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This study was conducted on 4-year-old Murcott mandarin (Citrus reticulata L.) trees that were budded on Volkamer lemon (Citrus volkameriana L.) trees grown in sandy soil at a distance of 3×6 meters under drip irrigation in a private citrus orchard in the Wady El-Mollak region of the Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. The study was conducted over the course of two consecutive seasons, 2020 and 2021. Nine treatments were applied in this experiment as follow:T1-Control (water spray), T2-4% kaolin (Al4Si4O10 (OH) 8), T3-4% potassium silicate (K2SiO3), T4- 4% calcium carbonate (CaCO3), T5-2 cm/l metalusite, T6-1% titanium oxide nano particles (Ti2O3 NPs), T7-4% titanium oxide normal particles (Ti2O3), T8-1% zinc oxide nano particles (ZnO NPs) and T9-4% zinc oxide normal particles (ZnO). The results indicated that all treatments increased total yield pertree (kg) and perfeddan (ton) and fruit weight (g) and also fruits number/tree compared to control treatment. The highest total yield was gained by trees sprayed with Metalusite, titanium oxide, zinc oxide in two forms nano and normal without differences between them in the two seasons. The trees sprayed with Metalusite or titanium oxide nano particles gained least number and percentages of sunburned fruits/tree in both seasons, followed by trees sprayed with titanium oxide normal particles. The longest branch was recorded for trees sprayed with potassium silicate, Metalusite, titanium oxide nano and normal particles in the two seasons. The thinner branches were for control trees in the both seasons. The highest number of leaves per branch were gained for trees sprayed with titanium oxide nano particles, while, lowest number of leaves/branch were for trees sprayed with kaolin in the two seasons. The largest leaf area was recorded for trees sprayed by Metalusite and zinc oxide nano ornormal particles followed by trees sprayed with titanium oxide nano or normal particles, while, the smallest leaf area was forcontrol trees in the two seasons. The uppermost values of leaf fresh and dry weights (g) were for trees sprayed by titanium oxide or zinc oxide in nano or normal particles followed by trees sprayed with Metalusite in the both seasons. All tested trees gave leaves contained higher total chlorophyll insignificant differences between them compared to theun treated control in the two seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of sanitary sewage using subsurface drip irrigation can mitigate current challenges related to water availability and food production. However, before implementing these techniques, it is crucial to conduct studies to assess their impacts on soil and plants. The objective of this study was to evaluate chemical changes in the soil and the development of cowpeas subjected to sanitary sewage applied by drippers with different flow rates and installation depths. Drippers were positioned at various depths (0 to 30 cm) and operated with flow rates of 1.6 and 3.8 L h−1. Cowpeas were cultivated in pots with clayey soil, using synthetic sanitary sewage based on the maximum limit of nitrogen fertilization. Irrigation management was controlled in terms of soil moisture, which was monitored using TDR probes. The results indicated that reducing the depth of the drippers positively affected grain production and the development of cowpeas. Fertigation with sanitary sewage at greater depths increased soil phosphorus concentrations and base saturation. Dripper depth also influenced soil concentrations of phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, while sodium concentrations decreased with greater depth. It is concluded that dripper flow rates did not impact soil chemical parameters or the agronomic characteristics of cowpeas. However, despite nutrient supply at greater depths, the subsurface drip irrigation system proved unsuitable for cowpea production in clayey soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater plays a vital role in global water resources, supporting agricultural, industrial, and domestic water supply systems. However, the long-term sustainability of groundwater is increasingly threatened due to the widespread adoption of irrigation systems especially micro irrigation. Micro irrigation is a widespread agricultural technique that involves water application to crops through drip irrigation and sprinkler systems. This method has gained widespread adoption due to its ability to deliver water efficiently to crops. This review paper examines the impacts of micro irrigation on groundwater sustainability, focusing on its effects on groundwater quantity, quality, and overall sustainability. The findings reveal that micro irrigation can significantly contribute to groundwater conservation by reducing water losses. However, improper management practices, such as over-irrigation or incorrect application rates, can lead to excessive groundwater extraction, depletion of aquifers, and declining water tables. Applying fertilizers and pesticides in micro irrigation systems may lead to groundwater pollution, thereby