>Magister Scientiae - MSc / The climate variability and climate change-induced events experienced worldwide have caused a significant decrease in the rainfall volume. South Africa is considered to be one of the driest countries in the world, as it receives an average annual rainfall that is lower than the global annual average. To sustain and grow the agricultural sector, South Africa supplements the low rainfall with its freshwater resources, for irrigation purposes. This action is necessary, especially for meeting the high water requirements of the South African fruit industry, as it is one of the major exporters of fruit in the world. Research has been conducted in an attempt to accurately quantify the water requirements of various fruits, which will assist farmers to save water, to increase their productivity and to managing their irrigation water. However, a knowledge of the water use, actual water consumption rates and the factors that drive them, is minimal and inadequate, and this has had a detrimental effect on the effective management of irrigation water and water allocation by the responsible stakeholders.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Water availability and climate related issues are some of the greatest crop production risks to irrigated agriculture in arid regions. In South Africa, for example, the increasing frequency and severity of droughts related to climate change and the growing competition for limited water resources among different users threaten the sustainability and growth of irrigated agriculture, especially the water-intensive fruit industry. Major fruit such as apples (Malus domestica Borkh) are produced entirely under irrigation in South Africa. As a result, there has been considerable research to accurately quantify the water requirements of fruit tree orchards in order to maximize water productivity.