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Optimal Allocation and Regulation of Agricultural Water Resources and Soils

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A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Water Use and Irrigation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2024 | Viewed by 9815

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Prof. Dr. Xuebin Qi

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Farmland Irrigation Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science and the Ministry of Water Resources, Xinxiang 453003, China
Interests: analysis of water resources supply and demand balance; joint regulation and simulation technology of surface water and groundwater; development, utilization, and protection technology of groundwater resources
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Dr. Ping Li

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Farmland Irrigation Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xinxiang 453002, China
Interests: highly efficient use of non-conventional water resources in agriculture; analysis and risk assessment of water environmental factors in irrigation areas; brackish water utilization in agriculture; saline alkali land transformation and treatment technology
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Dr. Zhenjie Du

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Farmland Irrigation Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xinxiang 453002, China
Interests: safe utilization technology of aquaculture wastewater resources; efficient utilization and regulation of water fertilizer coupling technology

Dr. Zulin Zhang

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Guest Editor

The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UK
Interests: environmental geochemical behavior; effect and risk assessment of organic contaminants; developing new analytical and monitoring techniques
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

At present, the global shortage of water resources is becoming more and more serious, especially in arid and semi-arid areas, where agricultural water is scarcer, which will seriously threaten global food security. In recent years, global scientists have carried out a lot of research work in the optimal allocation of various water resources and safe use of agriculture, leading to many significant research achievements. However, in the face of environmental change, to summarize the research progress of water resources in this area, share successful experience and technical achievements, we are pleased to publish a Special Issue on optimal allocation and regulation of agricultural water resources to promote the further development of this research field.

Prof. Dr. Xuebin Qi
Dr. Ping Li
Dr. Zhenjie Du
Dr. Zulin Zhang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

water resource evaluation
water resource supply and demand analysis
sustainable development and utilization of groundwater
joint regulation of surface water and groundwater
multi-water source allocation
non-conventional water resources utilization
water quality detection and analysis
remediation technology of contaminated farmland soil

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 4211 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Decision of Straw Deep Burial and Aluminum Sulfate Drip Irrigation in Soda Saline Soil Based on Grey Relation Analysis and TOPSIS Coupling

by Xi Chen, Shuqing Yang, Xiaoyu Wen, Fuqiang Guo and Shuai Lou

Agronomy 2024, 14(1), 3; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14010003 - 19 Dec 2023

Viewed by 671

Abstract

To investigate the impact of combining aluminum sulfate with straw and irrigation water to enhance soil quality in soda saline–alkali soil, in this study a field experiment was conducted in Tongliao City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. With beet IM1162 as the indicator crop, four levels of aluminum sulfate dosage (30, 60, 90, 120 g m⁻²) and four levels of drip irrigation water quota (225, 270, 315, 360 m³ ha⁻¹) were set. The study examined the impact of varying levels of aluminum sulfate and irrigation water on soil water salt and crop yield. Next, using a comprehensive evaluation method, the optimal quantities of aluminum sulfate and irrigation water needed for effective soil improvement were determined. The research findings indicate that the most effective treatment (W2S3) involved an aluminum sulfate dosage of 90 g m⁻² and an irrigation quota of 270 m³ ha⁻¹. This treatment resulted in significant improvements compared to the control (CK) group. Specifically, in the 0–50 cm soil layer, the following improvements were observed: the water storage capacity (SWS) increased by 51.7%; evapotranspiration (ET) increased by 16.2%; water use efficiency (WUE) increased by 55.0%; and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) increased by 98.1% (p < 0.05). These results emphasize the importance of optimizing the combination of aluminum sulfate dosage and irrigation water quota to improve soil conditions and crop performance. It is worth nothing that this study highlights the potential for enhancing water use efficiency and crop yield in agricultural practices, which can contribute to sustainable and efficient farming practices. The study results revealed significant improvements in soil quality and crop yield when compared to the control group (CK). Specifically, in the 0–50 cm soil layer: the soil salt content decreased by 19.8%, soil pH increased by 8.7%, and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) decreased by 34.0%. Moreover, the crop yield in the treatment group increased significantly, by 32.1%. These findings indicate the positive impact of the intervention on soil health and agricultural productivity. The study employed the game theory combination weighting method to comprehensively evaluate soil water, salt, and various yield indicators. The results showed that the sustainability weight for crop yield reached 0.116, emphasizing the aim of soil improvement: the sustainable enhancement of crop yield. This approach underscores the importance of balanced soil management practices to ensure long-term agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability. The comprehensive evaluation results of grey relation analysis and the TOPSIS coupling model showed that the soil improvement effect score was the highest when the dosage of aluminum sulfate was 61.7–120.0 g m⁻², and the irrigation quota was 250.4–319.4 m³ ha⁻¹, which was the recommended range for the local area. The research findings discussed in the provided sources contribute to the theoretical basis for soil improvement in soda–saline–alkali land. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimal Allocation and Regulation of Agricultural Water Resources and Soils)

