Editorial

4 pages, 185 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Irrigation Tools and Strategies to Conserve Water and Ensure a Balance of Sustainability and Profitability

by Aliasghar Montazar

Agronomy 2021, 11(10), 2037; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11102037 - 11 Oct 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1942

Efficient management and conservation practices for agricultural water use are essential for adapting to and mitigating the impacts of the current and future discrepancy between water supplies and water demands [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Water Conservation: Tools, Strategies, and Practices)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

16 pages, 4019 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hybrid Bermudagrass and Tall Fescue Turfgrass Irrigation in Central California: II. Assessment of NDVI, CWSI, and Canopy Temperature Dynamics

by Amir Haghverdi, Maggie Reiter, Amninder Singh and Anish Sapkota

Agronomy 2021, 11(9), 1733; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11091733 - 29 Aug 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2826

Abstract

As the drought conditions persist in California and water continues to become less available, the development of methods to reduce water inputs is extremely important. Therefore, improving irrigation water use efficiency and developing water conservation strategies is crucial for maintaining urban green infrastructure. [...] Read more.

As the drought conditions persist in California and water continues to become less available, the development of methods to reduce water inputs is extremely important. Therefore, improving irrigation water use efficiency and developing water conservation strategies is crucial for maintaining urban green infrastructure. This two-year field irrigation project (2018–2019) focused on the application of optical and thermal remote sensing for turfgrass irrigation management in central California. We monitored the response of hybrid bermudagrass and tall fescue to varying irrigation treatments, including irrigation levels (percentages of reference evapotranspiration, ET_o) and irrigation frequency. The ground-based remote sensing data included NDVI and canopy temperature, which was subsequently used to calculate the crop water stress index (CWSI). The measurements were done within two hours of solar noon under cloud-free conditions. The NDVI and canopy temperature data were collected 21 times in 2018 and 10 times in 2019. For the tall fescue, a strong relationship was observed between NDVI and visual rating (VR) values in both 2018 (r = 0.92) and 2019 (r = 0.83). For the hybrid bermudagrass, there was no correlation in 2018 and a moderate correlation (r = 0.72) in 2019. There was a moderate correlation of 0.64 and 0.88 in 2018 and 2019 between tall fescue canopy minus air temperature difference (dt) and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) for the lower CWSI baseline. The correlation between hybrid bermudagrass dt and VPD for the lower baseline was 0.69 in 2018 and 0.64 in 2019. Irrigation levels significantly impacted tall fescue canopy temperature but showed no significant effect on hybrid bermudagrass canopy temperature. For the same irrigation levels, increasing irrigation frequency slightly but consistently decreased canopy temperature without compromising the turfgrass quality. The empirical CWSI values violated the minimum expected value (of 0) 38% of the time. Our results suggest NDVI thresholds of 0.6–0.65 for tall fescue and 0.5 for hybrid bermudagrass to maintain acceptable quality in the central California region. Further investigation is needed to verify the thresholds obtained in this study, particularly for hybrid bermudagrass, as the recommendation is only based on 2019 data. No CWSI threshold was determined to maintain turf quality in the acceptable range because of the high variability of CWSI values over time and their low correlation with VR values. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Water Conservation: Tools, Strategies, and Practices)

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16 pages, 5308 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hybrid Bermudagrass and Tall Fescue Turfgrass Irrigation in Central California: I. Assessment of Visual Quality, Soil Moisture and Performance of an ET-Based Smart Controller

by Amir Haghverdi, Maggie Reiter, Anish Sapkota and Amninder Singh

Agronomy 2021, 11(8), 1666; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11081666 - 21 Aug 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2183

Abstract

Research-based information regarding the accuracy and reliability of smart irrigation controllers for autonomous landscape irrigation water conservation is limited in central California. A two-year irrigation research trial (2018–2019) was conducted in Parlier, California, to study the response of hybrid bermudagrass and tall fescue [...] Read more.

