Climate change is redefining the future of agriculture in Chile. Rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, and extreme weather events are challenging the production of essential crops. In this context, the University of O'Higgins (UOH) is leading an innovative project that seeks to provide concrete answers to this problem: the Agroclimatic Simulation Chamber, the first of its kind in the region, designed to study how crops respond to extreme weather conditions and whether or not they develop adaptation strategies.
This initiative is funded by the Regional Government of O'Higgins through the Innovation Fund for Competitiveness (FIC). "The goal is to evaluate the response of strategic crops such as grapes and vegetables to the increase in temperature and water deficit, allowing farmers to access key scientific and technical information to improve the production's resilience," stated the Regional Governor, Pablo Silva Amaya.
"Our work seeks to generate applied knowledge that allows producers to make informed decisions on how to manage their crops in the face of climate change," added Dr. Catalina Pinto, project coordinator and UOH researcher. "The agroclimatic chamber allows us to simulate future conditions, assess their impact on crops, and develop concrete solutions to cope with heat and water stress."
Crops being tested: tomatoes under extreme conditions
One of the experiments being developed within the agroclimatic chamber focuses on the evaluation of the Patriota tomato variety grafted on robust rootstock, one of the crops with the largest number of hectares in the O'Higgins Region. The trial seeks to analyze the behavior of tomato under two simultaneous stress scenarios: sustained temperature increase throughout the crop growth cycle, and sustained deficit irrigation over time.
"The tomato trial is one of the key tests within the project," stated project researcher Dr Rodrigo Contreras-Soto. "What we are looking for is to simulate climate change conditions, evaluating how this crop responds in terms of growth, development, and production under high temperature and low water availability scenarios."
These trials will produce valuable insights for farmers by offering specific recommendations on agronomic management, selecting more resilient varieties, and implementing efficient irrigation strategies to address climate change in the region.
An innovative tool for O'Higgins' agricultural future
The Agroclimatic Simulation Chamber is equipped with advanced technology to control variables, such as temperature, humidity, light radiation, and automated irrigation, allowing researchers to model different climate scenarios and measure their impact on crop physiology.
In addition to crop evaluation, the project includes training farmers, technical advisors, and students in the use of climate monitoring technologies, promoting the transfer of knowledge generated in the chamber to the O'Higgins agricultural community.
For more information:
Universidad de O'Higgins (UOH)
www.uoh.cl