Influence of climate on durum wheat production and use of remote sensing and weather data to predict quality and quantity of harvests

Climate conditions severely affect crop production, influencing plant responses and harvest characteristics. For the growers of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) an important aspect, in addition to yield, is the grain quality taking into account that it is closely related to the flour properties and therefore to the quality of resulting pasta. The study analyzes the influence of rainfall and temperatures on the winter durum wheat productions and the predictive role of meteorological and satellite indices at large scale (NDVI). Results show a significant negative correlation between precipitation and grain protein concentration. On the other hand, increasing temperatures were associated with grain protein accumulation, while negative correlations were found with kernel specific weight and yield. NDVI recorded during the crop cycle resulted descriptive of all productive variables, showing the suitability to be integrated with the weather information in a local forecasting system.