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14 pages, 2130 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Interaction Effects of Drought–Flood Abrupt Alternation on Rice Yield and Dry Matter Partitioning

by Yun Gao, Tiesong Hu, Ping Li and Xuebin Qi

Agronomy 2023, 13(12), 2994; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13122994 - 05 Dec 2023

Viewed by 969

Abstract

The frequent occurrence of drought–flood abrupt alternation (DFAA) seriously affects crop yield. It is particularly important to explore the dynamics of material accumulation and distribution under DFAA stress to analyze the mechanism of yield formation. In this study, a bucket experiment with DFAA stress groups, drought control (DC) groups, flood control (FC) groups, and normal irrigation (CK) groups was set up from the jointing to the heading stage of rice to analyze the interaction effects of DFAA stress on rice yield and dry matter partitioning. The results showed that compared with the CK group, the average yield reduction rate of rice in the DFAA groups was 23.03%, and the number of grains per panicle, total grain number, thousand-seed mass, and seed setting rate decreased. Compared with the DC groups, the DFAA groups had a significant reduction in yield and its components during the flooding period. Compared with the FC groups, the DFAA groups showed a compensation phenomenon in the yield and its components during the drought period. From the end of DFAA stress to the harvest period, the root partitioning index (PI) of the DFAA groups decreased, the stem PI increased first and then decreased, the leaf PI decreased, and the panicle PI increased. The results showed that the rice leaves increased and thickened, and the stems thickened under DFAA conditions to enhance the ability to resist drought and flooding stress, but the panicle rate was reduced, the growth period of rice was delayed, and the redundant growth of stems and leaves was increased. It is suggested that the depth and duration of stagnant water storage during the flood period of DFAA should be controlled, and the transfer and supply of photosynthetic products to grains should be increased to avoid serious yield reductions. The research results provide a theoretical basis for the rational development of farmland DFAA mitigation measures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimal Allocation and Regulation of Agricultural Water Resources and Soils)

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18 pages, 13684 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Plastic Membrane and Geotextile Cloth Mulching on Soil Moisture and Spring Maize Growth in the Loess–Hilly Region of Yan’an, China

by Zhifeng Jia, Bobo Wu, Wei Wei, Yingjie Chang, Rui Lei, Weiwei Hu and Jun Jiang

Agronomy 2023, 13(10), 2513; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13102513 - 29 Sep 2023