Research-based information regarding the accuracy and reliability of smart irrigation controllers for autonomous landscape irrigation water conservation is limited in central California. A two-year irrigation research trial (2018–2019) was conducted in Parlier, California, to study the response of hybrid bermudagrass and tall fescue to varying irrigation scenarios (irrigation levels and irrigation frequency) autonomously applied using a Weathermatic ET-based smart controller. The response of turfgrass species to the irrigation treatments was visually assessed and rated. In addition, turfgrass water response functions (TWRFs) were developed to estimate the impact of irrigation scenarios on the turfgrass species based on long-term mean reference evapotranspiration (ET_o) data. The Weathermatic controller overestimated ET_o between 5% and 7% in 2018 and between 5% and 8% in 2019 compared with California Irrigation Management Information System values. The controller closely followed programmed watering-days restrictions across treatments in 2018 and 2019 and adjusted the watering-days based on ET_o demand when no restriction was applied. The low half distribution uniformity and precipitation rate of the irrigation system were 0.78 and 28 mm h⁻¹, respectively. The catch-cans method substantially underestimated the precipitation rate of the irrigation system and caused over-irrigation by the smart controller. No water-saving and turfgrass quality improvement was observed owing to restricting irrigation frequency (watering days). For the hybrid bermudagrass, the visual rating (VR) for 101% ET_o treatment stayed above the minimum acceptable value of six during the trial. For tall fescue, the 108% ET_o level with 3 d wk⁻¹ frequency kept the VR values in the acceptable range in 2018 except for a short period in mid-trial. The TWRF provided a good fit to experimental data with r values of 0.79 and 0.75 for tall fescue and hybrid bermudagrass, respectively. The estimated VR values by TWRF suggested 70–80% ET_o as the minimum irrigation application to maintain the acceptable hybrid bermudagrass quality in central California during the high water demand months (i.e., May to August) based on long-term mean ET_o data. The TWRF estimations suggest that 100% ET_o would be sufficient to maintain the tall fescue quality for only 55 days. This might be an overestimation impacted by the relatively small tall fescue VR data in 2019 owing to minimal fertilizer applications and should be further investigated in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Water Conservation: Tools, Strategies, and Practices)

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15 pages, 1483 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Response of Chosen American Asparagus officinalis L. Cultivars to Drip Irrigation on the Sandy Soil in Central Europe: Growth, Yield, and Water Productivity

by Roman Rolbiecki, Stanisław Rolbiecki, Anna Figas, Barbara Jagosz, Piotr Prus, Piotr Stachowski, Maciej J. Kazula, Małgorzata Szczepanek, Wiesław Ptach, Ferenc Pal-Fam, Hicran A. Sadan and Daniel Liberacki

Agronomy 2021, 11(5), 864; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11050864 - 28 Apr 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2123

Abstract

The aim of this study was to verify the response of 13 American asparagus cultivars cultivated for green spear on surface postharvest drip irrigation. Irrigation, used to compensate for periodic deficiencies in precipitation, allows for high- and good-quality crops for many species. The [...] Read more.

The aim of this study was to verify the response of 13 American asparagus cultivars cultivated for green spear on surface postharvest drip irrigation. Irrigation, used to compensate for periodic deficiencies in precipitation, allows for high- and good-quality crops for many species. The field experiment was carried out in 2006–2008 on a very light sandy soil in central Europe (Poland). Irrigation treatments were applied using the tensiometer indications. Water requirements of asparagus were calculated on the base of reference evapotranspiration and crop coefficients. The following evaluations were made: Height, diameter, and number of summer stalks, as well marketable yield, weight, and number of consumption green spears. Drip irrigation applied for 2 years (2006–2007) in the postharvest period had a positive effect on all studied traits in both summer stalks and green spears in 2007–2008. A significant increase in the height, number, and diameter of summer stalks, as well an increase in the marketable yield, weight, and number of green spears was observed for most of the cultivars. In general, postharvest drip irrigation of asparagus cultivated in very light sandy soil significantly contributes to the increase in productivity of American cultivars of this species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Water Conservation: Tools, Strategies, and Practices)

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20 pages, 7776 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Partial Root Drying and Soil Mulching on Squash Yield and Water Use Efficiency in Arid

by Abdulhalim H. Farah, Hussein M. Al-Ghobari, Tarek K. Zin El-Abedin, Mohammed S. Alrasasimah and Ahmed A. El-Shafei

Agronomy 2021, 11(4), 706; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11040706 - 07 Apr 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2481

Abstract

Practical and sustainable water management systems are needed in arid regions due to water shortages and climate change. Therefore, an experiment was initiated in winter (WS) and spring (SS), to investigate integrating deficit irrigation, associated with partial root drying (PRD) and soil mulching, [...] Read more.