affecting water quality and posing a risk to human health. This review article emphasizes the significance of appropriate design, installation, and upkeep of micro irrigation systems to minimize potential adverse effects on groundwater. Furthermore, regulatory frameworks, policies, and educational programs are crucial in promoting sustainable groundwater management practices in micro irrigation. The present review highlights the significance of adopting balanced water use practices, enhancing water management techniques, and implementing relevant regulations to ensure the sustainable utilization of groundwater resources in micro irrigation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The infertility of sandy soil hampers the growth of many crops. Typically, chemical fertilizers are used to handle this issue, but they are expensive and have deleterious implications on the ecosystem. A two-year field investigation was carried out on cowpea cultivated in sandy soil to assess the effects of different watering levels (70, 80, 90, and 100% of the actual irrigation requirements), chemical fertilizers, organic fertilizers, and biofertilizer (Bradyrhizobium sp.), and their combinations on the morpho-physiological traits and yield of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp, cv. Giza 18). Overall, the findings showed that cowpea osmoregulatory molecules (sugars, proteins, and proline) demonstrated greater accumulation, with the content depending on the watering level. The applied fertilizers demonstrated improved cowpea performance at the regular watering level, with chopped potato tops outperforming other fertilizer formulations. Furthermore, the combination of water stress treatments and fertilizer formulations was impactful in relieving the detrimental consequences of water stress as it enhanced plant growth performance, production efficiency, metabolic homeostasis, nutritional value, and mineral ions composition. Subsequently, our results demonstrated agro-wastes, particularly chopped potato tops, could be an effective substitute for chemical fertilizers in sandy soils to sustainably increase soil fertility as well as cowpea yield performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental - Agriambi is the property of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental 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.)

Copyright of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental - Agriambi is the property of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental 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.)

Copyright of World Water Policy 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.)

In order to study the effects of different irrigation amounts on the root characteristics and yield of cotton without film mulching (abbreviated as filmless cotton) under drip irrigation in Southern Xinjiang, five irrigation amounts of filmless cotton (300, 375, 450, 525 and 600 mm, represented by W1, W2, W3, W4 and W5) and one irrigation amount of cotton with film mulching (abbreviated as filmed cotton) (450 mm, represented by WCK) were set. The effects of irrigation amount on root length density (RLD), root surface area (RSA), root average diameter (RAD), root volume (RV), root weight density (RED) and yield of filmless cotton were analyzed. The results of the two-year experiment showed the following: (1) The indexes of cotton root growth reached the maximum at the flowering and bolling stage, and the growth of soil root in the periphery (30 cm from the main root) and the lower layer (40–60 cm soil layer) reached the peak at the flowering and bolling stages, respectively; (2) The average value of root growth index of film-free cotton in each treatment was W2 > W3 > W4 > W5 and W1. The RLD of W2 and W3 increased by 19.41–106.67% and 13.66–84.22% in the peripheral and lower soil layer, and the proportion of RSA in the peripheral and middle soil layer (20–40 cm soil layer) increased by 1.64–3.41% and 0.49–4.09% compared with other treatments. The RAD, RV and RWD after W2 treatment were relatively large at various distribution points in the soil, followed by W3 treatment; (3) The average root indexes of WCK were not significantly different from those of W3, but the indexes of the lower soil layer were the smallest, at only 29.18–66.84% of the average value of the non-film mulching treatment, while the root indexes of the surface layer (0–20 cm soil layer) and the surrounding soil were larger, with an increase of 11.43–102.17% and 29.60–111.57%, respectively, compared with the non-film mulching treatment; (4) The seed cotton yield of W3 was the highest in the non-film mulching treatment, reaching 4833.25 kg·hm−2, but was still lower than that of WCK by 27.79%. Conclusion: An appropriate water deficit is conducive to root growth and increases the uniformity of its distribution in the soil layer. The irrigation amount of 375–450 mm for filmless cotton in Southern Xinjiang can promote root growth, prevent senescence and increase yield, which can be used as a reference in production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saudi