Viewed by 984

Abstract

In order to study the effect of a plastic membrane and geotextile cloth mulching on soil moisture and crop growth in the loess–hilly region, a one-year continuous field monitoring experiment was carried out in Ansai District, City of Yan’an, Shaanxi Province, China. The experimentation included three treatments: plastic membrane and geotextile cloth mulching on the ridge (MB), geotextile cloth mulching on the ridge (DB), and bare soil ridge (CK). Soil moisture and water potential sensors were installed to monitor the changes in soil moisture content and water potential at 5, 15, and 30 cm below the furrow surface and meteorological data above the soil surface, and the growth traits, yield, and quality of maize were analyzed. The results showed the following: (1) The soil water-storage capacity of the three treatments dropped to a minimum in the filling stage and gradually recovered in the mature stage. The average water-storage capacity for the MB treatment was 35.5% higher than that for the DB treatment and 85.1% higher than that for the CK treatment, significant throughout the whole growth period. (2) For four types of rainfall events, namely, light, medium, heavy, and storm rainfall, significant responses were observed at 5 cm below the ground for three treatments, and the fastest response was in MB due to its best rain-collection effect. A significant response was also observed at 15 and 30 cm below the surface of the furrow during medium, heavy, and storm rainfall, while no significant difference in response time was found between the three treatments due to the restriction of the soil infiltration capacity. (3) The differences between the three treatments in the agronomic traits of maize, except for plant height and stem thickness, were insignificant (p < 0.05). The seed moisture content and yield for the MB treatment were the highest, with values of 40.33% and 8366 kg/hm², respectively, followed closely by the DB treatment, with values of 38.61% and 7780 kg/hm², respectively, and the smallest values were observed in the CK treatment, with values of 35.80% and 6897 kg/hm², respectively. Compared with those for the CK treatment, the average starch content and the average lipid content for the mulching treatments (MB, DB) decreased by 13.40% and 17.11%, respectively, while the average protein content of maize increased by 7.86%. Overall, a plastic membrane and geotextile cloth mulching could significantly increase soil moisture and spring maize yield due to their better rain-collection effect. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimal Allocation and Regulation of Agricultural Water Resources and Soils)

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15 pages, 2376 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Analysis of the Spatial Correlation Network Structure of Agricultural Water Use Efficiency in Northwest China

by Yun Gao, Yulong Zhao, Kaiyang Li, Xuebin Qi and Ping Li

Agronomy 2023, 13(10), 2509; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13102509 - 28 Sep 2023

Viewed by 606

Abstract

There are some problems in Northwest China, such as the fragile ecological environment, poor basic conditions of agricultural production, low efficiency of agricultural water use, and difficulty in clarifying the path of agricultural water use efficiency (AWUE) improvement. Based on the superefficiency data envelopment analysis (DEA) model, this study increases the amount of ‘green water’ resources in the agricultural water consumption index of the input index and increases the wastewater pollutants (total chemical oxygen demand emissions; total ammonia nitrogen emissions) in the undesired output index to measure the AWUE in the northwest region. Based on the calculation results of AWUE, combined with the modified gravity model, the connection strength of AWUE between any two provinces in Northwest China is calculated, and the spatial structure and network characteristics of AWUE in this area are analysed via the social network analysis (SNA) method. The results show that the average AWUE in 2020 is nearly two times higher than that in 2011. From the situation of the northwest provinces, the average AWUE of the five provinces is in the order of Qinghai > Shaanxi > Gansu > Ningxia > Xinjiang. The AWUE value, total population, real GDP and per capita GDP of the capital cities of the five provinces in Northwest China are the key factors for the improvement of the connection intensity of AWUE. From 2011 to 2020, the connection intensity and closeness of AWUE in Northwest China increased, and there was a clear network hierarchy. The improvement in overall AWUE in the region is mainly due to the radiation and driving effect of the central province on other provinces. Based on this, the study proposes policy recommendations for gradually realising the AWUE improvement path of the central province (Shaanxi; Gansu)—cooperation circle (Shaanxi–Ningxia; Gansu–Qinghai)—the whole region. The results provide theoretical support and a quantitative basis for optimising the spatial pattern of agricultural water resources and improving AWUE in Northwest China. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimal Allocation and Regulation of Agricultural Water Resources and Soils)

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21 pages, 12472 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Response of Liquid Water and Vapor Flow to Rainfall Events in Sandy Soil of Arid and Semi-Arid Regions

by Ting Lu, Ce Zheng, Bao Zhou, Jing Wu, Xueke Wang, Yuan Zhao, Xiuhua Liu and Wenqian Yuan

Agronomy 2023, 13(9), 2424; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13092424 - 20 Sep 2023

