Intro

Question 1

Which are the temperate species most cultivated (area)?

Answer 1

• Olives (9,790,030 ha)
• Grapes (6,914,840 ha)
• Apples (4,928,661 ha)

Question 2

Which are the temperate fruits most produced in the world?

Answer 2

• Apples 83,000,398 tons
• Grapes 73,073,073 tons
• Peaches and nectarines 24,784,646 tons

Question 3

Which are the limiting factors for the expansion of temperate crops poleward?

Answer 3

• T in winter because of the freezing temperatures
• T in spring during blooming because of frosting

Question 4

Which are the most important limiting factors for the expansion of temperate crops in the subtropical and tropical area?

Answer 4

• T in winter: because of dormancy and chilling requirements necessary for temperate fruits (low T
  keeps chilling requirements and sometimes is not possible) if you move apple to the south you
  don’t have enough chilling times to undergo flowering.
• When you elevate the crops (above sea level) it is possible to grow in tropical zone though.

Question 5

Which is the role of water bodies in the land suitability for temperate crop cultivation?

Answer 5

• Water bodies mitigate climate during winter and induce an increase in winter or spring T
• Temperate fruits exploit this mitigation effect for growing and are preserved from frosting and
  freezing T that can cause damages to dormant buds and during swelling.
• Water bodies make possible the cultivation of temperate fruits in many winter cold areas close to Mediterranean sea and cold land close to oceans (north America, Canada)

Question 6

Which are the most important countries in EU for temperate tree crops?

Answer 6

• Spain (mainly oranges)
• Italy (mainly apples)
• Poland (mainly Apple)