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Context: Preharvest granulation of Imperial mandarins is a significant problem for the Australian market. Causes of, and solutions for, this physiological disorder are poorly understood despite decades of research worldwide. Aims: This research aimed to find management practices for growers to reduce granulation. Methods: A 5-year on-farm trial in central Queensland, Australia, compared standard versus deficit irrigation and five rates of winter nitrogen application. Key results: Reducing water (irrigation plus rainfall) in the 16–18 weeks following flowering reduced granulation in 3 of 5 years. Granulation increases with ratio of total water received to evapotranspiration, particularly in low crop load years. Higher nitrogen applications reduced granulation in 4 of 5 years, although treatment means were only significantly different at α = 0.05 in 1 year. Granulation increased with stronger early spring flush growth in a low crop load year and with later spring flush growth in one of two high crop load years. The deficit irrigation treatment had less spring flush growth and higher fruit set than the control in all years. Higher nitrogen treatments had more flush growth in high crop load years and less in low crop load years. Our data suggests competition between flush growth and fruit development for mineral resources and/or carbohydrates is a factor in the variability of granulation from fruit to fruit, but crop load is more important. Conclusions: The three key strategies to minimise granulation are to maintain high crop loads, reduce irrigation after flowering, and apply sufficient nitrogen in winter. Implications: This research will improve fruit quality for the consumer and financial returns to growers. Granulation, a physiological disorder in which citrus fruit are white, dry and tasteless, is a significant problem for Imperial mandarins in Australia. We discovered that excessive irrigation and insufficient nitrogen fertilisation are important causes of granulation and three key strategies to minimise granulation are to maintain high crop loads, reduce irrigation after flowering, and apply sufficient nitrogen in winter. This research will improve fruit quality for the consumer and financial returns to growers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Almond cultivation has a long-standing tradition on the island of Majorca, traditionally practiced under rainfed conditions. Currently, new plantations are established with irrigation; however, due to present conditions and the impacts of climate change, water availability is limited. The Government of the Balearic Islands permits a maximum water supply of 3000 m3 ha−1 per year for almond cultivation. In this study, a 6-year field trial was conducted to investigate the adaptation of fourteen almond cultivars obtained from different research centers under deficit irrigation practices in the soil and climatic conditions of Majorca Island. The cultivars had a significant effect on trunk cross-sectional area TCSA, cumulative almond in-shell yield, cumulative kernel yield, yield efficiency, and shelling percentage. The 'Marta' and 'Tarraco' cultivars exhibited the highest TCSA values. Regarding cumulative almond in-shell yield, 'Glorieta' and 'Constantí' produced the highest yields, whereas the lowest yields were observed in 'Mardía' and 'Tarraco'. In terms of shelling percentage, 'Ferragnès' exhibited the highest value. Kernel quality parameters were cultivar-specific. Additionally, oleic acid content was strongly negatively correlated with linoleic acid content. All cultivars exhibited an unsaturated fatty acid content exceeding 90%, with 'Masbovera' showing the highest value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) is cultivated for its seeds, which contain a high-value liquid wax. There is little known regarding irrigation requirements of intensively cultivated jojoba. The project's objectives were to evaluate the effects of irrigation regime on water status, growth, yield, and water productivity (WP, wax yield per unit of water applied) of intensely cultivated jojoba. An experiment was conducted over six years in a 14-year-old commercial plantation in Israel's Northern Negev Desert. Treatments included: Control irrigation according to best commercial practice of returning reference evapotranspiration multiplied by a crop coefficient (Kc) of 0.5; Low irrigation providing 75% (Kc = 0.375) of the control; High irrigation providing 125% (Kc = 0.625) of the control; Regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) according to the control treatment, terminated for one to two months, after the wax accumulation stage. Stem water potential (SWP) consistently indicated jojoba water status. Increasing water application from − 25% to the control and further to + 25% led to augmented vegetative growth and number of seeds, but yield was increased at rates lower than the differences in water application by the treatments, such that WP was negatively associated. Effects on yield were limited to higher yielding 'On' years. The RDI treatment resulted in yield not different from the control and 15% higher WP, but significantly inhibited seed removal during mechanical harvesting. The results suggest commercial potential for increasing profits through water savings. Further research is needed to determine RDI regimes without detrimental effects on harvesting efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study is to determine the values of the seasonal evapotranspiration (ET) of mid-early tomatoes when applying an optimal and deficit irrigation regime and to determine the water use efficiency (WUE). A field experiment was conducted with mid-early tomatoes, variety “Nikolina F1”, in the period 2017-2018 on the territory of the Educational and experimental field at the Agricultural University - Plovdiv. The experiment was carried out in 4 repetitions by the method of long plots. The following options were tested: 1) optimal irrigation at pre-irrigation humidity 85% of FC, valid for the 0-50 cm layer; 2) irrigation with 75% of the irrigation rate compared to var.1; 3) irrigation with 50% of the irrigation rate compared to option 1. The plants are planted on a flat bed in a two-row strip according to the scheme 90+50x50 cm. Irrigation was carried out by means of a drip system with built-in drip generators with a distance between them of 25 cm and a flow rate of 2 l/h. The total values of evapotranspiration have been established, and with optimal irrigation, it is an average of 512 mm. When implementing 75% of the optimal irrigation rate, ET is 428 mm (83.6% of the maximum), and when applying ½ rate, it decreases on average by 30.3% and is 356.5 mm. The course of the average day-night evapotranspiration was established, and depending on the nature of the year, with optimal irrigation, the maximum values are in the range of 5.6 - 6.7 mm per day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A four-year research experiment was conducted on sandy loam soil at the University of California Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Parlier, California, to investigate the effect of midsummer deficit irrigation on alfalfa yield, irrigation water productivity (IWP), and crop water productivity (CWP). The experiment was a randomized block design with two treatments: full and deficit irrigations with three replications. Applied irrigation water was measured using flow meters and soil matric potentials were monitored using watermark soil moisture sensors. Actual evapotranspiration (ETa) values were estimated from Tule Technologies stations. The deficit irrigation treatments resulted in 454, 706, 625, and 815 mm of irrigation water savings as compared to the full irrigation treatments in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively. These values represent 30.3%, 40.9%, 37.0%, and 49.1% of the applied water savings. Alfalfa yield in the deficit treatments was reduced by 3.94, 2.04, 1.25, and 0.40 Mg ha−1 ; the equivalent of 18.1%, 11.1%, 7.1%, and 3.0% of the yield for the full irrigation treatment for the four years: with an average reduction of 10.7%. IWP was higher when deficit irrigation was implemented and resulted in 17.09, 16.11, 15.40, and 15.54 kg ha−1 mm−1 , in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively. The production function using applied irrigation water (IW, mm) was: Y(yield in Mg ha−1)=0.50×(IW)2−1,633.75×(IW)+1,338,472 and Y=−0.1137×(IW)2+233.55×(IW)−103,036 for the full and deficit irrigation treatments, respectively. CWP was 18.6, 16.4, 14.9, and 12.3 kg ha−1 mm−1 for fully irrigated treatments, and 15.2, 14.9, 14.3, and 12.6 kg ha−1 mm−1 for the deficit irrigation treatments, for 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively. Results from this work provide growers with viable deficit irrigation practices that