Viewed by 737

Abstract

In arid and semi-arid regions, rainfall takes on a critical significance to both agricultural and engineering construction activities, and the transport process and driving mechanism of soil water under rainfall conditions are in need of further investigation. To clarify the variations in soil moisture, temperature, and liquid and vapor flux under various rainfall scenarios, the Mu Us Sandy Land was selected as the study region, and a water–vapor–heat transport model was established using the Hydrus-1D software with in situ observed soil and meteorological data. The simulated results were in good agreement with the measured data during both the calibration and validation periods, suggesting that the model was accurate and applicable to the study region. The variations in the selected dry and rainy periods proved the significant effect of rainfall events on soil matric potential, temperature, and driving forces. When rainfall occurred, the hydraulic conductivity for liquid water rose by three to five orders of magnitude, driving the liquid water flow downward. In contrast, the vapor flux played a vital role in soil water movement, accounting for about 15% of the total water flux in the shallow layer when the soil was dry, while it became non-significant during rainy periods due to the reduction in hydraulic conductivity for vapor and the temperature gradient. These results clarified the mechanisms of soil liquid water and vapor movement in arid areas, which could provide scientific support for future studies on vegetation restoration and ecosystem sustainability in ecologically fragile areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimal Allocation and Regulation of Agricultural Water Resources and Soils)

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16 pages, 4152 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Spatial and Temporal Variability and Coupling Relationship of Soil Water and Salt in Cultivated and Wasteland at Branch Canal Scale in the Hetao Irrigation District

by Yi Zhao, Haibin Shi, Qingfeng Miao, Shuya Yang, Zhiyuan Hu, Cong Hou, Cuicui Yu and Yan Yan

Agronomy 2023, 13(9), 2367; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13092367 - 12 Sep 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 766

Abstract

The Hetao Irrigation District is a typical salinized irrigation district in China, and soil salinization restricts agricultural development. To explore the spatial and temporal variability of soil water and salt and the coupling relationship in the Hetao Irrigation District, a field experiment was carried out at the scale of the Yichang Irrigation District branch canal in the downstream of the Hetao Irrigation District. Fifty-three soil sampling points were established to analyze the spatial and temporal variability of soil water content and total salt content and the coupling relationship using geostatistics and the coupling degree model. The results showed that soil water content in the study area belonged to medium variability and weak variability, and soil total salt content belonged to strong variability and medium variability. The theoretical models of soil water content and total salt content semi-variance function in the study area following the Gaussian model, with the block-base ratio less than 25%, with strong spatial autocorrelation, and the spatial correlation gradually increased with the increase of soil depth. The total salt content of the soil in the study area was interpolated with higher accuracy using radial basis functions as compared to ordinary kriging interpolation. In terms of temporal changes in salinity, the average salt accumulation rate of the 0–100 cm soil layer in the study area was 20.17% when salinity increased from May to June; the average desalination rate was 16.37% when salinity decreased from June to August. The main factors affecting soil salinity in cultivated land during the growing period were irrigation, precipitation, and planting crops, and the main factors affecting soil salinity in wasteland were precipitation and topography. The average coupling degree of soil water and salt in wasteland in the study area was lower than that of cultivated land, ranging from 65.15% to 86.59% of that of cultivated land. The level of coordination is marginal coordination for cultivated land and marginal disorder for wasteland. The study provides a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of soil salinization in arid areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimal Allocation and Regulation of Agricultural Water Resources and Soils)

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18 pages, 5412 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Accurate Measurement of Frozen Soil Depth Based on I-TDR

by Haoqin Qin, Zhiquan Mu, Xingyue Jia, Qining Kang, Xiaobin Li and Jinghui Xu

Agronomy 2023, 13(5), 1389; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13051389 - 17 May 2023

Viewed by 1059

Abstract

In this study, a new method for determining the depth of frozen soil, Impulse Response Time Domain Reflectometry, is discussed. This method uses the principle of impedance measurement and the law of time–frequency domain convolution to convert the frequency-domain reflection signal into a time-domain signal and accurately determines the soil freezing front by measuring the difference between the impedance of frozen soil and unfrozen soil. The advantage of this method is that it solves the problems of small bandwidth, long rising edge time, and large measurement errors in the traditional TDR method to effectively improve the measurement accuracy of the soil-freezing front. Under laboratory conditions, soils of different textures (sand, loess, black soil, and red soil) were selected for experimental determination, and the results showed that compared with the traditional TDR method, the RMSE of the I-TDR method was small, and the method was applicable under different soil texture conditions, which could provide a new method for monitoring frozen soil in cold areas. In addition, the application of this method has important guiding significance for improving the efficiency of winter irrigation water, especially for guiding agricultural production, farmland irrigation, drainage engineering construction, meteorological frozen soil monitoring, and other aspects in cold and arid areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimal Allocation and Regulation of Agricultural Water Resources and Soils)