Practical and sustainable water management systems are needed in arid regions due to water shortages and climate change. Therefore, an experiment was initiated in winter (WS) and spring (SS), to investigate integrating deficit irrigation, associated with partial root drying (PRD) and soil mulching, under subsurface drip irrigation on squash yield, fruit quality, and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE). Two mulching treatments, transparent plastic mulch (WM) and black plastic mulch (BM), were tested, and a treatment without mulch (NM) was used as a control. Three levels of irrigation were examined in a split-plot design with three replications: 100% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc), representing full irrigation (FI), 70% of ETc (PRD70), and 50% of ETc (PRD50). There was a higher squash yield and lower IWUE in SS than WS. The highest squash yields were recorded for PDR70 (82.53 Mg ha⁻¹) and FI (80.62 Mg ha⁻¹). The highest IWUE was obtained under PRD50. Plastic mulch significantly increased the squash yield (34%) and IWUE (46%) and enhanced stomatal conductance, photosynthesis, transpiration, leaf chlorophyll fluorescence, and leaf chlorophyll contents under PRD plants. These results indicate that in arid and semi-arid regions, soil mulch with deficit PRD could be used as a water-saving strategy without reducing yields. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Water Conservation: Tools, Strategies, and Practices)

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12 pages, 2745 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Estimation of Sensible and Latent Heat Fluxes Using Surface Renewal Method: Case Study of a Tea Plantation

by Jizhang Wang, Noman Ali Buttar, Yongguang Hu, Imran Ali Lakhiar, Qaiser Javed and Abdul Shabbir

Agronomy 2021, 11(1), 179; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11010179 - 18 Jan 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2119

Abstract

An experiment of sensible and latent heat flux measurement was conducted in a tea plantation near the Yangtze River within Danyang of Jiangsu Province, China. High-frequency (~10 Hz) air temperature measurement with fine-wire thermocouples (⌀ = 50 μm) was used for the estimation [...] Read more.

An experiment of sensible and latent heat flux measurement was conducted in a tea plantation near the Yangtze River within Danyang of Jiangsu Province, China. High-frequency (~10 Hz) air temperature measurement with fine-wire thermocouples (⌀ = 50 μm) was used for the estimation of sensible heat flux (H), and latent heat flux (LE) was extracted as a residual of the energy balance equation using additional measurements of net radiation (R_n) and soil heat flux (G). Results were compared against the eddy covariance (EC) system under unstable conditions only, and days with high precipitation were excluded from further analysis. Half-hourly datasets of the sensible heat flux estimated using the surface renewal method (SR) (H_SR) and measured by the EC system (H_EC) were analyzed. Results showed good agreement with R² = 0.80, root mean square error (RMSE) = 27.87 W m⁻², relative error (RE) = 9.02%, and a regression slope of 0.68—this slope was used for the calibration of the uncalibrated H_SR estimated by SR. On the other hand, the half-hourly dataset of LE_SR was regressed against EC, and it showed good agreement with relatively high R² = 0.93, RMSE = 32.99 W·m⁻², and RE = 5.67%. Hence, the SR method may estimate the surface fluxes at a relatively low cost, ultimately improving calculations of evapotranspiration. Thus, the SR method could provide an economical tool for improving crop water management of tea plantations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Water Conservation: Tools, Strategies, and Practices)

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20 pages, 2094 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating Irrigation and Farming Systems with Solar MajiPump in Ethiopia

by Tewodros T. Assefa, Temesgen F. Adametie, Abdu Y. Yimam, Sisay A. Belay, Yonas M. Degu, Solomon T. Hailemeskel, Seifu A. Tilahun, Manuel R. Reyes and P. V. Vara Prasad

Agronomy 2021, 11(1), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11010017 - 23 Dec 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3766

Abstract

Small-scale irrigation in Ethiopia is a key strategy to improve and sustain the food production system. Besides the use of surface water for irrigation, it is essential to unlock the groundwater potential. It is equally important to use soil management and water-saving systems [...] Read more.