could be implemented during drought periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving drought resistance in Zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) is a target for both private and public breeding programs. The performance of 26 elite experimental zoysiagrasses was compared under progressive drought stress with Palisades, Diamond, and Zeon. Environmental conditions were warmer and drier in 2020 (66 days) than 2021 (45 days). Irrigation was applied once weekly using potential evapotranspiration (ETo) rates and crop coefficients (Kc) of 0.6 (non‐stress), or 0.40, 0.30, and 0.25 deficit treatments. Turfgrass quality, leaf wilt, normalized difference vegetative index, normalized difference red edge, and volumetric water content were recorded weekly. Genotypes with the highest means (statistical “a” group) contributed to a turfgrass performance index (TPI). Elite zoysiagrass with TPI ≥ Palisades (19) were Zoysia japonica Steud. ecotypes DALZ 1311 (22), 1601 (19), and 1603 (21), and finer textured interspecific hybrids, DALZ 1701 (18), 1713 (26), 1714 (18), and 1801 (24). Relative to an irrigation schedule using a 0.6 Kc, these genotypes survived extreme deficit irrigation, which conserved 40.1% (45,859.6 L) and 66.4% (44, 592.2 L) of water in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Overall, this study demonstrated that significant water consumption could be reduced with proper cultivar selection and deficit‐based irrigation management while maintaining an acceptable turfgrass quality under drought conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lessons learned from past experiences push for an alternate way of crop production. In India, adopting high density planting system (HDPS) to boost cotton yield is becoming a growing trend. HDPS has recently been considered a replacement for the current Indian production system. It is also suitable for mechanical harvesting, which reducing labour costs, increasing input use efficiency, timely harvesting timely, maintaining cotton quality, and offering the potential to increase productivity and profitability. This technology has become widespread in globally cotton growing regions. Water management is critical for the success of high density cotton planting. Due to the problem of freshwater availability, more crops should be produced per drop of water. In the high-density planting system, optimum water application is essential to control excessive vegetative growth and improve the translocation of photoassimilates to reproductive organs. Deficit irrigation is a tool to save water without compromising yield. At the same time, it consumes less water than the normal evapotranspiration of crops. This review comprehensively documents the importance of growing cotton under a high-density planting system with deficit irrigation. Based on the current research and combined with cotton production reality, this review discusses the application and future development of deficit irrigation, which may provide theoretical guidance for the sustainable advancement of cotton planting systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural drainage water production in southwestern Iran is a serious problem, but this low-quality water can be considered a potential alternative source of freshwater. In this regard, the cultivation of salinity-resistant plants using drainage water can be considered a suitable measure. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a valuable halophyte, and the World Health Organization has recognized it as a plant that can guarantee the world's future food security. For this purpose, this study was conducted to investigate the sustainable use of drainage water for quinoa cultivation (2019–2020). First, quinoa seed germination experiments were conducted in the laboratory using four different salinity solutions [0 (control), 9, 18, and 27 dS/m ]. Then, field research was conducted in the form of a split-plot factorial design so that irrigation management and planting date were implemented as the main treatments and genotype factor as subtreatment in small plots. Four genotypes of quinoa were planted on the research farm on three dates, January 20 (D1), February 5 (D2), and February 20 (D3). Irrigation managements include irrigation with water from the Karun River (as freshwater, I1), drainage water from sugarcane fields (I2), and alternating irrigation with freshwater and drainage water (I3). An average reduction of 4% in the total germination at 27 dS/m salinity compared to the control treatment indicated that quinoa was well adapted to salinity during germination. The highest biomass was produced by the Rosada genotype cultivated on the D3 under I1 management at a rate of 540 g/m2 , followed by the Q26 genotype cultivated on the D1 under I3 management (499 g/m2). Finally, it can be concluded that, to maintain the salt balance in the soil, leaching at the end of the growing season is necessary to remove salts and maintain sustainable haloculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Drainage & Irrigation Machinery Engineering / Paiguan Jixie Gongcheng Xuebao is the property of Editorial Department of Drainage & Irrigation Machinery Engineering and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Deficit irrigation (DI) strategies are becoming increasingly common in areas where water resources are limited. The application of moderate levels of DI can result in water savings with a small reduction in yield but with a higher quality of the product. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of applying a certain level of water deficit (40% water holding capacity) on the yield and quality of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), specifically the cultivar 'Triunfo-70'. Bioactive compounds were investigated by applying an LC-MS-based untargeted metabolomics approach as an analytical tool for identifying novel markers associated with a water deficit in beans. The results showed that beans harvested 30 days after DI application experienced water stress, as indicated by the decrease in the leaf water potential and gas exchange values (stomatal conductance and photosynthesis). In addition, the number of pods per plant was significantly reduced by the DI treatment. The water deficit induced significant alterations in various bioactive compounds (including organic acids, polyphenols, hydroxybenzoic acids, lipids, and phospholipids) when compared to the control treatment. Additionally, twelve new biomarkers were identified in this study for the first time in the common bean under DI. These findings suggested that DI acted as an elicitor, increasing phenylpropanoid metabolism, while concurrently reducing the production of compounds associated with fatty acid metabolism. Additionally, new metabolites were tentatively identified in common beans. This study represents the successful application of the untargeted metabolomics approach to finding bioactive secondary metabolites in beans under different irrigation conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Irrigation & Drainage is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Enhancing saline water productivity in arid regions is essential for sustainable agriculture. Adding biochar can improve the quantity and quality of tomato yield under higher levels of salinity and lower levels of irrigation. The experiment aimed to evaluate the effects of biochar on enhancing tomato fruit quality and yield under salinity and drought stress. The experiment combines two treatments for irrigation water quality (0.9 and 2.3 dS m−1), four irrigation levels (40, 60, 80, and 100%) of crop evapotranspiration (ETc), and the addition of 5% of biochar to treated soil (BC5%) and untreated soil (BC0%). The results showed that the decrease in the water quality and irrigation levels negatively impacted the yield and properties of tomato fruit, while 5% of biochar application positively improved the yield. Adding biochar decreased the tomato yield by 29.33% and 42.51% under lower-saline-irrigation water than the control, negatively affecting the fruit's physical parameters and mineral content. In contrast, adding biochar and irrigating with saline water at 60% of ETc improved the firmness and quality characteristics of the fruit by 56.60%, 67.19, 99.75, and 73.57% for vitamin C (VC), total titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solids (TSS), and total sugars (TS), respectively, compared to the control, and also reduced the sodium content of the fruits under all irrigation levels compared to untreated plants by biochar. Generally, biochar with saline water under deficit irrigation with 80 and 60% of ETc could be an excellent strategy to enhance the qualitative characteristics of tomato fruits and save approximately 20–40% of the applied water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of how certain crops respond to water stress is one of the prerequisites for choosing the best variety and best management practices to maximize crop water productivity (WPc). The selection of a more efficient protocol for managing irrigation depths throughout the cultivation cycle and in the maturation process at the end of the growth period for each sugarcane variety can maximize bioethanol productivity and WPc for bioethanol, sugar and biomass, in addition to the total energy captured by the sugarcane canopy in the form of dry biomass. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of four irrigation depths and four water deficit intensities on the maturation phase for eight sugarcane varieties under drip irrigation, analyzing the responses related to WPc for bioethanol, sugar and biomass. These experiments were conducted at the University of São Paulo. The plots were positioned in three randomized blocks, and the treatments were distributed in a factorial scheme (4 × 8 × 4). The treatments involved eight commercial varieties of sugarcane and included four water replacement levels and four water deficits of increasing intensity in the final phase of the crop season. It was found that for each variety of sugarcane, there was an optimal combination of irrigation management strategies throughout the cycle and during the maturation process. The RB966928 variety resulted in the best industrial bioethanol yield (68.7 L·Mg−1), WPc for bioethanol (0.97 L·m−3) and WPc for sugar (1.71 kg·m−3). The energy of the aerial parts partitioned as sugar had a direct positive correlation with the availability of water in the soil for all varieties. The RB931011 variety showed the greatest potential for converting water into shoots with an energy of 1.58 GJ·ha−1·mm−1, while the NCo376 variety had the lowest potential at 1.32 GJ·ha−1·mm−1. The productivity of first-generation bioethanol had the highest values per unit of planted area for the greatest water volumes applied and transpired by each variety; this justifies keeping soil moisture at field capacity until harvesting time only for WR100 water replacement level with a maximum ethanol potential of 13.27 m3·ha−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change scenarios and water restrictions are key challenges for Mediterranean citriculture, requiring sustainable deficit irrigation (DI) strategies to ensure sustainable yields. Further research on the physiological pathways that regulate crop responses to water stress is necessary. This work describes the physiological limitations induced under drought conditions in young Navelina orange trees, including the crop's capability to recuperate its physiological status upon rewatering and after water withholding. A trial was conducted in two-year-old trees subjected to three irrigation treatments: a full irrigation treatment (FI) and two different DI strategies. The results show significant decreases in gas exchange rates for stem water potential (ΨStem) values below −1.5 MPa, evidencing diffusive limitations from drought stress. Additionally, there was evidence of increased osmolyte synthesis, a preventative response to oxidative damage. Significantly increased levels of proline (Pro) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were observed with higher levels of water stress (ΨStem < −1.8 MPa), which leads us to assume that this threshold signals the presence of oxidative damage with no capacity for subsequent recovery, probably affecting the final yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the interaction effect of different irrigation strategies and winter wheat cultivars on yield and water use efficiency in a semi-arid region. The aim is to identify effective water-saving strategies for sustainable winter wheat production considering the variability in annual rainfall patterns over two years in Shiraz, Iran. The irrigation strategies included full irrigation (FI), deficit irrigation at 0.75FI, 0.5FI, and rainfed with supplemental irrigation at sowing. Two winter wheat cultivars, Varedati and Sirvan, were tested. The results showed no significant differences in grain yield, dry matter, and harvest index between the two cultivars. However, deficit irrigation (0.75FI and 0.5FI) and rainfed conditions led to a significant reduction in winter wheat yield and dry matter. The first year, with lower rainfall, resulted in a 16% decrease in grain yield and dry matter compared to the second year with higher rainfall. The rainfed treatment, supplemented with irrigation at sowing, yielded about 44% of the full irrigation regime in both years. Deficit irrigation negatively impacted yield components such as 1000-grain weight and the number of spikes per unit area. The Varedati cultivar had lower 1000-grain weight and spikes per unit area but a higher number of grains per spike compared to the Sirvan cultivar. In comparison to FI, rainfed treatments decreased RLD by 45% in both years. However, Sirvan cultivar exhibited a higher level of resistance in terms of root growth under water stress conditions.The study highlights the importance of selecting suitable irrigation strategies based on annual rainfall patterns to optimize winter wheat yield and water use efficiency in semi-arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surplus wastewater accumulates in winter and requires a discharging solution. In our study we examined the effects of using treated wastewater (TWW) as supplemental pasture irrigation in winter. To test the effect of TWW irrigation on the vegetation and soil, 10 grazing prevention exclosures were established at Ramat‐Hanadiv Park, Israel, with half of them irrigated with TWW. Soil and vegetation were sampled during 2 years of irrigation and 1 year after cessation of irrigation. Vegetation composition, species richness, and productivity were sampled at the peak of the growing season and various indices of herbage quality were measured. Our results show that irrigation with wastewater increased herbage production by an average of 38% and total pasture protein production by 9% relative to the control subplots. Conversely, TWW irrigation decreased plant protein content while increasing herbage fibre content and lowering its digestibility. Over a period of 2 years, species richness decreased in the irrigated subplots. Most of the soil indices examined were not affected by irrigation, but in the irrigation subplots, sodium values and the sodium adsorption‐ratio were higher than in areas without irrigation. Additional resources in winter enabled the plants to grow rapidly and increased interplant competition. Changes in vegetation composition were revealed through functional group reshuffling and species richness decline. The results of our study show that wastewater irrigation causes an increase in productivity but a decrease in forage quality. At the pastoral system level, the significant increase in productivity leads to increased availability of protein and herbage for animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought stress is a group of abiotic stresses that affects plant growth and yield production. A field experiment over two successive seasons (2021–2022 and 2022–2023) in sand soil was conducted to investigate the integration effect of deficit irrigation, soil amendment "hundzsoil", and the spraying of proline on the water use efficiency (WUE), yield, and fruit quality of 8-year-old Crimson seedless table grapes. Four application rates of soil amendment (0, 2, 4, and 6 kg hundzsoil /vine) were added during the dormancy period, and four irrigation levels at 125, 100, 75, and 60% of the field capacity were applied just before flowering until harvest. Proline at two levels (0 and 500 ppm) was applied as a foliar spray. Parameters such as bud fertility, weight of 100 berries, juice volume, and cluster number were positively affected by irrigation at 75% FC along with applying hundzsoil at 2 and 4 kg/vine under proline spray in both seasons. Irrigation at the 125% FC level with a 6 kg hundzsoil application under proline spray resulted in the highest yield, berries number, cluster length, cluster weight, and total anthocyanin in both seasons. The TSS/acidity ratio was significantly and positively affected by deficit irrigation (60% FC level) under hundzsoil at a rate of 4 kg alongside proline spray. Reducing irrigation to 60% FC without hundzsoil and proline spray negatively affected numerous growth parameters and the yield. However, irrigation at 60% FC alongside 6 kg of hundzsoil and proline showed the highest IWUE in both seasons. Proline spray was a key factor in conserving water used for irrigation. This study recommends using deficit irrigation alongside hundzsoil application under proline spray as an adequate strategy for water use efficiency and improving the yield and fruit quality of Crimson seedless grapevines cultivated in sand soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid population growth across the world escalates the demand for water for domestic and commercial uses, which converts freshwater resources into deficit conditions both quantitatively and qualitatively. Damodar Fan Delta, a semi-critical community development block dominated region, experiences immense population growth and is famous for irrigation-based crop production which decreases the quality and quantity of water resources. The present study focused on assessing drinking water quality using an integrated water quality index and irrigation water quality based on irrigation hazards depending on the primary surface water quality datasets. The water quality index reveals that most of the sample sites (~ 78%) are characterized as very good to moderate quality, however, ~ 22% of the sample water has been defined as poor to very poor quality for drinking. In terms of irrigation water quality, most of the indices have been considered suitable for irrigation purposes except percentage nitrogen, residual sodium carbonate and Kelley's ratio. It is also depicted that turbidity, sodium, sulphate and nitrate are the dominant pollutants originating from the point (industrial, municipal, and domestic sewage) and non-point (agricultural land) sources of the study area. Therefore, it indicates that surface water management has been imperative for the planner and other stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the changing global climate, drought stress will pose a considerable challenge to the sustainable development of agriculture in arid regions. The objective of this study was to explore the resistance and water demand of cotton plants to water stress during the flowering and boll setting stage. The experimental plot was in Huaxing Farm of Changji city. The plots were irrigated, respectively, at 100% (as the control), 90%, 85% and 80% of the general irrigation amount in the local area. The relationship between the various measured indexes and final yield under different deficit irrigation (DI) treatments was studied. The results showed that deficit irrigation impacted the growth and development processes of cotton during the flowering and boll setting stage. There was a high negative correlation (R2 > 0.95) between the maximum leaf area index and yield. Similarly, there was a high correlation between malondialdehyde content and yield. Meanwhile, 90% of the local cotton irrigation contributed to water saving and even increasing cotton yield. Furthermore, based on the results, the study made an initial optimization to the local irrigation scheme by utilizing the DSSAT model. It was found that changing the irrigation interval to 12 days during the stage could further enhance cotton yield and conserve resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Mustafa Kemal University Journal of Agricultural Sciences / Mustafa Kemal Üniversitesi Tarım Bilimleri Dergisi is the property of Mustafa Kemal University, Faculty of Agriculture and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the pursuit of sustainable agriculture, efficient water management remains crucial, with growers relying on advanced techniques for informed decision-making. Cotton yield prediction, a critical aspect of agricultural planning, benefits from cutting-edge technologies. However, traditional methods often struggle to capture the nuanced complexities of crop health and growth. This study introduces a novel approach to cotton yield prediction, leveraging the synergy between Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and scale-aware convolutional neural networks (CNNs). The proposed model seeks to harness the spatiotemporal dynamics inherent in high-resolution UAV imagery to improve the accuracy of the cotton yield prediction. The CNN component adeptly extracts spatial features from UAV-derived imagery, capturing intricate details related to crop health and growth, modeling temporal dependencies, and facilitating the recognition of trends and patterns over time. Research experiments were carried out in a cotton field at the USDA-ARS Cropping Systems Research Laboratory (CSRL) in Lubbock, Texas, with three replications evaluating four irrigation treatments (rainfed, full irrigation, percent deficit of full irrigation, and time delay of full irrigation) on cotton yield. The prediction revealed that the proposed CNN regression models outperformed conventional CNN models, such as AlexNet, CNN-3D, CNN-LSTM, ResNet. The proposed CNN model showed state-of-art performance at different image scales, with the R 2 exceeding 0.9. At the cotton row level, the mean absolute error (MAE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) were 3.08 pounds per row and 7.76%, respectively. At the cotton grid level, the MAE and MAPE were 0.05 pounds and 10%, respectively. This shows the proposed model's adaptability to the dynamic interplay between spatial and temporal factors that affect cotton yield. The authors conclude that integrating UAV-derived imagery and CNN regression models is a potent strategy for advancing precision agriculture, providing growers with a powerful tool to optimize cultivation practices and enhance overall cotton productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted in pots under a polycarbonate greenhouse to determine the effects of different irrigation levels and vermicompost doses on the morphological and phenological characteristics, water consumption, water use efficiency, and yield parameters of tomato plants. For this purpose, different irrigation levels of 100%, 75%, 50% (I100: full irrigation, I75, I50) and vermicompost (VC) doses of 0, 10% and 20% (VC0, VC10 and VC20, w/w) were applied as the treatments. The study's results determined the irrigation levels and vermicompost doses affected the tomato plants' morphological and fruit quality parameters. The highest and lowest plant water consumption (ET) values for the treatments were determined as 47.8 L (I100VC10) and 21.2 L (I50VC0), respectively. Moreover, irrigation water levels and vermicompost doses significantly influenced the total yield of tomatoes. The highest and lowest total and marketable yields were obtained from the I100VC20 and I50VC0 irrigation levels and vermicompost doses. Similarly, the highest and lowest total water use efficiencies were achieved from the I100VC20 (21.9 g L−1) and I50VC0 (11.0 g L−1) treatments. Furthermore, the highest and lowest marketable water use efficiencies were obtained from the I100VC20 (21.9 g L−1) and I50VC0 (7.8 g L−1) treatments. The yield response factor (ky) was found to be 1.42. Although the highest efficiency was achieved from 100% full irrigation and a 20% vermicompost dose in the study, it is suggested that 75% irrigation level and 10% fertilizer doses can also be applied in places where water is limited and fertilizer is expensive. The results revealed that the appropriate irrigation level and vermicompost doses could reliably be used to enhance tomato yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conservation of water and its rational management in crop irrigation is important for sustainable agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions, particularly with the appearance of the effects of climate change in these regions. The paper reports a study of the impact of using water from fish farming in the irrigation of pepper crops grown in greenhouses under salinity conditions. The results obtained show that the use of fish water in irrigation improves the vegetative growth of plants and their fruit yields. It also has a beneficial effect on the soil by increasing its level of organic matter, total Nitrogen and other nutrients. The value that this work adds is the conservation of the soil by improving its quality and the reduction of water pollution by reusing this wastewater in irrigation. The reduced use of synthetic fertilisers facilitates the application of organic farming. These advantages benefit the environment and consumers of the crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document discusses the importance of water in agricultural production and the relationship between agriculture and water use. It highlights the increase in land used for irrigation and the need for sustainable agricultural practices to address environmental challenges. The document also provides an overview of a special issue on agricultural practices to improve irrigation sustainability, including studies on soil quality, management techniques, and agroecosystem sustainability. The selected articles cover a range of topics and offer valuable insights into irrigation sustainability in different regions and contexts. The document concludes by emphasizing the interdisciplinary nature of irrigation sustainability and the need for further research in this area. [Extracted from the article]

