Summary:

The paper presents the analysis of the impact of predicted climate change on water demand of late potato in 2021-2050 and 2071-2100. Meteorological data were simulated with the regional model RM5.1 with boundary conditions from the global model ARPEGE for the scenario SRES: A1B. Reference period was 1971-2000.
The measure of crop water demand is potential evapotranspiration. It was calculated using the Penman-Monteith method and crop factors. The impact of climate change on potential evapotranspiration of late potato was evaluated in Poland at the five meteorological stations representative for agroclimatic regions: Olsztyn, Bydgoszcz, Warszawa, Wrocław, Kraków. Water demand of late potato will increase of up to 7% in 2021-2050 and of up to 18% in 2071-2100. Increase will be the biggest in the south-west and central-east regions and the smallest in south-east region. Predicted climate change and increased crop water demand should result in increase of irrigated area and irrigation water requirements.