Potential of implementing irrigation in rainfed agriculture in Quebec: A review of climate change-induced challenges and adaptation strategies

Leading to growing-season water stress, eastern Canada's evolving climate has disrupted the region's rainfed farming systems. Accordingly, this review was conducted to assess the status of irrigation, climate-induced challenges and opportunities and the impact of adaptation strategies on economic returns and the environment in Quebec's agricultural regions. While irrigation is limited mainly to high-value crops, controlled drainage with sub-irrigation (CDSI) has been implemented at a limited number of field sites. Given the greater rainfall variability and rising number of growing-season heatwave events anticipated, previous studies have mainly focused on developing climate change adaptation practices. The present study identified two research gaps: (i) a lack of analyses of drought frequency and its effect on root zone soil moisture, crop ET, crop phenology and agricultural production at a regional scale under historical and future climates and (ii) a lack of regional-scale studies addressing climate change adaptation options, including supplementary irrigation, and their potential effects on economic return and water resources under a changing climate. Additional studies must address these gaps for the development of climate change adaptation practices to secure food demand and water sustainability.