In the face of the climate change crisis, the increase in air temperature negatively impacts rice crop productivity due to stress from water scarcity. The objective of this study was to determine the rice crop water stress index (CWSI) and stomatal conductance (Gs) under different irrigation regimes, specifically continuous flood irrigation treatments (CF) and irrigations with alternating wetting and drying (AWD) at water levels of 5 cm, 10 cm, and 20 cm below the soil surface ( AWD 5 ,   AWD 10 , and AWD 20 ) in an experimental area of INIA-Vista Florida and in six commercial areas of the Lambayeque region using thermal images captured with thermal sensors. The results indicated that AWD irrigation generated more water stress, with CWSI values between 0.4 and 1.0. Despite this, the yields were similar in CF and AWD 20.   In the commercial areas, CWSI values between 0.38 and 0.51 were obtained, with Santa Julia having the highest values. Furthermore, a strong Pearson correlation (R) of 0.91 was established between the CWSI and Gs, representing a reference scale based on Gs values for evaluating water stress levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of management plans which lead to water efficient landscapes is a growing need in the turfgrass community. While deficit irrigation as a scheduling method can improve water conservation, more information is desired on how to best leverage other management practices, such as mowing height when deficit irrigation is imposed. The objectives of this study were to characterize actual evapotranspiration (ETa), turfgrass visual quality, clipping production, and root development of 'TifTuf' bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon × C. transvaalensis Burt Davy) when irrigated at full (1.0 × ETa) and deficit levels (0.65 and 0.30 × ETa), and cut at four separate mowing heights (2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0 cm) over two 8-week experimental runs. An elevated ETa was observed at the 7.5 cm and 10.0 cm mowing heights compared to the 2.5 cm mowing height in both runs, and the 5.0 cm mowing height in one run. The visual quality decreased throughout both study periods and mostly for the deficit irrigation treatments, with visual quality falling below minimum acceptable levels at the lowest irrigation level (0.30 × ETa) 5 weeks into run A, and 8 weeks into run B. Despite an elevated ETa and a higher root dry weight at higher mowing heights (7.5 and 10.0 cm), clipping production and visual quality was generally higher at lower mowing heights (2.5 and 5.0 cm) for both full and deficit irrigation levels. These results demonstrate that mowing height can significantly influence bermudagrass water use, as well as responses to deficit irrigation. When maintaining 'TifTuf' bermudagrass at heights above 2.5 cm, the results from this study indicate a lower water use and improved response to deficit irrigation at mowing heights ≤ 5 cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the performance of random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM) and adaptive boosting (AB) machine learning models used to estimate daily potato crop evapotranspiration adjusted (ETc-adj) under full irrigation (I100), 50% of full irrigation supply (I50) and rainfed cultivation (I0). Five scenarios of weather, crop and soil data availability were considered: (S1) reference evapotranspiration and precipitation, (S2) S1 and crop coefficient, (S3) S2, the fraction of total available water and root depth, (S4) S2 and total soil available water, and (S5) S3 and total soil available water. The performance of machine learning models was compared with the standard FAO56 calculation procedure. The most accurate ETc-adj estimates were observed with AB4 for I100, RF3 for I50 and AB5 for I0 with coefficients of determination (R2) of 0.992, 0.816 and 0.922, slopes of 1.004, 0.999 and 0.972, modelling efficiencies (EF) of 0.992, 0.815 and 0.917, mean absolute errors (MAE) of 0.125, 0.405 and 0.241 mm day−1, root mean square errors (RMSE) of 0.171, 0.579 and 0.359 mm day−1 and mean squared errors (MSE) of 0.029, 0.335 and 0.129 mm day−1, respectively. The AB model is suggested for ETc-adj prediction under I100 and I0 conditions, while the RF model is recommended under the I50 condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was carried out in Sarvestan city of Fars province in the southwest of Iran. Due to successive droughts, the groundwater resources of this city have decreased in terms of quantity and quality. Therefore, deficit irrigation in this area is inevitable and occurs mainly by increasing the irrigation cycle in pistachio orchards. Hence, a study was conducted in a pistachio orchard of Ahmad Aghaei cultivar in Sarvestan city during 2018-2020 with the aim of comparing irrigation water productivity, crop yield and machine farm efficiency in different water distribution substrates in the surface irrigation method with constant irrigation cycle. The experimental design was performed in the form of randomized complete blocks with 4 treatments of irrigation management in three replications. The treatments were: conventional flooding method with a strip width of 6 meters (Control treatment), the creek created on both sides of the tree row (Ditcher), reducing the strip width through the border created in the middle of the row of trees (Border) and the bed of Sine-Morghi created on both sides of the rows of trees (Kadval). The amount of irrigation water according to the inflow to each treatment and the time of cut off based on the management applied by the gardener in Control, Border, Kadval and Ditcher treatments was 8400, 4648, 4200 and 3080 cubic meters per hectare, respectively. The results showed that in both years of experiment in all treatments, irrigation water productivity increased compared to the control treatment. So that in the first year that the trees had good yield, the rate of increase in Ditcher, Kadval and Border treatments compared to the control treatment was 120%, 91% and 62%, respectively. Also, according to the results of calculating the nutritional indices of pistachio leaf nutrients, it was observed that Ditcher treatment had the highest nutritional balance in the first year (1.6) and second (26.5) compared to the control. In terms of farm efficiency, there was no significant difference between the three types of Ditcher, Border, and Kadval machines, so there is no difference between their selection in the preparation of a water distribution bed for pistachio trees. Finally, Ditcher treatment was proposed as the best irrigation treatment for pistachio trees in the tested orchard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimum water need of sweet pepper and the critical irrigation level to be applied in order to achieve a reasonable economic yield was determined. Greenhouse (controlled) was conducted with sweet pepper subjected to three (3) varying water applications; 100% full irrigation treatment (FIT), 70% FIT and 50% FIT. Crop water use (evapotranspiration) was determined using the water balance method. For the agronomic parameters measurement, weekly measurements of plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves and canopy temperature were measured. The sweet pepper were determined in batches during harvest. Result showed that the growth parameters significantly (p < 0.05) increased with increase in water application. The highest value of 707.78 g was recorded at irrigation treatment that received 70% of FIT while the least value was recorded in treatment that received the least amount with a value of 665.2 at 50% FIT. Overall, similar yield (p > 0.05) was observed in the yield quantification. This showed that about 50% of irrigation can be saved to irrigate additional plant. Highest values of irrigation for the irrigation and crop water efficiencies were obtained at the deficit irrigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrous oxide (N2O) exacerbates the greenhouse effect and thus global warming. Agricultural management practices, especially the use of nitrogen (N) fertilizers and irrigation, increase soil N2O emissions. As a vital sector of global agriculture, specialty crop systems usually require intensive input and management. However, soil N2O emissions from global specialty crop systems have not been comprehensively evaluated. Here, we synthesized 1137 observations from 114 published studies, conducted a meta‐analysis to evaluate the effects of agricultural management and environmental factors on soil N2O emissions, and estimated global soil N2O emissions from specialty crop systems. The estimated global N2O emission from specialty crop soils was 1.5 Tg N2O‐N year−1, ranging from 0.5 to 4.5 Tg N2O‐N year−1. Globally, soil N2O emissions exponentially increased with N fertilizer rates. The effect size of N fertilizer on soil N2O emissions generally increased with mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation, and