Water use in Agroforestry System

A Brief Review of the Literature

Abstract

The provision of water in agriculture has become an essential activity to achieve higher productivity and minimize the risk of losses, since the distribution of rainfall no longer meets the water needs of crops adequately during the year. The complexity of an agroforestry system (SAF) creates conditions that promote water efficiency, creating a microclimate capable of maintaining the temperature and humidity of the air and soil favorable to the growth and development of the plants. Given the lack of information on water dynamics and the water requirement of an SAF, this study aims to make a revisional approach through scientific literature found in online databases / research portals, with the purpose of promoting a reflexon on the applicability and more efficient handling of irrigation within these systems. It is concluded that the irrigation management plan must consider the variation of the water requirement of the consortium as a whole. Therefore, the choice of the species for the design of the SAF must be made in face of the local water conditions as well as the pluviometric reality of the region. As the interactions of factors related to water dynamics in SAFs are quite complex, it is even suggested to integrate this information into mathematical models capable of compiling the whole set of variables involved.