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18 pages, 3297 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison of the Soil Water, Vapor, and Heat Dynamics between Summer Maize and Bare Fields in Arid and Semi-Arid Areas

by Wande Gao, Xiuhua Liu, Ce Zheng, Yudong Lu, Junqi He and Yi He

Agronomy 2023, 13(4), 1171; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13041171 - 20 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1278

Abstract

In arid and semi-arid areas, water vapor transport is an important form of soil water movement and plays a crucial role in the overall water and energy balance. For better prediction of soil water and heat fluxes and understanding of root zone soil water dynamics for effective crop management, soil moisture, temperature, soil texture and micrometeorological data have been collected from field trials. Based on the data collected, a Hydrus 1D model was established to simulate the coupled transport of liquid water, water vapor and heat under summer maize (summer maize treatment; SMT) and bare soil (bare soil treatment; BT) for a 100 cm soil profile. Calibration and validation data for the model revealed a good level of agreement between simulated and measured data. Results indicated that the isothermal vapor flux was close to zero throughout the profile, while the isothermal water flux dominated the soil water movement for both SMT and BT. The vapor flux was mainly contributed by thermal vapor flux and increased with soil desiccation. Evaporation and transpiration showed two distinct phases, increasing immediately after irrigation and decreasing gradually as soil water content decreased. SMT had lower evaporation rates due to the protection provided by crop canopy. Irrigation significantly altered the dynamic characteristics of thermal liquid water and thermal vapor fluxes in the vadose, emphasizing the importance of considering the coupled transport of liquid water, vapor, and heat transport at interfaces in the soil–plant–atmosphere continuum for accurate estimates of water flux, especially under prolonged drought conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimal Allocation and Regulation of Agricultural Water Resources and Soils)

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19 pages, 2701 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Groundwater Depth and Nitrogen Application Amount Jointly Regulate the Water and Residual Soil Nitrate Accumulation in Agricultural Soil Profile

by Fangfang Bai, Xuebin Qi, Ping Li, Zhenjie Du and Wei Guo

Agronomy 2023, 13(4), 1163; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13041163 - 19 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1308

Abstract

Despite the known influence of groundwater conditions and nitrogen application on crop growth and the soil microenvironment, less information is available on the influence of groundwater depth and nitrogen application amount on the movement and accumulation of soil water and residual nitrate in deep soil in summer maize–winter wheat rotation systems. Therefore, a large lysimeter experiment was conducted to examine how groundwater depth and nitrogen application amount influence the transport and accumulation of soil water and nitrate in the summer maize (Zea mays L.)–winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) rotation system. The results showed that nitrogen reduction increased soil water storage both in the summer maize and winter wheat fields. The residual soil nitrate accumulation in the entire soil profile of summer maize and winter wheat under deeper groundwater depth treatment was higher than that of shallow groundwater depth treatment. Hence, the deeper the groundwater depth, the longer the nitrate transport path, and the nitrate that would have entered the groundwater accumulates in deep soil. The residual soil nitrate accumulation in the whole soil profile of winter wheat was 76.05–130.11 kg ha⁻¹ higher than that of summer maize. Structural equation models (SEMs) showed that the nitrogen application amount not only exhibited a directly positive effect on the residual soil nitrate accumulation but also indirectly influenced it by regulating total soil nitrogen; groundwater depth only exhibited a directly negative effect on residual soil nitrate accumulation; and soil depth had an indirect positive effect on residual soil nitrate accumulation through the regulation of soil water storage. Together, our findings prove that groundwater depth and nitrogen application amount jointly regulate the residual soil nitrate accumulation in agricultural soil rotated with winter wheat and summer maize. Therefore, in formulating a fertilization strategy for regional agricultural green development, it is necessary to consider the fertilizer application amount rate and the groundwater depth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimal Allocation and Regulation of Agricultural Water Resources and Soils)

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