soil organic carbon concentration but decreased with soil pH. Global climate change will further intensify the effect of N fertilizer on soil N2O emissions. Drip irrigation, fertigation, and reduced tillage can be used as essential strategies to reduce soil N2O emissions and increase crop yields. Deficit irrigation and non‐legume cover crop can reduce soil N2O emissions but may also lower crop yields. Biochar may have a relatively limited effect on reducing soil N2O emissions but be effective in increasing crop yields. Our study points toward effective management strategies that have substantial potential for reducing N2O emissions from global agricultural soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have presented a new scheme, "optimized irrigation", in which irrigation depth is determined such that net income during each interval is maximized considering weather forecasts and the price of water using WASH_2D, numerical simulation mod- els of water flow and solute transport in soils and crop growth. To evaluate whether the optimized irrigation is also able to restrict salinity stress without any intentional leaching, we carried out an irrigation experiment in a sandy field. Potato was grown in a green- house in Tottori, Japan, using a drip irrigation system whose emitter distance was 20 cm and lateral spacing was 60 cm. Seeds were sown on 3 September below each emitter. Three treatments were established: 1) irrigation with fresh water (F), 2) irrigation with 2 g/L of NaCl solution (C), 3) irrigation with 2 g/L of NaCl solution and irrigation depth was determined with the proposed scheme (O). "F" and "C" were irrigated with automated irrigation systems using soil moisture sensors. Leachings were carried on "C" out on 12 (10 mm) and 21 (16 mm) November. "F" received the lowest amount of water owing to zero leaching requirement while "O" and "C" re- ceived almost the same mount. Net income was calculated under a producer price of 0.5 $/kgFW of tuber and the price of saline water at 0.5 $/m². Treatment O gained the as high net income as F, revealing the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In arid and semi-arid regions, irrigation is crucial to mitigate water stress and yield loss. However, the overexploitation of water resources by the agricultural sector together with the climate change effects can lead to water scarcity. Effective regional water management depends on estimating irrigation demand using maps of irrigable areas or national and regional statistics of irrigated areas. These statistical data are not always of reliable quality because they generally do not reflect the updated spatial distribution of irrigated and rainfed fields. In this context, remote sensing provides reliable methods for gathering useful agricultural information from derived records. The combined use of optical and radar Earth Observation data enhances the probability of detecting irrigation events, which can improve the accuracy of irrigation mapping. Hence, we aimed to utilize Sentinel-1 (VV and VH) and Sentinel-2 (NDVI) data to classify irrigated fruit trees and rainfed ones in a study area located in the Castilla La-Mancha region in Spain. To obtain these time-series data from Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2, which constitute the input data for the classification algorithms, a tool has been developed for automating the download from the Sentinel Hub. This tool downloads products organized by tiles for the region of interest and for the entire required time-series, ensuring the spatial repeatability of each pixel across all products and dates. The classification of irrigated plots was carried out by SVM Support Vector Machine. The employed methodology displayed promising results, with an overall accuracy of 88.4%, indicating the methodology's ability to detect irrigation over orchards that were declared as non-irrigated. These results were evaluated by applying the change detection method of the σ p 0 backscattering coefficient at plot scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of water stress on yield and various physiological parameters, including the crop water stress index for tomatoes in the Central Anatolian region of Turkey. For this purpose, the irrigation schedule used in this study includes 120%, 100%, 80%, and 60% (I120, I100, I80, I60) of evaporation from the gravimetrically. Water deficit was found to cause a stress effect in tomato plants, which was reflected in changes in plants' morphological and pomological function (such as stem diameter, fruit weight, pH, titratable acidity, and total soluble solids). Irrigation levels had a significant effect on the total yield of tomatoes. The lowest water use efficiency (WUE) was obtained from the I60, while the highest WUE was found in the I100 irrigation level. The CWSI was calculated using an empirical approach from measurements of infrared canopy temperatures, ambient air temperatures, and vapor pressure deficit values for four irrigation levels. The crop water stress index (CWSI) values ranged from −0.63 to a maximum value of 0.53 in I120, from −0.27 to 0.63 in I100, from 0.06 to 0.80 in I80, and from 0.37 to 0.97 in I60. There was a significant relation between yield and CWSI. The yield was correlated with mean CWSI values, and the linear equation Total yield = −2398.9CWSI + 1240.4 can be used for yield prediction. The results revealed that the CWSI value was useful for evaluating crop water stress in tomatoes and predicting yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Irrigation & Drainage is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Recently, the crop forcing technique (summer pruning that "forces" the vine to start a new cycle) has proven to be effective in delaying the harvest date and increasing must acidity, but also reducing the yield. However, recent information on deficit irrigation strategies combined with the crop forcing technique reveals that the crop forcing technique reduces irrigation water use efficiency. Two experiments were conducted. Experiment 1 was a 4-year trial to test the effect of the forcing pruning date on the phenology, yield, yield components and water requirements when post-veraison water stress is applied. In this experiment, the treatments were unforced vines (UF-RDI) and forced vines with a forcing pruning date about 70 (F1-RDI) and 100 (F2-RDI) days after budburst. The harvest date was delayed 34 (F1) and 66 (F2) days increasing the must acidity and malic acid concentration in the forced treatments. However, both forced treatments had a reduced yield (36% in F1 and 49% in F2) and irrigation water use efficiency (12% in F1 and 65% in F2). Experiment 2 was a 2-year trial in which irrigation was suppressed before the forcing pruning in F1 (F1-Pre) and F2 (F2-Pre) and after veraison. The yield, yield components, must quality and irrigation were compared to forced vines with irrigation suppression only after veraison (F1-RDI and F2-RDI). For the entire experiment, both treatments in which irrigation was suppressed before the forcing pruning reduced the amount of irrigation supplied (10% in F1-Pre and 30% in F2-Pre) with no negative effects on the yield, yield components or must quality when compared to F-RDI treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water scarcity and climate variability impede the realization of satisfactory vegetable yields in arid regions. It is imperative to delve into high-productivity and water-use-efficient protected cultivation systems for the sustained supply of vegetables in harsh arid climates. A strenuous effort was made to find suitable protected structures and levels of irrigation for greenhouse cucumber production in hot arid zones of India. In this endeavor, the effects of three low-tech passively ventilated protected structures, i.e., naturally ventilated polyhouse (NVP), insect-proof screenhouse (IPS) and shade screenhouse (SHS), as well as three levels of irrigation (100%, 80% and 60% of evapotranspiration, ET) were assessed for different morpho-physiological, yield and quality traits of the cucumber in a two-year study. Among the low-tech protected structures, NVP was found superior to IPS and SHS for cucumber performance, as evidenced by distinctly higher fruit yields (i.e., 31% and 121%, respectively) arising as a result of higher fruit number/plants and mean fruit weights under NVP. The fruit yield decreased in response to the degree of water shortage in deficit irrigation across all protected structures. However, the interaction effect of the protected structure and irrigation regime reveals that plants grown under moderate deficit (MD, 20% deficit) inside NVP could provide higher yields than those obtained under well-watered (WW, 100% of ET) conditions inside IPS or SHS. Plant growth indices such as vine length, node number/plant, and shoot dry mass were also