Small-scale irrigation in Ethiopia is a key strategy to improve and sustain the food production system. Besides the use of surface water for irrigation, it is essential to unlock the groundwater potential. It is equally important to use soil management and water-saving systems to overcome the declining soil fertility and the temporal water scarcity in the region. In this study, the solar MajiPump was introduced to enable dry season crop production in Ethiopia using shallow groundwater sources. The capacity of the MajiPumps (MP400 and MP200) was tested for the discharge head and discharge using three types of solar panels (150 W and 200 W rigid, and 200 W flexible). Besides, drip irrigation and conservation agriculture (CA) farming systems were evaluated in terms of water productivity and crop yield in comparison to the farmers’ practice (overhead irrigation and tilled farming system). Results indicated that the maximum discharge head capacity of the MajiPumps was 18 m, 14 m, 10 m when using MP400 with 200 W rigid, MP400 with 200 W flexible, and MP200 with 150 W rigid solar panels, respectively. The corresponding MajiPump flow rates ranged from 7.8 L/min to 24.6 L/min, 3 L/min to 25 L/min, and 3.6 L/min to 22.2 L/min, respectively. Compared to farmer’s practice, water productivity was significantly improved under the CA farming and the drip irrigation systems for both irrigated vegetables (garlic, onion, cabbage, potato) and rainfed maize production. The water productivity of garlic, cabbage, potato, and maize was increased by 256%, 43%, 53%, and 9%, respectively, under CA as compared to conventional tillage (CT) even under overhead irrigation. Thus, farmers can obtain a significant water-saving benefit from CA regardless of water application systems. However, water and crop productivity could be further improved in the combined use of MajiPump with CA and drip irrigation (i.e., 38% and 33% water productivity and 43% and 36% crop productivity improvements were observed for potato and onion, respectively). Similarly, compared to CT, the use of CA significantly increased garlic, cabbage, potato, and maize yield by 170%, 42%, 43%, and 15%, respectively under the MajiPump water-lifting system. Overall, the solar-powered drip irrigation and CA farming system were found to be efficient to expand small-scale irrigation and improve productivity and livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Ethiopia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Water Conservation: Tools, Strategies, and Practices)

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12 pages, 2331 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Water-Use Efficiency and Productivity Improvements in Surface Irrigation Systems

by Carlos Chávez, Isaías Limón-Jiménez, Baldemar Espinoza-Alcántara, Jacobo Alejandro López-Hernández, Emilio Bárcenas-Ferruzca and Josué Trejo-Alonso

Agronomy 2020, 10(11), 1759; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10111759 - 12 Nov 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2819

Abstract

In Mexico, agriculture has an allowance of 76% of the available water (surface and underground), although the average application efficiencies are below 50%. Despite the fact that in recent years modern pressurized irrigation systems have been the best option to increase the water-use [...] Read more.

In Mexico, agriculture has an allowance of 76% of the available water (surface and underground), although the average application efficiencies are below 50%. Despite the fact that in recent years modern pressurized irrigation systems have been the best option to increase the water-use efficiency (WUE), the gravity irrigation system continues to be the most used method to provide water to crops. This work was carried out during the 2014–2019 period in three crops, namely, barley, corn, and sorghum, in an irrigation district, showing the results of a methodology applied to gravity irrigation systems to increase the WUE. The results show that, with an efficient design, by means of irrigation tests, characterization of the plot, and the calculation of the optimal flow through an analytical formula, it was possible to reduce the irrigation times per hectare and the irrigation depth applied. Application efficiencies increased from 43% to 95%, while the WUE increased by 27, 38, and 47% for sorghum, barley, and corn, respectively. With this methodology, farmers are more attentive in irrigation because the optimal flow in each furrow or border is, in general, higher than that applied in the traditional way and they take less time to irrigate their plots. For farmers to adopt this methodology, the following actions are required: (a) be aware that the water that comes from dams is as valuable as the water from wells; (b) increase the irrigation quota; (c) seek government support to increase the WUE; and (d) show them that with less water they can have better yields. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Water Conservation: Tools, Strategies, and Practices)

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21 pages, 4251 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Landsat-Based Evapotranspiration Using Weighing Lysimeters in the Texas High Plains

by Ahmed A. Hashem, Bernard A. Engel, Vincent F. Bralts, Gary W. Marek, Jerry E. Moorhead, Sherif A. Radwan and Prasanna H. Gowda

Agronomy 2020, 10(11), 1688; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10111688 - 30 Oct 2020

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1999

Abstract

Evapotranspiration (ET) is one of the largest data gaps in water management due to the limited availability of measured evapotranspiration data, and because ET spatial variability is difficult to characterize at various scales. Satellite-based ET estimation has been shown to have great potential [...] Read more.

