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The advanced treatment and resource utilization of oily wastewater are of great significance to solve water shortages and realize carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. The construction of biomass-based superwetting surfaces with recyclability, non-toxicity, and degradability is considered to be a promising strategy to overcome the unavoidable bottlenecks of "secondary pollution" and high costs in the current design of superhydrophobic structures. In this work, a strategy for preparing multifunctional sodium alginate (SA) superhydrophobic surfaces was proposed. By virtue of the synergistic mechanism of SA, SiO2 nanoparticles, pseudo-polyrotaxane and methyltrimethoxysilane, a superhydrophobic sponge with a green biomass-based carrier was prepared, which was constructed using a superhydrophobic elastomer with a three-dimensional network. The modified SA aerogel has a contact angle of 155.2° and even exhibits strong corrosion resistance in harsh environments with a water contact angle greater than 155°. Notably, the increase of green biomass-based materials provides a promising and sustainable development path for the preparation of hydrophobic substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Watermelon production has rapidly increased in Morocco over the last 15 years. Since its independence in 1956, Morocco has promoted the production of early-season fruits and vegetables for European supermarkets to boost the national economy and improve rural livelihoods. Today, the expansion of watermelon production in arid regions of the country has had profound impacts on local land and water resources. In Zagora, a pre-Sahara oasis region in the southeast of the country, watermelons have contributed to the overuse of aquifers, trapping farmers in cycles of accumulating debt, and increasing conflict over land. Drawing on interviews and participant observation with residents and officials from 2021-2023, this paper demonstrates how a pastoral community embraced watermelon production in an effort to engage with the agro-export sector that drives the country's agricultural growth. Yet rather than contributing to the overall development of the region, watermelon production has deepened gender and economic disparities within the community and privileged a small group of farmers with access to capital. Although authorities restricted watermelon production in 2023, larger investors simply moved production, leaving small farmers to confront the volatile market while trying to sustain land, water, and collective identity in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental concerns are growing in parts of the rural United States as drinking water wells become contaminated with agrichemicals, and climate change impacts such as drought and extreme rain events disrupt farming practices. Analyzing in‐depth interviews with 29 U.S. rural journalists, we explore the role rural journalists play when reporting on the environment as it relates to agricultural issues. Findings show that reporting about the environment—such as weather, climate change, water shortages, and droughts—appear in rural journalists' stories given those topics' relevance to their rural communities and the social systems forces exerting influence on journalists, yet rural journalists often do not perceive themselves as doing environmental reporting. Rural journalists also report lacking training and resources to do environmental reporting. This study points to the need for more support for rural journalists' environmental reporting as one way to build social change and maintain local community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water scarcity, combined with low soil fertility, constitutes one of the main limiting factors in crop productivity in semi-arid regions. However, nutritional supplementation techniques with nitrogen (N) and molybdenum (Mo) can lead to positive enhancements in the production of these crops. The objective was to evaluate the effect of increasing doses of N in the presence and/or absence of Mo on the activity of antioxidant enzymes and the productive increase of forage sorghum subjected to water deficit in the semi-arid region. The experiment was conducted in the field using a randomized block design, with four replications, in a 5 × 2 × 3 factorial scheme, comprising five doses of N (urea): 0, 50, 100, 150, and 300 kg ha−1, two doses of Mo (sodium molybdate): 0 and 160 g ha−1, and three production cycles. The highest yields of green mass (GM) (47.98 Mg ha−1), dry mass (DM) (19.66 Mg ha−1), water use efficiency (WUE) (5.57 kg/m³), and N use efficiency (NUE) (0.26 kg2/g) occurred at the highest N dosage (300 kg ha−1 N). The highest contents and extraction of total N, Mo, chloride (Cl), and potassium (K) were found in regrowth 2 and at the highest N dose (300 kg ha−1). The interaction of N and Mo resulted in higher catalase (CAT) enzyme activity. The meteorological conditions during the cycles strongly influenced the nutrient contents and extraction. The results of the study provide support for producers to use N and Mo fertilization strategies to improve crop productivity, even under water deficit conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management of molasses-based wastewater generated in yeast and sugar industries is a major environmental concern due to its high chemical oxygen demand and other recalcitrant substances. Several strategies have been used to reduce the inland discharge of wastewater but the results are not satisfactory due to high operating cost. However, reuse of molasses-based wastewater irrigation in agriculture has been a major interest nowadays to reduce the freshwater consumption. Thus, it is crucial to monitor the impacts of molasses-based waste water irrigation on growth, metabolism, yield and nutritional quality of crops for safer consumer's health. In present study, carrot seeds of a local cultivar (T-29) were germinated on filter paper in Petri dishes under controlled conditions. The germinated seeds were then transplanted into pots and irrigated with three different treatments normal water (T0), diluted molasses-based wastewater (T1), and untreated molasses-based wastewater (T2), in six replicates. Results revealed that carrot irrigated with untreated molasses-based waste water had exhibited significant reductions in growth, yield, physiology, metabolism, and nutritional contents. Additionally, accumulation of Cd and Pb contents in carrot roots irrigated with untreated molasses-based waste water exceed the permissible limits suggested by WHO and their consumption may cause health risks. While, diluted molasses-based waste water irrigation positively enhanced the growth, yield of carrot plants without affecting the nutritional quality. This strategy is cost effective, appeared as most appropriate alternative mean to reduce the freshwater consumption in water deficit regions of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims. The Mediterranean climate has been traditionally favorable for winemaking and irrigation practice has been historically avoided and even forbidden, but current productive scenarios are suffering radical changes because of global warming. Therefore, seeking sustainable approaches to improve water availability is key to obtaining high‐quality wines and maintain its style, without affecting yields. Methods and Results. Here, we aim to evaluate the effect of irrigation in Merlot vineyards, on grapes production and quality, and also on wine acceptability. Field‐grown grapevines from cv. "Merlot" were subjected to two different water supplies in the field: (i) nonirrigated plants and (ii) irrigated plants with 50% of crop evapotranspiration, from veraison to commercial harvest. We assessed water stress markers such as leaf relative water content, leaf hydration, and the maximum efficiency of photosystem II photochemistry, as well as grape and wine quality parameters, wine acceptability, and preference with a panel composed of 100 participants. Furthermore, we performed a systematic review study for comparison, including 9 published reports on Merlot grapevines subjected to different water regimes, oriented to improve irrigation decisions, yield, and/or quality. Results showed that half water supply on grapevines not only induced an increase in the volume and weight of grapes, but the resulting wines had a lower total acidity and showed more desirable chromatic properties, increasing colour intensity and hue, and decreasing brightness. Sensory analysis revealed that 63% of the untrained panel preferred wines from the irrigation treatment. Integrating previously reported data, it is observed that water scarcity is favorable for quality only when compared with fully irrigated vineyards. Conclusions. It is concluded that a half irrigation can be enough to improve grape quality under Mediterranean conditions, without affecting yield components and enhancing sensory characteristics that can improve wine acceptance by consumers. Water management approaches to sustainably provide this extra amount of water to irrigate field‐grown grapevines under the current context of climate change are discussed. Significance of the Study. The present study's findings provide valuable information regarding water management in Mediterranean vineyards and its effects on the suitability of these areas to maintain high‐quality wine production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water scarcity, a challenge expected to worsen with climate change, significantly hinders native plant community restoration. Enhancing seed‐based restoration requires methods to increase the water availability for seeds and seedlings. Surfactants and superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) can improve soil water‐holding capacity and infiltration, but their use in seed enhancements remains underexplored. We investigated whether pellets containing surfactants or SAPs could improve seedling emergence of two native species (Rytidosperma caespitosum and Chrysocephalum apiculatum) common in temperate grasslands in south‐eastern Australia under different watering treatments. We used a randomized block design with five watering treatments to simulate predicted changes in precipitation for south‐eastern Australia: ambient, two reducing overall water volume, and two reducing watering frequency while increasing watering volume to maintain ambient treatment water volume. We explored four enhanced pellets (two containing surfactants and two containing SAPs) and non‐pelleted