measured higher under NVP. The greater performance of cucumber under NVP was attributed to a better plant physiological status (i.e., higher photosystem II efficiency, leaf relative water content and lower leaf water potential). The water deficit increased water productivity progressively with its severity; it remained higher in NVP, as reflected by 20% and 94% higher water productivity than those recorded in IPS and SHS, respectively, across different irrigation levels. With the exception of total soluble solids and fruit dry matter content (which were recorded higher), fruit quality parameters were reduced under water deficit conditions. The findings of this study emphasize the importance of considering suitable low-tech protected structures (i.e., NVP) and irrigation levels (i.e., normal rates for higher yields and moderate deficit (−20%) for satisfactory yields) for cucumber in hot arid regions. The results provide valuable insights for growers as well as researchers aiming to increase vegetable production under harsh climates and the water-limiting conditions of arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intercropping offers greater scope to introduce new crops. Cultivation of crops with diverse root architecture and different durations enhances the productivity of scarce resources like land and water. This study aimed to determine the effect of intercrop competition and irrigation regimes on yield, competition, land usage, irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE), and fatty acids of chia. The field experiment was conducted in semi-arid India during 2020–2022 with full (I100) and deficit irrigation (I50) and six intercrops. Results demonstrated that chia + fenugreek intercropping in I50 improved the crops' competitiveness, land equivalent ratio (LER) (1.77), land use efficiency (142.5%), and the IWUE of chia (23.2%). Notably, a chia + radish/spinach system in I50 reduced the seed yield (42.6–45.0%) of chia over I100 monocropping. A chia + fenugreek system in I50 resulted in a higher seed yield (196.2 kg ha−1) than chia monocropping in I100. Further, chia + fenugreek intercropping resulted in higher omega-3 content (56.68%) under I100. Therefore, a chia + fenugreek system under I100 may be suggested over monocropping for better yield and oil quality. However, during water scarcity situations, growers can adopt a chia + fenugreek system under I50 which can give a similar chia equivalent yield and a higher LER and IWUE compared to chia monocropping under I100. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate variability in Mediterranean viticultural areas, primarily attributed to climate change, will significantly impact water requirements, consequently leading to changes in irrigation management. The primary aim of this study was to assess the response of the Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon grape varieties when subjected to deficit drip irrigation (RDI), in comparison to non-irrigation (NI), during various climatic years. The defined irrigation strategies involved water application equivalent to 35% and 80% of the (ET0 (reference crop evapotranspiration) × Kc (crop coefficient)). The ecophysiology of both grapevines was evaluated through the measurement of stomatal conductance (gs), sap flow, transpiration, leaf water potential (LWP), and CO2 assimilation (A). Additionally, essential parameters including the crop coefficient (Kc), transpiration, and intrinsic water use efficiency were calculated. The information gathered from the pressure–volume curves of Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo encompassed the osmotic potential at full turgor (γπ100), osmotic potential at turgor loss or 0 turgor (γπ0), water content at turgor loss (CHR0), modulus of elasticity (ε), and water potential at turgor loss 0 (γH0). The results enable a precise estimation of the water requirements for irrigation, contributing to a deeper understanding of the physiological responses of both varieties. This comprehension aids in assessing the sustainability of these vineyards amidst unexpected changes in the global mean surface temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing CO2 concentration ([CO2]) in the atmosphere decreases mineral nutrients concentration in crops, whereas it increases water use efficiency (WUE). Partial root-zone irrigation (PRI) could not only increase WUE but also improve plant nutrient status. Yet the effect of PRI combined with elevated CO2 concentration (e[CO2]) on the element stoichiometry of tomato leaves remains unknown. This study sought to investigate the responses of leaf mineral nutrients status and element stoichiometric ratios in tomatoes to PRI combined with e[CO2]. Tomato plants (cv. Ailsa Craig) were grown in pots in climate-controlled growth chambers with ambient [CO2] (a[CO2], 400ppm) and elevated [CO2] (e[CO2], 800ppm), respectively. Three irrigation regimes, i.e., full irrigation (FI), deficit irrigation (DI) and PRI, were applied to tomato plants at the flowering stage. The results showed that plants grown under DI and PRI had a similar biomass, enhanced root growth including greater root to shoot ratio, root length, surface area, volume and specific length, and an improved WUE in comparison with FI under e[CO2]. Additionally, under e[CO2], PRI showed an increase in leaf [C](+1.5%) and [N] (+9.3%), no decrease in leaf [K], [Ca], [Mg], [S] and [15N], but a decrease in leaf C/N (−6.6%) as compared with FI. Conclusively, PRI had the ability to improve leaf N concentration, maintain most leaf mineral nutrient concentrations, and optimize or maintain leaf element stoichiometric ratios under e[CO2]. Therefore, PRI would be a practicable mode of irrigation for optimizing WUE and nutrient status in tomato leaves in a future freshwater-limited and higher-CO2 environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Table olives are widely consumed in the Mediterranean diet, and several typical Spanish and Portuguese varieties could potentially be used as such. In order to ensure a good‐quality product, the effect of different factors such as elaboration processes, irrigation conditions, crop year and their crossover interaction on acrylamide content and antioxidant compounds needs to be deeply studied. RESULTS: When looking through irrigation, regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) presented lower acrylamide levels than rainfed conditions for 'Cordovil de Elvas', 'Picual' and 'Verdeal Alentejana'. No significant interactions were found between the type of irrigation and elaboration style for 'Arbequina' and 'Koroneiki' varieties. Although RDI had the largest concentration of total phenols, antioxidant activity was also the highest. The table olives harvested in the crop year of 2019 showed lower levels of acrylamide due to a significant relationship between the crop year and irrigation conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Novel varieties to be marketed should be taken into consideration for table olive elaboration. The impact of the crop year on the bioactive value of table olives and crossover interactions relies strongly in climatological conditions. Last but not least, the benefit of selecting the best irrigation and elaboration methods is crucial to ensure desirable acrylamide levels. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the water crisis affecting several countries, the use of innovative technologies and methods in irrigated agriculture is essential to increase water use efficiency. The use of magnetised water has been considered a possibility both for saving water resources and in increasing crop productivity and quality. Following this, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the growth and longevity of flower stems of ornamental sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.; Vincent's Choice) irrigated with different irrigation depths and water subjected to magnetic field treatment. The treatments consisted of five percentage of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) (20, 70, 100, 130, and 160% of ETc) and two types of irrigation water (magnetised water; and ordinary water). The following characteristics were evaluated: plant height, stem diameter, inflorescence diameter, fresh and dry masses of the leaves and stems, fresh and dry masses of the inflorescence, and post-harvest longevity of the flower stems. The growth and post-harvest longevity characteristics were not influenced by the water type. An increase in irrigation depth promoted an increase in all analysed parameters. Regarding the commercialisation patterns of cut flowers, depth equal to or greater than 0.7 ETc yielded the best classification of ornamental sunflower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, water-yield relations, Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI), which is one of the commonly used crops