Remote sensing tools for monitoring water requirements and water stress in vineyards and fruit trees

Chile's main agricultural areas will significantly reduce rainfall (between 20-40%) due to global climate change. Also, Chile is periodically affected by the climatic phenomenon of “La Niña” (ENSO) and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), which have produced important droughts and economic losses in most of the agricultural areas. Under these conditions, sophisticated irrigation water management, such as regulated deficit irrigation (RDI), will be required to optimize water productivity (kg m-3) and to maintain sufficient levels of yield and quality of wine and fruits. In this regard, this paper aims to describe remote sensing tools for monitoring water requirements (or evapotranspiration, ET) and plant water stress in vineyards and fruit orchards.