Evapotranspiration (ET) is one of the largest data gaps in water management due to the limited availability of measured evapotranspiration data, and because ET spatial variability is difficult to characterize at various scales. Satellite-based ET estimation has been shown to have great potential for water resource planning and for estimating agricultural water use at field, watershed, and regional scales. Satellites with low spatial resolution, such as NASA’s MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer), and those with higher spatial resolution, such as Landsat (Land Satellite), can potentially be used for irrigation water management purposes and other agricultural applications. The objective of this study is to assess satellite based-ET estimation accuracy using measured ET from large weighing lysimeters. Daily, seven-day running average, monthly, and seasonal satellite-based ET data were compared with corresponding lysimeter ET data. This study was performed at the USDA-ARS Conservation and Production Research Laboratory (CPRL) in Bushland, Texas, USA. The daily time series Landsat ET estimates were characterized as poor for irrigated fields, with a Nash Sutcliff efficiency (NSE) of 0.37, and good for monthly ET, with an NSE of 0.57. For the dryland managed fields, the daily and monthly ET estimates were unacceptable with an NSE of −1.38 and −0.19, respectively. There are various reasons for these results, including uncertainties with remotely sensed data due to errors in aerodynamic resistance surface roughness length estimation, surface temperature deviations between irrigated and dryland conditions, poor leaf area estimation in the METRIC model under dryland conditions, extended gap periods between satellite data, and using the linear interpolation method to extrapolate daily ET values between two consecutive scenes (images). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Water Conservation: Tools, Strategies, and Practices)

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18 pages, 2749 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pearl Millet Forage Water Use Efficiency

by Bradley Crookston, Brock Blaser, Murali Darapuneni and Marty Rhoades

Agronomy 2020, 10(11), 1672; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10111672 - 29 Oct 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3610

Abstract

Pearl millet (Pennisitum glaucum L.) is a warm season C₄ grass well adapted to semiarid climates where concerns over scarce and depleting water resources continually prompt the search for water efficient crop management to improve water use efficiency (WUE). A two-year [...] Read more.

Pearl millet (Pennisitum glaucum L.) is a warm season C₄ grass well adapted to semiarid climates where concerns over scarce and depleting water resources continually prompt the search for water efficient crop management to improve water use efficiency (WUE). A two-year study was conducted in the Southern Great Plains, USA, semi-arid region, to determine optimum levels of irrigation, row spacing, and tillage to maximize WUE and maintain forage production in pearl millet. Pearl millet was planted in a strip-split-plot factorial design at two row widths, 76 and 19 cm, in tilled and no-till soil under three irrigation levels (high, moderate, and limited). The results were consistent between production years. Both WUE and forage yield were impacted by tillage; however, irrigation level had the greatest effect on forage production. Row spacing had no effect on either WUE or forage yield. The pearl millet water use-yield production function was y = 6.68 × x (mm) − 837 kg ha⁻¹; however, a low coefficient of determination (r² = 0.31) suggests that factors other than water use (WU), such as a low leaf area index (LAI), had greater influence on dry matter (DM) production. Highest WUE (6.13 Mg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹) was achieved in tilled soil due to greater LAI and DM production than in no-till. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Water Conservation: Tools, Strategies, and Practices)

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21 pages, 7165 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Feasibility of Moderate Deficit Irrigation as a Water Conservation Tool in California’s Low Desert Alfalfa

by Ali Montazar, Oli Bachie, Dennis Corwin and Daniel Putnam

Agronomy 2020, 10(11), 1640; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10111640 - 24 Oct 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3700

Abstract

Irrigation management practices that reduce water use with acceptable impacts on yield are important strategies to cope with diminished water supplies and generate new sources of water to transfer for other agricultural uses, and urban and environmental demands. This study was intended to [...] Read more.