stress indicators, and the Water Deficit Index (WDI), which is a new approach, were compared by applying deficit irrigation in 2018-2019 growing period in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey. Five irrigation levels were applied to silage maize and sorghum plants. According to the results, yield was higher in silage maize than in silage sorghum both in full irrigation (100%) and in water-deficit irrigation (treatment where 80%, 60%, 40%, 20% meeting water requirement of plant). However, when average yield values of both years were examined, maize showed a decrease of 49 and 46%, respectively, while sorghum showed a decrease of 33%, compared to treatment with 40 and 20% irrigation, respectively. Similarly, there was a decrease of 66-54% in maize for 20% treatment, while there was a decrease of 45-46% in sorghum. This showed that sorghum maintained its yield potential better than maize in conditions of 60% or more water constraint. When the average CWSI and WDI indices were examined mutually, it was observed that rate of increase in stress and amount of decrease in productivity gave more consistent results in WDI than in CWSI. It has been understood that CWSI, one of crop stress determiners, is insufficient in determining stress compared to WDI, and WDI gives more accurate results. Accordingly, complete and accurate results of WDI have been obtained despite the shortcomings of CWSI method, which has been used in stress determination until now. It is suggested to use WDI for crop water stress index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the effects of three irrigation regimes with a combination of saline water and treated wastewater on the accumulation of heavy metals in barley grains. A field experiment was designed as a split‐split plot arrangement in a randomized complete block design, in which treatments were different irrigation regimes (50%, 70%, and 100% full irrigation) and irrigation water types (saline water [SW], treated wastewater [TW], mixed water resources [MWR], and alternative irrigation [AI]). After cultivation and harvesting of the barley crop, the grain yield, 1000‐grain weight, and contents of heavy metals in the grains were measured. The grain yield was enhanced by TW alone, MWR, and AI to 12.8%, 5%, and 9.5% under 70%‐deficit irrigation; and 58.3%, 21.7%, and 8.7% under full irrigation, respectively. Based on the guidelines for safe limits of heavy metals in edible plants and livestock feed, the barley grains were safe for livestock and toxic for humans. The trend of heavy metal contents in the grains was Fe > Zn > Pb > Cu ≥ Cr > Cd. Irrigation with SW compared with TW increased Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, and Cr contents in the grains to 11.75%, 10.97%, 5.22%, 19.15%, 3.45%, and 9.21%, respectively. The amounts of toxic elements of Cd and Pb were maximized by using MWR, whereas the Cr content in the grain was maximized by using AI. There were no significant difference in the metal uptake by the grains among all irrigation regimes in any irrigation water resource. However, compared with the other irrigation regimes, the full irrigation resulted in lower Zn, Cu, and Cd contents, whereas the 50%‐deficit irrigation led to lower Pb and Cr contents in the grains. Therefore, irrigation with TW is recommended based on the grain yield, whereas AI is suggested due to lower Cu, Pb, and Cd contents in the grain, and MWR is recommended due to lower Cr content. Furthermore, full and 50%‐deficit irrigation regimes are recommended to, respectively, maximize grain yield and minimize the toxic metal contents in the grain. Practitioner Points: Mixed saline water and treated wastewater and alternative irrigation enhanced grain yield.Saline water versus treated wastewater increased the grain heavy metal contents.Alternative irrigation decreased Fe, Cu, Pb, and Cd amounts in the grain.Grain Cu content had strong relationship with irrigation regime.50%‐deficit irrigation minimized Pb and Cr contents in the grain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of zeolites in agriculture as a soil conditioner is becoming an important field of research in crop growth. To study the effect of synthetic zeolites and deficit irrigation on sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivation, an experiment was conducted in a controlled environment. In particular, sweet peppers were cultivated in a glasshouse using polypropylene pots filled with sandy loam soil, to which 2% zeolite was added. The zeolite employed in the experiments was obtained using coal fly ash as a raw material. The experiment consisted of two main treatments: (a) soil with a zeolite at 2% (Z) and (b) soil without a zeolite as a control (C). Three subplot treatments consisted of (1) full irrigation at 100% of the available water content (AWC) (100); (2) deficit irrigation at 70% of the AWC (70); and (3) deficit irrigation at 50% of the AWC (50). Sweet pepper cultivation started on 24 April 2023 and lasted until 23 June 2023; during the trial, the environmental data, such as the soil humidity, air temperature, and relative humidity, and some crop parameters, such as the plant height, leaf number, and the SPAD index, were monitored. At the end of the trial, the fresh and dry plant weights, the dry matter content, and the leaf water potential were measured. The results showed that, for the plant fresh weight and dry matter content, no significant differences were observed in the treatments and their interactions, whereas, for the other parameters, the statistical analysis showed significant differences. The study suggests that the soil's structural benefits, resulting from zeolite application, are not followed by an equal positive effect in terms of sweet pepper growth under deficit irrigation conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Treated wastewater irrigation has become an effective measure to alleviate the shortage of water resources. To date, there has been no information on the interaction between the application of N and P fertilizers and wastewater. This study aimed to elucidate the regulatory mechanism of N and P on the growth of leguminous plant alfalfa under wastewater irrigation. Methods: A pot experiment was carried out with nine treatments of different N and P fertilizers additions during the three crop seasons. All treatments were irrigated with treated swine wastewater. And the effects of N and P addition on alfalfa yield, nutritional quality, antibiotic accumulation, and related stress physiological indicators under swine wastewater irrigation conditions were evaluated. Results: The results showed that N addition could significantly increase the total fresh weight, water use efficiency and total crude protein accumulation of alfalfa shoots by 9.89%-15.70%, 5.48%-9.98% and 8.49%-18.30%, respectively. The content of four antibiotics introduced by wastewater irrigation decreased by 18.18%-116.67% after the addition of N and P compared with no fertilizer treatment, and N treatment significantly reduced the total accumulation of antibiotics in each pot by 5.55%-50.00%. More proline and soluble sugar were induced in alfalfa without adding N and P. And the addition of N and P promoted plant growth by reducing the toxicity of Na+ and increasing the ratio of K+/Na+ and Ca2+/Na+. Conclusion: N significantly increased the fresh weight, water production efficiency, and crude protein content of alfalfa, and significantly reduced the accumulation of tetracycline antibiotics in alfalfa. N and P can alleviate the salt stress introduced by wastewater through the change of osmotic adjustment substances. Entropy-TOPSIS analysis showed that the high biomass, water use efficiency and quality was obtained with 120 kg N ha-1 and 80 kg P2O5 ha-1 under wastewater irrigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing insufficiency of freshwater resources is driving many countries in arid and semi-arid regions to use low-quality water for agriculture and related activities. This wastewater may have some useful as well adverse effects on various parameters. In this regard, we design an experimental setup to investigate the impact of irrigation with industrial wastewater on the Praecitrullus fistulosus (Indian baby pumpkin) plant. For this purpose, Praecitrullus fistulous was cultivated in soil irrigated with different concentrations (i.e. 25, 50, 75, 100%) of industrial wastewater, while control contain 0% of wastewater. Before the treatment, physicochemical parameters (pH, TDS, EC, etc.) of industrial wastewater were analysed. It was observed that lower concentration/s of wastewater positively affects various morphological (no. of leaves, fruits etc.) and biochemical (Total protein, Flavonoids, Sugar/s content etc.) attributes in treated plants, whereas elevated concentration may hurt these parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]