seeds. Our results showed that watering events with larger volumes but reduced frequency increased seedling emergence. Under these conditions, block co‐polymer surfactants further increased seedling emergence of C. apiculatum, while synthetic SAP pellets promoted emergence of R. caespitosum. Block co‐polymer surfactants decreased R. caespitosum emergence, and both SAPs reduced C. apiculatum emergence under reduced watering frequency. A 50% reduction in overall water volume significantly reduced seedling emergence for both species, regardless of seed enhancement. These findings suggest that surfactants and SAP pellets can improve the success of seed‐based restoration under ambient conditions and when rainfall events are larger in volume but reduced in frequency, but not when the overall volume of rainfall is reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China is the world's largest water transfer project, aiming to address water shortages in northern China by channeling water from the water-rich southern regions. Water resources in Tianjin have long been in severe deficit, with excessive groundwater extraction causing significant surface subsidence, negatively impacting urban infrastructure and economic development. As a result, Tianjin has become a key beneficiary of this water diversion project. To investigate the current situation of surface subsidence, we obtained the vertical displacement time series from 21 GNSS stations across Tianjin from 2011 to 2021 and analyzed overall subsidence changes and rehabilitation status. Results indicate that no clear surface subsidence was observed in the northern regions of Tianjin due to groundwater extraction mainly in unconfined aquifers. The southwestern region experienced the most significant surface subsidence due to overexploitation of deep groundwater, with peak cumulative subsidence exceeding 600 mm during the study period. The central, eastern, and southeastern coastal regions also faced severe surface subsidence with cumulative amounts ranging from 100 mm to 400 mm. The alleviation of subsidence predominantly benefits from continuous water supply from the South to North Water Diversion Project, which resulted in most stations significantly slowing down or even stabilizing their settlement rates after 2018. Therefore, the South-to-North Water Diversion Project plays a crucial role in addressing the persistent water resource shortage and mitigating long-term surface subsidence in Tianjin by ensuring a continuous water supply and significantly reducing the need for groundwater extraction. Our findings indicate positive measures, such as water diversion projects and water management policies, can serve as valuable references for other regions around the world facing similar water scarcity and groundwater overexploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing shortage of water resources and the aggravation of water pollution, solar-driven interfacial steam generation (SISG) technology has garnered considerable attention because of its low energy consumption, simple operation, and environmental friendliness. The popular multi-layer SISG evaporator is composed of two basic structures: a photothermal layer and a support layer. Herein, the support layer underlies the photothermal layer and carries out thermal management, supports the photothermal layer, and transports water to the evaporation interface to improve the stability of the evaporator. While most research focuses on the photothermal layer, the support layer is typically viewed as a supporting object for the photothermal layer. This review focuses on the support layer, which is relatively neglected in evaporator development. It summarizes existing progress in the field of multi-layer interface evaporators, based on various polymers and biomaterials, along with their advantages and disadvantages. Specifically, mainly polymer-based support layers are reviewed, including polymer foams, gels, and their corresponding functional materials, while biomaterial support layers, including natural plants, carbonized biomaterials, and other innovation biomaterials are not. Additionally, the corresponding structure design strategies for the support layer were also involved. It was found that the selection and optimal design of the substrate also played an important role in the efficient operation of the whole steam generation system. Their evolution and refinement are vital for advancing the sustainability and effectiveness of interfacial evaporation technology. The corresponding potential future research direction and application prospects of support layer materials are carefully presented to enable effective responses to global water challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study endeavours to substantially contribute towards alleviating the global water scarcity problem. The task entailed designing a computational model of a renewable energy-based evaporator. Using ANSYS Fluent, the CFD simulations of a three-dimensional conventional continuous single slope, single basin solar still were carried out in summer at 23.79°N, 86.43°E coordinates. With the optimized inclination condensation angle of 29° and water depth at 1 cm, the solar still recorded the highest hourly drinking water, about 1.5 kg m-2, at 11:00 h. The continuous production resulted in a water collection rate of 8.6 kg m-2 day-1, encompassing the production of all previous models. Additionally, compared with the literature correlation for solar still simulated mass, the Power model calculation was the closest, with a 12.4% variation. Furthermore, the study showcases that CFD is an economical, efficient, and easily diagnosable technique for designing solar stills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of farmers (85%) in Asia operate on small plots (< 2 ha) under low-input conditions to support their livelihoods. Wheat production in India faces challenges due to water scarcity and suboptimal nitrogen (N) management practices. To address this problem, a multi-location (9) field experiment comprising of 9 treatments by including nano and prilled urea alone or in combination was conducted under restricted irrigation conditions (only two irrigations i.e., first at crown root initiation stage and 2nd at flag leaf stage) during 2021–2022 and 2022–2023 in randomised block design with three replications in three agro-climatic regions (NWPZ- North Western Plains Zone, NEPZ- North Eastern Plains Zone and CZ- Central Zone) of India. Results indicated that combining recommended nitrogen (RDN) i.e., 90 kg/ha with two sprays of 5% urea increased grain yield by 4.1% and 41.9% in NWPZ and NEPZ, respectively, over RDN alone. Two sprays of nano urea at tillering and jointing stages significantly outperformed the control (Zero N), increasing grain yield by 14.5%, 34.0%, and 19.2% in NWPZ, NEPZ, and CZ, respectively. Moreover, RDN with two sprays of nano urea increased the grain yield and agronomic efficiency by 12.1% and 12.0% in CZ and 25.2% and 24.6% in NEPZ over RDN alone, respectively. From a net benefit perspective, RDN with two sprays of 5% urea was 6.7 and 70.4% higher in NWPZ and NEPZ over RDN under restricted irrigation. In CZ, applying RDN with two sprays of nano urea provided 15.5% higher net benefit over RDN. The recommendation for wheat cultivation in small-scale farming systems in India under restricted irrigation conditions suggests adopting a nitrogen management approach combining RDN with two sprays of 5% urea in NWPZ and NEPZ or with two sprays of nano urea in NEPZ and CZ improved the productivity, profitability and agronomic efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The soil can be managed to improve plant nutrition and resilience under water scarcity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the contribution of soil conditioners, controlled-release fertilizers, and water availability levels to mitigate water scarcity and improve the nutrition of coffee plants. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse under a randomized block design with four replicates in a factorial scheme (2 irrigation levels × 2 fertilizer types × 5 soil conditioners) of analysis of variance. The factors under study were two irrigation levels (low—40% of water holding capacity, and high—80% of water holding capacity), fertilizer type (conventional and controlled-release), and soil conditioners (coffee husk, gypsum, water-retaining polymer, organic compost, and control without soil conditioner), The characteristics assessed were soil fertility, soil moisture, and nutrient foliar contents. Multivariate analytical methods were used to interpret the results. Soil moisture, chemical attributes, and leaf nutrient contents were analyzed. There was a similarity in the clusters formed by the controlled-release fertilizer treatments, which contribute to plant nutrition. Even under water restriction, the treatments with coffee husk and organic compost were clustered along with soil moisture, favoring the absorption of nutrients. Soil cover with organic compounds improved soil moisture, even under low water availability, which favored plant fertility and nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor water resource management is a major cause of water loss and exacerbates water shortages. In order to avoid some misconceptions and misunderstandings associated with irrigation efficiency, the term real water savings (RWS) has been introduced in contrast to apparent water savings (AWS). In this study, irrigation technology interventions were evaluated in terms of return flow and water saving in the Qazvin Plain irrigation network in Iran. This was accomplished using the REWAS tool developed by FAO to evaluate the effects of technological and management interventions on the RWS at the macro level (network, basin, etc.). According to the results, switching the irrigation system from furrow to center pivot with height-regulated sprinklers (Scenario A), center pivot with height-fixed sprinklers (Scenario B), linear-move irrigation system (Scenario C), and solid-set sprinkler irrigation (Scenario D), results in RWS of 390, 383, 326, and 331 mm, respectively. In turn, as a result of applying scenarios A, B, C, and D, the AWSs at the field scale were determined to be 90%, 88%, 75%, and 76%, respectively, while the RWS at the irrigation network scale was determined to be 19%, 19%, 17%, and 18%, respectively. Due to the influence of nonrecoverable return flows, the RWS is much lower than expected. In conclusion, the RWS can only be increased by preventing nonrecoverable return flows. The assessment of RWS can assist decision-makers in choosing sustainable interventions to improve agricultural water productivity by providing insight into field flows, irrigation networks, and basin scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing concepts of water political economy focus on political bargaining within relatively static institutional and climactic environments. This article adds 'post' to water political economy to explore how non-stationary climate interacts with endogenous political institutions to create and magnify policy and behavioural uncertainties. These post-water political economy ideas are then applied to food security to explore potential future scenarios. The implications are terrible for poor people living in water-scarce, food-importing countries, but not much better for everyone else. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the demand for edible oil continues to soar, rapeseed cultivation remains pivotal for sustainable and efficient oil production, catering to the nutritional needs of a burgeoning population. Given the substantial impact of environmental stress on plant productivity, this study aimed to explore the in vitro responses of calli-derived hypocotyls from five Brassica napus genotypes under varying concentrations of polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%). The objective was to assess various growth and physiological parameters, including Callus Growth Rate (CGR), Relative Water Content (RWC), Index of Tolerance (INTOL), Relative Growth Rate (RGR), and Proline Content (PC). Results unveiled a significant surge in proline content with increasing levels of PEG, with the highest accumulation observed at 40% PEG concentration. These findings suggest that heightened osmotic stress induced by PEG led to a notable rise in proline accumulation in calli-derived hypocotyls. Furthermore, elevated levels of PEG-induced osmotic stress adversely impacted growth parameters such as RWC, RGR, and CGR. Notably, genotypes Geronimo and Arc5 exhibited enhanced drought resistance in in vitro environments compared to other genotypes. These particular genotypes showcased greater resilience and adaptability to PEG-induced osmotic stress, as evidenced by significantly higher measurements of relative water content (RWC), relative growth rate (RGR), and Callus Growth Rate (CGR). Physiological indices like Relative Water Content (RWC), Relative Growth Rate (RGR), and Callus Growth Rate (CGR) offer valuable insights into a plant's response to environmental stresses like water scarcity. This selection process is crucial for developing more resistant plant varieties that thrive even in challenging environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safflower is a climate-resilient, quality oilseed with high resistance to water scarcity, soil salinity, and frost-prone areas, and it has a wide range of applications in daily life, ranging from food to pharmaceutical to industrial. Adapting high-quality oil-content-producing safflower cultivars can help reduce costs and reduce precious foreign exchange in countries like Pakistan. Exotic germplasm imported from the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), consisting of 145 exotic safflower accessions and four local control cultivars were planted under semi-arid conditions in Faisalabad, Pakistan, during winter 2018-19 and 2019-20 season using an augmented design with unreplicated entries and replicated checks. Genotypic coefficient of variability (GCV) analysis revealed significant variation among the accessions of safflower for achene yield plant-1, heads plant-1, and branches plant-1. The Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant but negative correlation between days to maturity and days to 50% flowering. The results revealed larger achene yields and earlier maturity in safflower planted in early winter. Biplot analysis found that five of the tested accessions had higher achene yield plant-1, while four of the other accessions had a higher percentage of oil than the control, which was the local safflower check-31, which had the highest oil content and best quality traits. Furthermore, the dendrogram revealed that four safflower accessions exhibited higher morphological uniqueness across the investigated traits during both years of study, which can be employed for future varietal development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) belongs to the Solanaceae family and is considered an important vegetable worldwide. Its production has been challenged due to soil salinization and water shortages. Local tomato cultivars could be better adapted to salt stress. Based on this hypothesis, the present study was carried out to determine the variation in fourteen different tomato cultivars for salt tolerance. Seed germination, mean germination time, shoot length, and root length were examined under salinity stress (1.5 g L-1 NaCl). Plant growth and seed germination were severely affected by saline conditions. The results of this in vitro experiment showed that the seed germination of Yellow Milk was significantly increased (73.33%) however, Pink Jade and Red Jade cultivars were significantly decreased under the NaCl treatment. Similarly, among the fourteen tomato cultivars, the mean germination time of only Yellow Pearl and Black Current significantly increased. Moreover, the shoot length of eight tomato cultivars decreased compared with the control, while the highest shoot length (12.5 cm) was recorded in the case of Saint cultivar. The root length of Taiwan Red Saint, Purple Beauty, Yellow Milk, Red Pearl, Yellow Pearl, Pink Cooperative 906, Qinzu Shanghai 903, and Scarlet cultivars significantly increased, while the other five cultivars significantly decreased under NaCl treatment compared to control. It is concluded that NaCl stress significantly affects the vegetative growth of tomato cultivars under in vitro culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The olive tree (Olea europaea L.) is culturally and economically vital in Morocco. However, its sustainability is threatened by aridity and water scarcity. Studying its response to different irrigation strategies is crucial for sustainable cultivation and improved water use efficiency in the face of future drought events. This work aimed to study the responses of sap flow rate, physiological, and agronomic parameters of the Moroccan olive cultivar 'Menara' to Regulated Deficit Irrigation (RDI) and Sustained Deficit Irrigation (SDI) strategies. Seven irrigation regimes were studied based on the sensitivity of phenological phases to water stress, distinguished as (SP) 'Sensitive Period' and (NP) 'Normal Period'. SP involves flowering (SP1) and oil synthesis to harvest (SP2), while NP relates to pit hardening. 'Menara' olive trees were subjected to four RDI treatments: T1 (SP 100- NP 70% ETc), T2 (SP 100- NP 60% ETc), T3 (SP 80- NP 70% ETc), and T4 (SP 80- NP 60% ETc), and two SDI treatments: T5 (70% ETc) and T6 (60% ETc), compared with control (T0) trees under full irrigation (100% ETc). In comparison to the control T0, the deficit irrigation treatments exhibited lower sap flow rates. Specifically, T1 and T2 experienced reductions of 10% and 19% in sap flow rates, respectively, attributed to a decrease in water application of 11% and 14% compared to T0. Despite this decline, T1 and T2 demonstrated fruit yields comparable to T0. Conversely, T4, which received 28% less irrigation, displayed a yield reduction of approximately 23% compared to T0 in 2022. Moreover, adverse effects were observed in Menara olive trees treated with T4 after two consecutive seasons of deficit irrigation in 2023, indicating that prolonged stress effects could be detrimental in subsequent years. T3, under RDI, showed resilience with a 13% reduction in production despite a 37% decrease in sap flow rate and a 24% water restriction. Conversely, T5 and T6, employing SDI, experienced significant yield declines of 50%, with reductions in water application of 30% and 40% and sap flow rate of 51% and 80%, respectively, in 2022. The alternate bearing pattern significantly impacts Menara olive production, as evidenced by reduced sap flow and yield in the "off" year of 2023, regardless of irrigation strategies. A strong correlation (R2 = 0.84) between sap flow and yield indicates that well-irrigated olive trees tend to transpire more, leading to higher yields. Stomatal conductance (gs) notably decreases with increased water deficit, with reductions of 8%, 12%, and 23% observed in T4, T5, and T6, respectively. Furthermore, a significant reduction in FV/FM, indicative of water stress, was observed with a 40% decrease in water supply in the T6 treatment group during both irrigation seasons in 2022 and 2023, with Fv/Fm reaching approximately 0.7. In general, Menara olive trees subjected to deficit irrigation, particularly under the T3 RDI treatment, showed the ability to adapt and cope with low water supply over time. However, the cumulative water shortage effect of the SDI treatment T6 resulted in a decline in both the agronomic and physiological performance of this cultivar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing population in the face of water scarcity inevitably necessitates the quest for alternative sources of irrigation water, which integrates them with irrigation strategies for improved agricultural productivity to meet the Sustainable Development Goals. A three-year field experiment was conducted in 2017, 2018, and 2019 to investigate the effect of water quality (reclaimed water (RW) and clean water (CW)), irrigation techniques (subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) and furrow irrigation (FUI)), irrigation methods (full irrigation (FI) and alternate partial root-zone irrigation (APRI) (70% ETc)), and their interactions on the fresh fruit yield (FY), irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE), and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of tomatoes. Further, electrical conductivity (EC), pH, and organic matter (OM) of soil were evaluated. The experiments were undertaken over three growing spring seasons in a greenhouse at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Henan Province, China. Throughout the three years of this study, the yield, the IWUE, and the NUE values of all treatments under RW were higher than those corresponding values under CW. The trend was the same under SDI as it was under FUI. Statistical analyses revealed that there was no significant effect (P > 0.05) of water quality, irrigation technique, and irrigation methods