Irrigation management practices that reduce water use with acceptable impacts on yield are important strategies to cope with diminished water supplies and generate new sources of water to transfer for other agricultural uses, and urban and environmental demands. This study was intended to assess the effects of moderate water deficits, with the goal of maintaining robust alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) yields, while conserving on-farm water. Data collection and analysis were conducted at four commercial fields over an 18-month period in the Palo Verde Valley, California, from 2018–2020. A range of deficit irrigation strategies, applying 12.5–33% less irrigation water than farmers’ normal irrigation practices was evaluated, by eliminating one to three irrigation events during selected summer periods. The cumulative actual evapotranspiration measured using the residual of energy balance method across the experimental sites, ranged between 2,031 mm and 2.202 mm, over a 517-day period. An average of 1.7 and 1.0 Mg ha⁻¹ dry matter yield reduction was observed under 33% and 22% less applied water, respectively, when compared to the farmers’ normal irrigation practice in silty loam soils. The mean dry matter yield decline varied from 0.4 to 0.9 Mg ha⁻¹ in a clay soil and from 0.3 to 1.0 Mg ha⁻¹ in a sandy loam soil, when irrigation water supply was reduced to 12.5% and 25% of normal irrigation levels, respectively. A wide range of conserved water (83 to 314 mm) was achieved following the deficit irrigation strategies. Salinity assessment indicated that salt buildup could be managed with subsequent normal irrigation practices, following deficit irrigations. Continuous soil moisture sensing verified that soil moisture was moderately depleted under deficit irrigation regimes, suggesting that farmers might confidently refill the soil profile following normal practices. Stand density was not affected by these moderate water deficits. The proposed deficit irrigation strategies could provide a reliable amount of water and sustain the economic viability of alfalfa production. However, data from multiple seasons are required to fully understand the effectiveness as a water conservation tool and the long-term impacts on the resilience of agricultural systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Water Conservation: Tools, Strategies, and Practices)

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19 pages, 1889 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modeling the Effects of Irrigation Water Salinity on Growth, Yield and Water Productivity of Barley in Three Contrasted Environments

by Zied Hammami, Asad S. Qureshi, Ali Sahli, Arnaud Gauffreteau, Zoubeir Chamekh, Fatma Ezzahra Ben Azaiez, Sawsen Ayadi and Youssef Trifa

Agronomy 2020, 10(10), 1459; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10101459 - 24 Sep 2020

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3011

Abstract

Freshwater scarcity and other abiotic factors, such as climate and soil salinity in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region, are affecting crop production. Therefore, farmers are looking for salt-tolerant crops that can successfully be grown in these harsh environments using poor-quality [...] Read more.

Freshwater scarcity and other abiotic factors, such as climate and soil salinity in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region, are affecting crop production. Therefore, farmers are looking for salt-tolerant crops that can successfully be grown in these harsh environments using poor-quality groundwater. Barley is the main staple food crop for most of the countries of this region, including Tunisia. In this study, the AquaCrop model with a salinity module was used to evaluate the performance of two barley varieties contrasted for their resistance to salinity in three contrasted agro-climatic areas in Tunisia. These zones represent sub-humid, semi-arid, and arid climates. The model was calibrated and evaluated using field data collected from two cropping seasons (2012–14), then the calibrated model was used to develop different scenarios under irrigation with saline water from 5, 10 to 15 dS m⁻¹. The scenario results indicate that biomass and yield were reduced by 40% and 27% in the semi-arid region (KAI) by increasing the irrigation water salinity from 5 to 15 dS m⁻¹, respectively. For the salt-sensitive variety, the reductions in biomass and grain yield were about 70%, respectively, although overall biomass and yield in the arid region (MED) were lower than in the KAI area, mainly with increasing salinity levels. Under the same environmental conditions, biomass and yield reductions for the salt-tolerant barley variety were only 16% and 8%. For the salt-sensitive variety, the biomass and grain yield reductions in the MED area were about 12% and 43%, respectively, with a similar increase in the salinity levels. Similar trends were visible in water productivities. Interestingly, biomass, grain yield, and water productivity values for both barley varieties were comparable in the sub-humid region (BEJ) that does not suffer from salt stress. However, the results confirm the interest of cultivating a variety tolerant to salinity in environments subjected to salt stress. Therefore, farmers can grow both varieties in the rainfed of BEJ; however, in KAI and MED areas where irrigation is necessary for crop growth, the salt-tolerant barley variety should be preferred. Indeed, the water cost will be reduced by 49% through growing a tolerant variety irrigated with saline water of 15 dS m⁻¹. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Water Conservation: Tools, Strategies, and Practices)

