citriculture is threatened by climate change. The increase in temperature, together with other adverse climate phenomena, is modifying the environmental conditions in the regions where citrus varieties are currently being developed.
The detrimental effects of these adverse environmental factors on citrus physiology and production, such as drought or augmented soil salinity, will likely increase because of elevated temperatures, which will jeopardise crop production and, in extreme cases, even plant survival. Studying citrus tolerance responses to climate change may hold the key to developing new citrus varieties capable of withstanding future environmental conditions while still maintaining production.
Implications of Extreme Heat and Persistent Rain
The problem will arise when two consecutive days of 40-degree Celsius temperatures occur, as is typical in the province of Alicante during July and August. The current flowers will fall to the ground and result in very low-quality fruits unsuitable for fresh consumption. They will only be fit for the industry, without economic value for the farmers, further exacerbating the crisis in the primary sector in Alicante. Current citriculture is threatened by climate change.
The increase in temperature, together with other adverse climate phenomena, is modifying the environmental conditions in the regions where citrus varieties are currently being developed. The detrimental effects of these adverse environmental factors on citrus physiology and production, such as drought or augmented soil salinity, will likely increase because of elevated temperatures, which will jeopardise crop production and, in extreme cases, even plant survival.
Studying citrus tolerance responses to climate change may hold the key to developing new citrus varieties capable of withstanding future environmental conditions while still maintaining production.
Normal Citrus Bloom in March
Under normal conditions, all citrus fruits bloom in March, at the beginning of spring. During this time of the year, there is more humidity, better temperature, and fewer pests. Summer is the opposite, with more pests, excessive heat, and water stress.
Nature’s Wisdom Disturbed by Climate Change
Nature is wise, and plants bloom when conditions are optimal for their biological cycle. However, with climate change, they are disturbed and disoriented. Nature is starting to lose its wisdom due to the rapidly changing external factors it has been facing in recent years.
Two Blooms in the Same Season, Neither Good
Two blooms in the same season, and neither is beneficial. Therefore, a few oranges and mandarins are expected for the next year. At least for lemons, the outlook is not as pessimistic due to being a more tropical crop and more resistant to heat. Thus, a good harvest is anticipated if no adversities arise.
Expanding on the Current Situation
To understand the current situation, we need to go back to last March. Asaja-Alicante technicians already indicated then that the extreme heat in the province, with temperature peaks exceeding 30 degrees Celsius, coupled with a lack of rain during the same period, would have quantitative and qualitative consequences for the upcoming citrus season.
The moist and cool climate at the beginning of spring promotes the proper blooming of orange, mandarin, and lemon trees, which contributes to a good citrus season starting in September. However, this year has been highly atypical in terms of weather, validating the old saying, “When March acts like May, May acts like March.”
The scorching March prevented the blooming of orange trees from progressing as it should, foretelling a poor orange and citrus harvest. The plantations were under considerable stress, and despite the farmers’ efforts to irrigate them, they struggled to recover.
In contrast, the past month of May was surprising with a drop in temperature and abundant, persistent rainfall, causing the trees to behave as if it were full spring. They sprouted and bloomed once again, this time with vigour.
Consequences of Altered Blooming
As a result of this disruption in tree blooming, José Vicente Andreu insists that there will be a reduction in production and a poorer quality of citrus fruits, especially oranges.
The Paris Agreement
The Paris Agreement of 2015 sets out a global framework to limit global warming to well below 2°C, preferably to 1.5°C (degrees Celsius), compared to pre-industrial levels. To achieve this global temperature goal, countries aim to reduce the growth of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible and rapid reductions thereafter, based on the best available science, economic and social feasibility.
The effects of climate change are already well visible by increasing air temperatures, melting glaciers and decreasing polar ice caps, rising sea levels, and increasing desertification, as well as by more frequent extreme weather events such as heat waves, droughts, floods and storms. Climate change is not globally uniform and affects some regions more than others.
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