on the soil EC, pH, and OM over the three years. In addition, the interaction between the different experimental factors over the three years of the study was not significant. In conclusion, the application of RW under SDI can result in saving CW and increasing productivity without any negative effect on the investigated soil properties. Furthermore, when RW-SDI is used in conjunction with APRI, it can result in increasing IWUE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional engineering approaches are often inefficient and vulnerable, and cities face increasing challenges due to population growth, consumption rates and persistent inequalities. This paper aims to identify Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for water-sensitive European cities, categorising interventions according to their essential ecological functions for urban resilience. Through analysis of 77 projects in 46 cities, with interventions at three spatial scales, it examined a variety of actions that impact urban water management, addressing key challenges and their environmental impacts at the urban scale. The study concluded the importance of four categories of blue infrastructure and three categories of green infrastructure, highlighting their contribution to flood protection, water quality improvement and stormwater management. In Mediterranean regions facing water scarcity and extreme weather events, NbS represent a paradigm shift towards urban resilience and sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several cities are facing water emergencies related to urbanization impact and amplified by climate change. Most of the cities have responded to these crises through short-term measures. However, some cities have incorporated a watershed approach to water management in seeking more sustainable solutions. Although the importance of a watershed approach in land management is generally acknowledged, studies on this topic have typically focused on theoretical models, water management in rural areas or single case-studies of cities or countries. In this research, a scoping review of the literature was performed, based on the PRISMA 2020 statement, in three databases: Web of Science, Google Scholar and SciELO. Forty-one studies were identified analyzing 17 city cases implementing urban actions from a watershed approach in water management. These cities were from the Global North and Asian rising world powers. The lack of results of cities from the Global South, based on the research undertaken, was the main limitation and bias identified. Most of the Global South results identified in this research were theoretical models, scenarios and cases of rural areas instead of urban contexts. The results obtained indicate that the main motivations for cities to implement a watershed approach were water scarcity, floods and contamination of water bodies. The implemented actions focused on the shift from gray to green and blue infrastructure and on conservation measures. Lastly, the challenges to introduce those actions were mainly the lack of economic investment, insufficient experience, stakeholder opposition, and regulatory obstacles. Urban water management could be seen as an opportunity to change the way we relate to urban territory. Incorporating a watershed approach into urban planning and water management could promote more sustainable cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dryland expansion causes widespread water scarcity and biodiversity loss. Although the drying influence of global warming is well established, the role of existing drylands in their own expansion is relatively unknown. In this work, by tracking the air flowing over drylands, we show that the warming and drying of that air contributes to dryland expansion in the downwind direction. As they dry, drylands contribute less moisture and more heat to downwind humid regions, reducing precipitation and increasing atmospheric water demand, which ultimately causes their aridification. In ~40% of the land area that recently transitioned from a humid region into a dryland, self-expansion accounted for ’50% of the observed aridification. Our results corroborate the urgent need for climate change mitigation measures in drylands to decelerate their own expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater scarcity has become a critical global challenge affecting some of the most vulnerable populations. In response, significant effort has focused on ways to increase access to this precious resource. Within the context of geographical, cultural, political, and technological factors governing freshwater availability, atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) has demonstrated tremendous promise to help address these shortages. Specifically, mesh‐based fog harvesters have received considerable attention for their passive qualities compared with their energy‐dependent technological siblings (sorbents, condensation, etc.), yet their specific water yield (SY) has developed only modestly in recent decades. While the plant and animal kingdom provide diverse examples of passive fog collection, and science has developed a remarkable understanding of these processes, much of this knowledge has yet to be translated practically at scale. This is partially due to challenges in mass‐producing complex (often micro‐scale) structures observed in nature. Fortunately, manufacturing technology is catching up with scientific understanding, especially at the scale of mesh design. To this end, the review begins by surveying bioinspired research in fog harvesting. Afterward, this study identifies milestones in developing bioinspired fog harvesting meshes, concluding in a discussion of future mesh research opportunities connecting bioinspiration and emerging advanced manufacturing techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing water scarcity jeopardizes crop production for global food security, a problem poised to worsen under climate change–induced drought. Amending soils with locally derived biochar from pyrolyzed agricultural residues may enhance soil moisture retention and resilience, in addition to climate change mitigation. However, prior studies on the hydrologic benefits of biochar focused on optimal moisture, not water‐limited conditions where biochar's large wettable surface area could aid plants and microbes. We hypothesized that biochars differing in feedstocks would positively augment soil moisture and respiration, with overall impacts most beneficial under drier conditions. Using water vapor sorption isotherms, we used film theory to estimate the specific surface area (SSA) of biochars. We then modeled and tested the moisture retention of a coarse‐textured soil amended with biochar. Additionally, a 109‐day lab incubation experiment was also conducted to examine biochar effects on respiration across a moisture range spanning optimal to wilting point. Among seven tested biochars, almond shell biochar significantly increased soil moisture and yield the second highest SSA. Despite drying treatments, the amended soil maintained higher respiration than the control, indicating enhanced biological activity. The results demonstrate biochars counter drying effects in coarse soils through physical and biological mechanisms linked to increased sorptive capacity. Our findings contribute to the development of sustainable water and waste management strategies tailored to the needs of California Central Valley, where the potential for biochar application is substantial. Above all, our research fills a crucial gap by providing context‐specific insights that can inform the effective utilization of locally produced biochars in the face of increasing water scarcity and excess biomass challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we study the social dynamic of temporal partitioning congestion games (TPGs), in which participants must coordinate an optimal time-partitioning for using a limited resource. The challenge in TPGs lies in determining whether users can optimally self-organize their usage patterns. Reaching an optimal solution may be undermined, however, by a collectively destructive meta-reasoning pattern, trapping users in a socially vicious oscillatory behavior. TPGs constitute a dilemma for both human and animal communities. We developed a model capturing the dynamics of these games and ran simulations to assess its behavior, based on a 2×2 framework that distinguishes between the players' knowledge of other players' choices and whether they use a learning mechanism. We found that the only way in which an oscillatory dynamic can be thwarted is by adding learning, which leads to weak convergence in the no-information condition and to strong convergence in the with-information condition. We corroborated the validity of our model using real data from a study of bats' behaviour in an environment of water scarcity. We conclude by examining the merits of a complexity-based, agent-based modelling approach over a game-theoretic one, contending that it offers superior insights into the temporal dynamics of TPGs. We also briefly discuss the policy implications of our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is a complex natural hazard that occurs when a region experiences a prolonged period of dry conditions, leading to water scarcity and negative impacts on the environment. This study analyzed the recurrence of drought and wet spells in Baluchistan province, Pakistan. Reconnaissance Drought Index (RDI), Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), and Vegetation Condition Index (VCI) were used to analyze droughts in Baluchistan during 1986–2021. Statistical analysis i.e. run theory, linear regression, and correlation coefficient were used to quantify the trend and relationship between meteorological (RDI, SPEI) and agricultural (VCI) droughts. The meteorological drought indices (1, 3, 6, and 12-month RDI and SPEI) identified severe to extreme drought spells during 1986, 1988, 1998, 2000–2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2018–2019, and 2021 in most meteorological stations (met-stations). The Lasbella met-station experienced the most frequent extreme to severe droughts according to both the 12-month RDI (8.82%) and SPEI (15.38%) indices. The Dalbandin met-station (8.34%) follows closely behind for RDI, while Khuzdar (5.88%) comes in second for the 12-month SPEI. VCI data showed that Baluchistan experienced severe to extreme drought in 2000, 2001, 2006, and 2010. The most severe drought occurred in 2000 and 2001, affecting 69% of the study region. A positive