EFFICIENT USE OF AGRICULTURAL LAND IN THE CURRENT CONTEXT OF CLIMATE CHANGE. CASE STUDY: RECAȘ (TIMIȘ COUNTY)

Abstract

The study analyzes the efficiency of vineyard land use in the Recaș Wine Center (Timiș County) over the last decade, under the influence of accelerating climate change. Using climate data from 2013–2022 and local agrometeorological observations, recent trends of warming, aridization, and increased frequency of extreme events—droughts, heat waves, late frosts, and hailstorms—are highlighted. The main soil types in the area (preluvosols, eutric cambisols, chernozems, and weakly gleic soils) ensure a high natural suitability for viticulture, generally classified in creditworthiness classes I–II when optimal management practices are applied.
Land-use efficiency was evaluated based on grape yields (t/ha) recorded for five representative varieties—Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Fetească Neagră, and Chardonnay—during two contrasting years: 2023 (cool, rainy spring and balanced summer) and 2024 (severe drought and extreme summer temperatures). Results indicate yield reductions of 20–30% in 2024, particularly for drought-sensitive red varieties, emphasizing the vulnerability of the viticultural system to water deficits in the absence of irrigation.
The findings are discussed in relation to soil productive potential and compared with studies documenting climate-induced yield fluctuations in European viticulture. Existing adaptation strategies in Recaș—canopy management, crop load regulation, inter-row mulching and grassing, night harvesting, and digital monitoring—are assessed alongside future measures such as drip irrigation, diversification with drought- and heat-tolerant varieties, and the use of oenoclimatic indices in vineyard planning.
Overall, the study concludes that sustainable vineyard management increasingly requires not only the optimization of yields and quality but also the long-term protection of soil and water resources under rapidly evolving climatic conditions.