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14 pages, 2963 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Feeding Emitters for Microirrigation with a Digestate Liquid Fraction up to 25% Dilution Did Not Reduce Their Performance

by Simone Bergonzoli, Massimo Brambilla, Elio Romano, Sergio Saia, Paola Cetera, Maurizio Cutini, Pietro Toscano, Carlo Bisaglia and Luigi Pari

Agronomy 2020, 10(8), 1150; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10081150 - 06 Aug 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2180

Abstract

Irrigation with wastewater can strongly contribute to the reduction of water abstraction in agriculture with an especial interest in arid and semiarid areas. However, its use can have drawbacks to both soil and micro-irrigation systems, especially when the total solids in the wastewater [...] Read more.

Irrigation with wastewater can strongly contribute to the reduction of water abstraction in agriculture with an especial interest in arid and semiarid areas. However, its use can have drawbacks to both soil and micro-irrigation systems, especially when the total solids in the wastewater are high, such as in digestate liquid fractions (DLF) from plant material. The aim of this study was thus to evaluate the performances of a serpentine shaped micro-emitter injected with a hydrocyclone filtered DLF (HF-DLF) from corn + barley biomass and evaluate the traits of the liquid released within a 8-h irrigation cycle. HF-DLF was injected at 10%, 25%, and 50% dilution compared to tap water (at pH = 7.84) and the system performances were measured. No clogging was found, which likely depended on both the shape of the emitter and the high-pressure head (200 kPa). HF-DLF dilution at 10%, 25%, and 50% consisted in +1.9%, +3.5, and −4.9% amount of liquid released compared to the control. Fluid temperature during irrigation (from 9:00 to 17:00) did not explain the difference in the released amounts of liquid. In 10% HF-DLF % and 25% HF-DLF, a pH difference of + 0.321 ± 0.014 pH units compared to the control was found, and such difference was constant for both dilutions and at increasing the time. In contrast, 50% HF-DLF increased pH by around a half point and such difference increased with time. Similar differences among treatments were found for the total solids in the liquid. These results indicate that 50% HF-DLF was accumulating materials in the serpentine. These results suggest that a low diluted HF-DLF could directly be injected in irrigation systems with few drawbacks for the irrigation system and contribute to water conservation since such wastewater are available from the late spring to the early fall, when water requirements are high. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Water Conservation: Tools, Strategies, and Practices)

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19 pages, 377 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Adoption of Water-Conserving Irrigation Practices among Row-Crop Growers in Mississippi, USA

by Nicolas Quintana-Ashwell, Drew M. Gholson, L. Jason Krutz, Christopher G. Henry and Trey Cooke

Agronomy 2020, 10(8), 1083; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10081083 - 27 Jul 2020

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3163

Abstract

This article identifies irrigated row-crop farmer factors associated with the adoption of water-conserving practices. The analysis is performed on data from a survey of irrigators in Mississippi. Regression results show that the amount of irrigated area, years of education, perception of a groundwater [...] Read more.

This article identifies irrigated row-crop farmer factors associated with the adoption of water-conserving practices. The analysis is performed on data from a survey of irrigators in Mississippi. Regression results show that the amount of irrigated area, years of education, perception of a groundwater problem, and participation in conservation programs are positively associated with practice adoption; while number of years farming, growing rice, and pumping cost are negatively associated with adoption. However, not all factors are statistically significant for all practices. Survey results indicate that only a third of growers are aware of groundwater problems at the farm or state level; and this lack of awareness is related to whether farmers noticed a change in the depth to water distance in their irrigation wells. This evidence is consistent with a report to Congress from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that recommends policies promoting the use of: (1) more efficient irrigation technology and practices and (2) precision agriculture technologies, such as soil moisture sensors and irrigation automation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Water Conservation: Tools, Strategies, and Practices)

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