correlation was indicated between meteorological (RDI, SPEI) and agricultural drought index (VCI). The multivariate indices can provide valuable knowledge about drought episodes and preparedness to mitigate drought impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water scarcity is a major environmental constraint on plant growth in arid regions. Soluble sugars and amino acids are essential osmolytes for plants to cope with osmotic stresses. Sweet sorghum is an important bioenergy crop and forage with strong adaptabilities to adverse environments; however, the accumulation pattern and biosynthesis basis of soluble sugars and amino acids in this species under osmotic stresses remain elusive. Here, we investigated the physiological responses of a sweet sorghum cultivar to PEG-induced osmotic stresses, analyzed differentially accumulated soluble sugars and amino acids after 20% PEG treatment using metabolome profiling, and identified key genes involved in the biosynthesis pathways of soluble sugars and amino acids using transcriptome sequencing. The results showed that the growth and photosynthesis of sweet sorghum seedlings were significantly inhibited by more than 20% PEG. After PEG treatments, the leaf osmotic adjustment ability was strengthened, while the contents of major inorganic osmolytes, including K+ and NO3−, remained stable. After 20% PEG treatment, a total of 119 and 188 differentially accumulated metabolites were identified in the stems and leaves, respectively, and the accumulations of soluble sugars such as raffinose, trehalose, glucose, sucrose, and melibiose, as well as amino acids such as proline, leucine, valine, serine, and arginine were significantly increased, suggesting that these metabolites should play key roles in osmotic adjustment of sweet sorghum. The transcriptome sequencing identified 1711 and 4978 DEGs in the stems, as well as 2061 and 6596 DEGs in the leaves after 20% PEG treatment for 6 and 48 h, respectively, among which the expressions of genes involved in biosynthesis pathways of sucrose (such as SUS1, SUS2, etc.), trehalose (including TPS6), raffinose (such as RAFS2 and GOLS2, etc.), proline (such as P5CS2 and P5CR), leucine and valine (including BCAT2), and arginine (such as ASS and ASL) were significantly upregulated. These genes should be responsible for the large accumulation of soluble sugars and amino acids under osmotic stresses. This study deepens our understanding of the important roles of individual soluble sugars and amino acids in the adaptation of sweet sorghum to water scarcity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Government intervention has become an important measure to restrain groundwater overexploitation. This paper analyzes the effect of three types of government intervention measures, namely, guidance, incentive and constraint, on farmers' groundwater utilization behavior, from the perspective of scale-heterogeneity, using general quantile regression model, by survey data of 1122 households in well irrigation area of north China. The results showed that: (1) the incentive and guiding measures have negative effects on farmers' groundwater usage, while the effect of restrictive measures is not obvious. The guided policy is superior to the incentive measure as to governance effect. (2) With the increase of farmers' land scale, the influence of incentive measures shows a trend of weakening, and the effect of guided measures on groundwater demand reduction of farmers is stronger. When it comes to the different point of water consumption, when at the point level of 0.25, the incentive measures have the most obvious inhibitory effect. With the increase of water consumption of farmers, the guided measures begin to play a core role. The effect of restrictive measures is not obvious with the increase of water consumption. (3) In addition, farmers' irrigation water consumption also is affected by gender, cognition of water resources shortage, ecological cognitive level, acquisition ability of disaster information, village rain conditions, the degree of water rights market development, feelings of water fee increase, irrigated disputes in the village, collective economic level of village. The selection of policy tools is flexible according to the farmers' land scale for groundwater over-extraction control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Climate change induces perturbation in the global water cycle, profoundly impacting water availability for agriculture and therefore global food security. Water stress encompasses both drought (i.e. water scarcity) that causes the drying of soil and subsequent plant desiccation, and flooding, which results in excess soil water and hypoxia for plant roots. Terrestrial plants have evolved diverse mechanisms to cope with soil water stress, with the root system serving as the first line of defense. The responses of roots to water stress can involve both structural and physiological changes, and their plasticity is a vital feature of these adaptations. Genetic methodologies have been extensively employed to identify numerous genetic loci linked to water stress-responsive root traits. This knowledge is immensely important for developing crops with optimal root systems that enhance yield and guarantee food security under water stress conditions. Results: This review focused on the latest insights into modifications in the root system architecture and anatomical features of legume roots in response to drought and flooding stresses. Special attention was given to recent breakthroughs in understanding the genetic underpinnings of legume root development under water stress. The review also described various root phenotyping techniques and examples of their applications in different legume species. Finally, the prevailing challenges and prospective research avenues in this dynamic field as well as the potential for using root system architecture as a breeding target are discussed. Conclusions: This review integrated the latest knowledge of the genetic components governing the adaptability of legume roots to water stress, providing a reference for using root traits as the new crop breeding targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fog harvesting, also known as fog collection, is a sustainable approach to addressing water scarcity which captures water droplets from fog, providing a renewable water source for water-scarce regions. The aim of this study is to give more background about fog harvesting by introducing fog harvesting systems, their advantages and disadvantages, real world and laboratory projects and efficiency. This study emphasizes fog harvesting's potential in arid regions with frequent fog occurrence, discusses working mechanisms, and explores nature-inspired and nanotechnology-based fog collectors. Local climate data's importance for feasibility assessment is highlighted, along with the vital role of community involvement for long-term success. Fog harvesting offers a promising and environmentally friendly solution to alleviate water scarcity challenges when combined with innovative strategies and community engagement. Real-world projects have shown that fog water collection can be an effective and sustainable solution, particularly in regions with persistent fog and limited water resources. However, more work is needed on innovative fog collectors and advanced materials to increase sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In developing countries in Africa and Asia, meeting challenges of water scarcity and pollution has often been hampered by shortcomings in higher education, including insufficient research productivity and funding, lack of opportunity for university graduates, and a mismatch between university activities and societal needs. To address these issues, we developed novel programs integrating technical instruction and preparation for professional practice in hydrology for cohorts of graduate students from Morocco and Egypt (2012–2013) and from Türkiye and Indonesia (2013–2014). Students participated in an initial online course and a follow‐up workshop featuring geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing, and hydrologic modeling with internet‐based data sets. Field activities in the USA (first cohort) and in the students' home countries (second cohort) included stream gauging, measurement of water levels in wells, water sampling, and measurement of hydrochemical parameters. A subsequent online course focused on research ethics, preparing proposals and publications, and presenting findings to technical audiences and the public, culminating in presentations at conferences in the USA. Participants mentored other students at their home institutions and at K‐12 schools in Türkiye and Indonesia. Participant feedback during and after the programs tended to be strongly positive, and participants have continued to engage with project leaders and mentor students in their home countries and the USA. Our modular, hybrid approach offers a template for students in hydrology and related fields to develop relevant skills and engage internationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Climate change poses a significant threat to agriculture, primarily through the increased frequency and severity of droughts. These extreme weather conditions reduce water availability, impacting crop yields and biomass production. Drought stress is particularly challenging for regions already prone to water scarcity, compromising food security. Addressing these issues requires innovative strategies and a thorough understanding of plant responses to water deficit conditions. This study aims to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying drought tolerance in Citrus, crucial for developing adaptive strategies. The findings show that Bitters (C22) exhibits greater drought tolerance than Carrizo Citrange and identify key genes involved in responding to water scarcity. In conclusion, this research enhances our understanding of how citrus plants respond to water stress and identifies promising candidate genes. These insights will guide future research aimed at developing drought-tolerant plants. Agriculture faces the dual challenge of increasing food production and safeguarding the environment. Climate change exacerbates this challenge, reducing crop yield and biomass due to drought stress, especially in semi-arid regions where Citrus plants are cultivated. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying drought tolerance in Citrus is crucial for developing adaptive strategies. Plants of two citrus rootstocks, Carrizo Citrange and Bitters (C22), were grown in aerated half-strength Hoagland's nutrient solution. Post-acclimation, the plants were exposed to a solution containing 0% (control) or 15% PEG-8000 for 10 days. Leaf malonyl dialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content were measured to assess the reached oxidative stress level. Total RNA was extracted, sequenced, and de novo-assembled. Weighted Gene Correlation Network Analysis (WGCNA) was conducted to examine the relationship between gene expression patterns and the levels of MDA and H2O2 used as oxidative stress indicators. Plant visual inspection and MDA and H2O2 contents clearly indicate that Bitters is more tolerant than Carrizo towards PEG-induced drought stress. RNA-Seq analysis revealed a significantly higher number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in Carrizo (6092) than in Bitters (320), with most being associated with drought sensing, ROS scavenging, osmolyte biosynthesis, and cell wall metabolism. Moreover, the WGCNA identified transcription factors significantly correlated with MDA and H2O2 levels, thus providing insights into drought-coping strategies and offering candidate genes for enhancing citrus drought tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Drought stress is a major ecological constraint that resulted in the restricted growth of plants. • Ascorbic acid has an antioxidant property and acts as an important cofactor in plant hormones biosynthesis, including ethylene (ET), salicylic acid (SA), abscisic acid (ABA), and gibberellic acid (GA 3). • Ascorbic acid as foliar spray supported the barley plant growth under drought stress to ameliorate the adverse effects of stress by maintaining growth, relative water contents, and osmotic adjustment through proline, phenolics accumulation and antioxidant enzyme activities. Drought is one of the most devastating environmental stress which affects the plant growth and yield in several ways. Grain crops including barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) are badly affected due to shortage of water all over the world. Ascorbic acid acts as an important cofactor in plant hormones biosynthesis and its exogenous application has been shown to confer tolerance against biotic and abiotic stresses. In the present research, the ability of ascorbic acid to increase drought stress tolerance was investigated in three barley genotypes, a drought-resistant (V3 = Jau-Haider 93) and two drought-sensitive (V1 = 92,044 and V2 = 92,112) grown in pots under field conditions. Two levels of water, control i.e., with adequate irrigation and drought stress with 60 % of field capacity were applied. Ascorbic acid was applied as a foliar spray (1 mM) after every 7 days interval at 3rd leaf stage. In the present study, imposition of drought stress significantly reduced the growth, physiological and biochemical parameters in all genotypes of barley. Among all the varieties, V3 showed the highest increase (18.2 µmolm−2s−1) in net photosynthetic rate when treated with ascorbic acid. Similarly, ascorbic acid increased transpiration rate in V3 with a value of 1.42, 1.45, 1.18, and 1.28 µmolm−2s−1 in control, control with ascorbic acid, drought stress, and drought stress with ascorbic acid, respectively. During the present investigation polyamines i.e., putrescene, spermidine and spermine was highest (117.22, 99.12 and 107.02 nmol·g−1 FW, respectively) in V1 plants treated with ascorbic acid without drought stress. Proline, protein and carbohydrate contents was also increased significantly in barley by ascorbic acid application as compared to control plants. V1 showed the highest peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase (17.23, 39.12, 17.22 Umg−1 of proteins, respectively) in plants treated with ascorbic acid as compared to control without ascorbic acid treatment. Ascorbic acid as foliar spray supported the plant growth under drought stress to ameliorate the adverse effects of stress by maintaining the relative water contents and osmotic adjustment by enhancing antioxidant enzymes, polyamines, proline and phenolics contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to water scarcity in the Bashang area of northwest Hebei Province, a cold and arid region in north China, and to address the diminishing groundwater levels caused by pumping irrigation, this study investigated the impact of rainwater tank size and water supply on kidney beans production in greenhouses under various precipitation scenarios to determine the production potential and development strategies for regional precipitation resources. Under the background of average annual precipitation, kidney bean yield increased with increasing reservoir volume and shorter irrigation cycles. Under a 4-day irrigation cycle, the water demand satisfaction rate of kidney beans reached 100% water demand when the rainwater tank size was 15.7 m3. Against the wide variation in multi-year regional precipitation from 1992 to 2023, the annual effect of rainwater harvest was simulated using precipitation data collected 20 years with an 80% precipitation guarantee rate. The average minimum yield reduction rate obtained was 9.4%, and the corresponding minimum rainwater tank size was 29.5 m3. By superimposing the rainwater harvested in the shed and nonshed areas, the volume of the reservoir without yield reduction could be reduced to 20.0 m3. The sum of discharged and inventory water was much greater than the water scarcity in each water supply situation. Simulating and analyzing the effect of the relationship between rainwater tank size and water supply on rainwater harvesting in regional farmland by year provides important data affecting the construction of regional rainwater storage facilities and water supply efficiency. To achieve a high, stable yield of kidney beans grown in a greenhouse with shed film and shed area rainwater harvesting in north China, 2.6 m3 supplementary groundwater irrigation is still needed during the annual growing season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food security, a crucial issue for the development of humankind, is often severely constrained by water scarcity. As a globally recognized most advanced agricultural water-saving technology, drip irrigation under plastic mulch (DIPM) has played a significant role in grain production. However, a comprehensive review of the dual impacts of this practice in farmland remains lacking. This study has conducted an exhaustive review of DIPM research from 1999 to 2023 and employed CiteSpace software to perform a co-occurrence and clustering analysis of keywords in order to reveal research hotspots and trends. The results show that the attention to DIPM technology has increased annually and reached a peak in 2022. China leads in the number of publications in this field, reflecting its emphasis on agricultural water-saving technologies. This study critically discusses the dual impacts of DIPM on farmland. On the positive side, DIPM can improve soil temperature and moisture, enhance nutrient availability, promote water and nutrient absorption by roots, and increase the crop growth rate and yield while reducing evaporation and nitrogen loss, suppressing weed growth, decreasing herbicide usage, and lowering total greenhouse gas emissions. On the negative side, it will cause pollution from plastic mulch residues, damage the soil structure, have impacts on crop growth, and lead to increased clogging of drip irrigation systems, which will increase agricultural costs and energy consumption, hinder crop growth, hamper soil salinization management, and further reduce the groundwater level. The future development of DIPM technology requires optimization and advancement. Such strategies as mechanized residual-mulch recovery, biodegradable mulch substitution, aerated drip irrigation technology, and alternate irrigation are proposed to address existing issues in farmland triggered by DIPM. This review advocates for the active exploration of farming management practices superior to DIPM for future agricultural development. These practices could lead to higher yields, water–nitrogen efficiency, and lower environmental impact in agricultural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize, a vital cereal in global agriculture, faces significant yield challenges due to drought exacerbated by climate change. This study explores the genetic and molecular bases of drought resilience in maize, focusing on the EPF/EPFL gene family known for its role in stomatal regulation. Through a genome-wide analysis across seven grass species, we identified and characterized 16 ZmEPF/EPFL genes in maize. Focusing on their gene structure, expression patterns, and evolutionary relationships. The study integrated genome-wide searches, phylogenetic analysis, gene expression profiling under drought and other abiotic stresses, and qRT-PCR validation to elucidate the functional roles of these genes in drought response. Our results demonstrate that specific ZmEPF/EPFL genes are differentially expressed under varying drought conditions, suggesting their involvement in the plant's adaptive response to water scarcity. Furthermore, interaction analyses reveal that these genes are linked to key processes such as stomatal development and oxidative stress management. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the ZmEPF/EPFL gene family's contribution to stomatal development and drought tolerance, offering insights that could guide future breeding strategies for drought-resistant maize varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water scarcity is one of the most significant environmental factors that inhibits photosynthesis and decreases the growth and productivity of plants. Using the deep learning convolutional neural network (CNN) model, this study evaluates the ability of spectroscopy to estimate leaf water content (LWC) in fruit trees. During midday, spectral data were acquired from leaf samples obtained from three distinct varieties of fruit trees, encompassing the spectral range spanning from 350 to 2500 nm. Then, for spectral preprocessing, the fractional order derivative (FOD) and continuous wavelet transform (CWT) algorithms were used to reduce the effects of scattering and noise on the collected spectra. Finally, the CNN model was developed to predict LWC in different fruit trees. The results showed that: (1) The spectra treated with CWT and FOD could improve the spectrum expression ability by improving the correlation between spectra and LWC. The correlation level of FOD treatment was higher than that of CWT treatment. (2) The CNN model was developed using FOD 1.2, and CWT 3 performed better than other traditional machine learning methods, such as RFR, SVR, and PLSR. (3) Further validation using additional samples demonstrated that the CNN model had good stability and quantitative prediction capability for the LWC of fruit trees (R2 > 0.95, root mean square error (RMSE) < 1.773%, and relative percentage difference (RPD) > 4.26). The results may provide an effective way to predict fruit LWC using a CNN-based model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irrigated areas are major vectors of agricultural development and components of ecosystems. The groundwater level maintains the irrigated areas' ecology safety and sustainable development. Under the influence of irrational irrigation practices—such as flood irrigation or extreme water saving without consideration of ecological impact—different areas within an irrigation district may experience anomalies in groundwater levels (either too deep or too shallow). It is of great significance to carry out research on water resource allocation and future water-saving strategies, taking into consideration groundwater depths. In this study, a method for the optimal allocation of irrigation water resources that considered groundwater level was used to regulate irrational irrigation practices and to reveal the future direction of water saving. Helan County in Ningxia province, an ecologically fragile and arid irrigated area, was selected as a case study. Multiple scenarios of different water use and different degrees of water-saving were analyzed. The results showed that non-engineering water-saving measures (such as adjusting the planting structure and controlling the amount of irrigation for rice) had better benefits compared to engineering measures (such as efficient water-saving irrigation and channel lining). When implementing only one water-saving measure, the strategy of replacing 75% of the rice area with corn yielded the best results. This approach can reduce the irrigation water shortage rate to 11% and increase by 4.58% the acreage where the groundwater level is reasonable. When multiple water-saving measures are implemented together, the most effective strategy for future water-saving efforts involves the joint implementation of several measures: replacing 75% of the rice area with corn, limiting irrigation for rice to no more than 11.85 thousand m3/ha, adopting high-efficiency water-saving irrigation in 90% of the pump-diverted water irrigation region and 40% of the channel-diverted water irrigation region, and maintaining the channel's water utilization coefficient at 0.62. This strategy can keep the irrigation water shortage below 3.66% and increase the acreage where the groundwater level is reasonable, by 4.58% per year. The conclusions and research approaches can provide references for the formulation of water-saving measures for irrigated areas' sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crisis is a recurrent motif in discussions of the environment in the Middle East. Concerns about water scarcity, food insecurity, climate disasters, and resource degradation play into common associations of the region with conflict, malfunction, and despair. Yet this single story obscures as much as it illuminates. In this paper, I draw examples from my work on Nile water politics, climate change, and bread in Egypt to illustrate the power of this dominant narrative and its limitations. I reflect on the multiple stories that emerge when we shift our starting point or scale of analysis. I argue for the need to move beyond thinking about the environment just as a problem space to consider it as the space in which people are living their daily lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is a threat to food security and agricultural sustainability in arid and semi-arid countries. Using wasted silica nanoparticles could minimize water scarcity. A controlled study investigated wheat plant physiological and morphological growth under tap-water irrigation (80–100, 60–80, and 40–60% field capacity). The benefits of S1: 0%, S2: 5%, and S3: 10% nanoparticle silica soil additions were studied. Our research reveals that water stress damages the physiological and functional growth of wheat plants. Plant height decreased by 8.9%, grain yield by 5.4%, and biological yield by 19.2%. These effects were observed when plants were irrigated to 40–60% field capacity vs. control. In plants under substantial water stress (40–60% of field capacity), chlorophyll a (8.04 mg g−1), b (1.5 mg g−1), total chlorophyll (9.55 mg g−1), carotenoids (2.44 mg g−1), and relative water content (54%), Electrolyte leakage (59%), total soluble sugar (1.79 mg g−1 fw), and proline (80.3 mol g−1) were highest. Plants cultivated with silica nanoparticles exhibit better morphological and physiological growth than controls. The largest effect came from maximum silica nanoparticle loading. Silica nanoparticles may increase drought-stressed plant growth and production. This study investigates the impact of silica nanoparticles on the development of wheat plants experiencing water stress. Silica nanoparticles are essential for stimulating biochemical defenses against water stress, although research is limited. In stressed wheat plants, silica nanoparticles as a soil supplement increased biological and grain yield. Wheat grown under drought conditions will benefit from this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study, carried out in Gujarat (India) between 2005 and 2021, aims to prepare dew and rain maps of Gujarat over a long period (17 years, from 2005 to 2021) in order to evaluate the evolution of the potential for dew and rain in the state. The ratio of dew to precipitation is also determined, which is an important metric that quantifies the contribution of dew to the overall water resources. Global warming leads, in general, to a reduction in precipitation and non-rainfall water contributions such as dew. The study shows, however, a rare increase in the rainfall and dew condensation, with the latter related to an increase in relative humidity and a decrease in wind amplitudes. Rain primarily occurs during the monsoon months, while dew forms during the dry season. Although dew alone cannot resolve water scarcity, it nonetheless may provide an exigent and unignorable contribution to the water balance in time to come. According to the site, the dew–rain ratios, which are also, in general, well correlated with dew yields, can represent between 4.6% (Ahmedabad) and 37.2% (Jamnagar). The positive trend, observed since 2015–2017, is expected to continue into the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Awareness of the potential threat posed by drought necessitates the implementation of appropriate procedures to enable effective and systematic actions aimed at mitigating, or at least partially limiting, the impacts of drought events. This paper seeks to analyze the spatial and temporal changes of atmospheric drought in the period 1961–2020 and assesses drought hazards in southwest Bulgaria, which is a region susceptible to periodic water shortages. In this study, the standardized precipitation evaporation index (SPEI), accounting for both precipitation and temperature changes, was used to analyze drought characteristics. The analysis reveals significant temporal changes and spatial differences in drought patterns across southwest Bulgaria. The northeastern part of the region, including the Sofia district, exhibits the lowest risk of drought, while the central part of the region shows a tendency toward moderate and occasional low drought events. Some stations, particularly in the southern part of the region, consistently experienced more severe drought conditions (Blagoevgrad and Sandanski), as indicated by negative SPEI values in different time scales (3, 6, and 12 months). Results indicate an increased frequency of droughts during 1990–2020 compared to 1961–1990, which was driven by climate change and human activities. Across all stations and in both SPEI time scales, the period from the early to mid-1990s was characterized by significant droughts. The study of drought hazards using short-term and long-term SPEI analysis reveals different levels of drought risk and increased hazard from the northern to southern parts of the study area. The share of areas with a high drought hazard exceeds 40% of the territory in the areas with a transitional and continental-Mediterranean climate. Based on the results, the paper highlights the need to integrate drought risk assessments with regional planning to improve agricultural resilience and water resource management in response to anticipated droughts, especially in drought-prone areas such as southwest Bulgaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar energy, as a clean and renewable energy source, holds significant promise for addressing water shortages. Utilizing solar energy for water evaporation is seen as an effective solution in this regard. While many existing interfacial photothermal water evaporation systems rely on nanoparticles or graphene as photothermal or support materials, this study introduced polydopamine (PDA) as a photothermal material due to its environmental friendliness and excellent photon absorption characteristics that closely match the solar spectrum. Polystyrene (PS) was also introduced as a support material for its porous structure and density similar to water, enabling it to float on water. The resulting PS-PDA composite porous structure solar evaporator exhibited a photothermal conversion efficiency comparable to nanoparticles (over 75%), yet with lower production costs and minimal environmental impact. This innovative approach offers a scalable solution for water-scarce regions, providing a cost-effective and efficient means to address water scarcity. The use of PDA and PS in this context highlights the potential for utilizing common materials in novel ways to meet pressing environmental challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a global issue, water shortage has attracted much attention from the society. Artificial rain enhancement (ARE) is an effective way to exploit cloud water resources and solve water shortage, but the timing of operation is always a key problem that ARE is facing. The fluctuating properties of water vapor content (WVC) are intricately tied to the choice of operational timing, so accurately predicting the evolution of WVC holds paramount importance when determining the optimal operational timing. However, most of the proposed forecasting methods are limited to simple time series forecasting, and do not pay attention to the complex characteristics of the original data and the shortcomings of a single model prediction. Therefore, the prediction accuracy is difficult to meet the requirements of increasingly refined meteorological services. To tackle this challenge, a new hybrid prediction model, including data reconstruction strategy, benchmark model and improved multi-objective optimization algorithm, is proposed in our research by combining advanced theoretical research of artificial intelligence and data preprocessing ideas. The microwave radiometer WVC observation data at high altitude of Qilian Mountains in China is taken as a case study. By comparing 12 mainstream models, it can be concluded that: The model developed in this study achieves the highest prediction accuracy, and the mean MAPE of the three data sets at 2, 4, 6 and 8 prediction steps is 1.23%, 1.33%, 1.37% and 1.52%, respectively. This result verifies the superiority and practical value of the proposed model in predicting WVC under complex terrain conditions, and provides an excellent solution for accurate prediction of WVC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water stress causes various plant morphological, physiological, and biochemical responses. Silicon application may reduce the water stress tolerance in plants by increasing the physiology parameters and the crop's vegetative growth. Hence, the study aims to evaluate the effect of water stress levels on Alternanthera sissoo, known as Brazilian spinach, and determine which silicon (Si) level is the best under water scarcity. The method implied measuring the water stress by different levels of water level applied to the plant which are 100 % (well-watered), 75 % (moderate water deficit), 50 % (high water deficit), and 25 % (severe water deficit). The variation of silicon concentrations is S0 (control), S1, S2 and S3 (0, 0.6, 0.9 and 1.2 %v/v) arranged in the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in the greenhouse. Growth, physiological, and biochemical parameters were analyzed during the experiment. The research findings showed that water stress results were statistically reduce the leaf area, leaf number root length, fresh weight, chlorophyll content, relative water content (RWC), and malondialdehyde (MDA). The root length, leaf area, and malondialdehyde (MDA) show the interaction between water stress level and silicon concentration. The study proposed that the Si nutrient management strategy has the potential to minimize the impacts of drought stress in Brazilian spinach. Regarding research findings, it was determined that the optimal water requirement for Alternanthera sissoo is 50 % of the water treatments, with a silicon concentration of 1.2 %v/v. This is essential for better water management of the plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Desiccation tolerance (DT) is crucial for survival in arid environments, where organisms develop strategies in reproduction, maintenance and defence to cope with water scarcity. Therefore, investigating the relationship between reproduction and DT is essential to understand the ecology and adaptive strategies of species. This study explores the connection between the development of male and female gametangia in the moss Bryum argenteum and the decrease in DT during the progression of phenological phases in gametangia and protonema. Methods Samples collected from a dry tropical forest in Brazil were cultivated, cloned and subjected to desiccation. Subsequently, the physiological parameters of shoots and protonemata were analysed. Shoot and protonema regeneration were monitored for 28 d after the physiological analyses. Both phases were subjected to control and desiccation treatments. Key Results Significant effects of desiccation and sex on the physiological parameters and regeneration capacity of shoots and protonemata were found. Male shoots generally exhibited lower values of Fv/Fm (quantum efficiency of photosystem II) and ϕPSII (effective quantum yield of photosystem II), while females demonstrated higher values and better recovery after desiccation. Protonemata also showed variation in Fv/Fm over time and with sex, with no significant differences in ϕPSII between them. Desiccated male shoots had higher mortality rates and produced fewer new shoots. For females, the regeneration patterns varied between the desiccation-exposed groups and the control, with decreased shoot production, and some protonemata growing into filaments without forming shoots. Conclusion These findings improve our understanding of the ecological responses of bryophytes to desiccation stress and provide insights into their adaptive strategies in challenging environments, such as the possible rarity of males in dioicous moss populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater is under stress due to the growth of population, urbanization and industrialization, especially in developing countries. Consequently, there is a shortage of water in many parts of Indian cities. Thus, monitoring and assessing groundwater are crucial for effective management of water resources. The main objectives of our study is to explore the effectiveness of machine learning models for assessing groundwater potential in Lidder watershed in India. The site-specific factors influencing groundwater potential were selected for preparing groundwater potential zones in the study area. These factors were integrated for preparing the groundwater potential map using three models, namely logistic regression (LR), ensemble of random forest (LR-RF) and multilayer perceptron layer (LR-MLP). The area under curve of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and several statistical performance measures were used to validate and compare the performance of the models. The validation revealed that the maximum value of AUC-ROC (0.946) was found for LR-RF for assessing groundwater potential than the LR and LR-MLP models. The results revealed low groundwater potential mostly found in the northern part of the watershed. High elevation, steep slope, highly alkaline and acidic soils, snow cover, barren land and hard basaltic rocks are attributed to low groundwater potential. Rainfall, vegetation, low elevation, younger alluvial plain, low drainage density and high lineament density have made groundwater potential high and very high in the southern part of the watershed. The central part of the watershed experienced moderate groundwater potential due to the piedmont alluvial plain, basal gravel, moderate rainfall, moderate drainage density, and scrub vegetation. We argue that the other geographical areas that are interested in properly managing groundwater resources can make use of the logistic regression and ensemble models of random forest and multilayer perceptron (MLP) for groundwater potential assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to address an assessment of climate change's impact on agricultural water management in mainland Southeast Asia (MSEA). We used several agroclimatic indices, such as consecutive dry days (CDDs), maximum number of consecutive wet days (CWDs), consecutive summer days (CSUs), cold spell duration index (CDSIs), and warm and wet days (WWs), based on the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory Earth System Model to characterize the effect of climate on crop water need (CWN) in MSEA. The climate model shows monthly precipitation and temperature patterns with acceptable accuracy but with an underestimation of precipitation and a warm bias in temperature. CDDs show a significant increase in aridity and drought occurrences, particularly in northern Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, and northern Thailand, across different representative concentration pathways. CSUs have been seen to have a substantial influence on the region's agricultural economy. The CDSIs, on the other hand, show a decrease in the duration of cold spells, indicating the existence of milder climatic conditions that could potentially affect crop growth. The CWDs show a decreasing trend in most of the multiple regions in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Malaysia. Though the WW index shows more wet days, this does not immediately imply improved crop growth; rather, it highlights possible changes in water availability that could affect agricultural practices. While negative CWNs in the dry season months like March and November suggest possible water shortages, which pose risks to agriculture and food security in Myanmar, northern and eastern Thailand, and Cambodia, especially at the end of the century, increases in CWNs during the rainy season correspond with anticipated higher water demands for agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Numerous approaches have been adopted to evaluate limited freshwater resources and the associated health hazards due to excessive amounts of fluoride in drinking water. The study aims to assess the degree and severity of dental and skeletal fluorosis and examine the broader effects of fluorosis on human health and society in the Manbhum-Singhbhum Plateau region, India. Methods: The Community Fluorosis Index (CFI) and Dean's Index have been used to measure the magnitude and severity of dental and skeletal fluorosis. Questionnaire surveys, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and appropriate statistical methods have been applied to identify the social impacts. Risk-prone zones have been identified through overlay analysis using geoinformatics. Results: About 54.60% of people in 67 villages of this part of the Manbhum-Singhbhum Plateau are affected in varying degrees of fluorosis ranging from very mild to mild, moderate, and severe dental fluorosis. Among these 67 villages, Janra (Manbazar I) and Hijla (Barabazar) have the most severely affected people. School dropout (n = 426), social isolation (n = 149), remarriage (n = 21), and physically disabled (n = 75) have also been reported. The study shows that about 414.29 km2 of the Manbhum-Singhbhum Plateau comes under the high-risk-prone category. Conclusions: The societal and environmental awareness of the fluorosis-affected individuals is almost absent in this region. Economic hardships, lack of education, inadequate health care facilities, water scarcity, and lack of awareness increase the magnitude of health hazards and societal vulnerability of the people in this region, who are largely dependent on natural resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]