Arabia (SA) is one of the world's arid, most water-scarce nations without permanent water resources. The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive overview of Saudi Arabia's water resources availability and reliability in terms of water supply, demand, and the major challenges that water faces. Saudi has an annual water supply of roughly 89.5 m3 per person as consumption is rising in parallel with the country's rapid population growth and development. SA produces the most desalinated seawater in the world, accounting for 22% of worldwide consumption. Due to changes in agricultural demand, Saudi Arabia's overall water needs in 2020 were 15.98 BCM. Apart from agricultural use, the food industry utilizes up to 80% of freshwater supplies, with only around 20% of rain recharging the aquifer, meaning that the region will still be water-stressed by 2025. In addition to wastewater reuse, water expenses should be split between private investors and the government, and water losses in cities should be collected and recycled. Water development projects must also be safeguarded and have long-term viability for the community's future and well-being. Despite previous conservation efforts (public awareness campaigns, television and other public media messages, drip irrigation, and so on), more work is required, including improving water resource infrastructure, implementing environmental use of friendly technologies, and increasing economic feasibility, social acceptability, and management in light of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultivation of the 'Apple of the Sahel' (also known as Indian Jujube) is central to the food security, nutrition, and income of rural communities in developing countries like Niger. However, rainfall variability significantly impacts the development of this plant. This study aims to determine the effects of seasonal water regimes on the growth and productivity of the Apple of the Sahel. The trials were conducted in 2020 and 2021 during the rainy and dry seasons at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) experimental site in Sadore, Niamey, Niger. The experiment was arranged in a factorial design with three irrigation doses (D) and three irrigation systems (G) as main and subplot factors, respectively. The sub-subplot factors were irrigation frequencies (F) and growth boosters (B), each with two levels. In the dry season, irrigation dose application significantly (p = 0.001) increased soil volumetric water content (vwc). A similar increase in soil vwc was achieved under small-scale drip irrigation with an application of the same dose of organic material (p = 0.001). The diameter of the Apple of the Sahel trees significantly increased (p = 0.03) under the small-scale drip irrigation systems with 6.72 mm recorded under the two-drip irrigation system (G2) as compared with the manual system (G0). In the dry season, the total fruit harvest of Apple of the Sahel recorded had increased (p = 0.04) under the irrigated system, varying from 112 to 246% depending on the number of drippers, and compared to the manual system. These results highlight that small-scale drip irrigation should be used in combination with appropriate water and fertilizer management to improve water availability and tree yield in agroforestry systems in arid regions such as Niger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research was to determine the effect of a pectic oligosaccharide on the root development of maize plants in El Ejido, Los Santos, Republic of Panama, during two research cycles in the year 2022. Two treatments were evaluated: the control and the treatment imbibed with biostimulant. A completely randomized design was used, where the data obtained were analyzed using the t-Student test for independent samples. This experiment was established in polyethylene bags of different sizes. A drip irrigation system with a venturi was used to apply fertigation to the crop. The variables evaluated were: wet and dry root weight, root number count, root length and root diameter. Variables of the aerial part of the plant such as plant height, leaf area, stem diameter and biomass were also determined. The results showed that the application of pectic oligosaccharides significantly increased the length, weight and number of roots. This increase was also reflected in greater leaf area, height and dry mass of the crop. The imbibition of maize seed with pectic oligosaccharides is beneficial for both root and aerial growth and development of the maize crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Water is the most important environmental factor for sustainability of rice production. Traditionally rice was cultivated by continuous flooding. Due to global climate change and rapid industrialization and urbanization, the amount of water utilised for agriculture is declining which increases the water scarcity for irrigated rice production. Methods: The present experiment was carried out during Kuruvai (July-November) 2022 at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. Experiments were carried out with five treatments viz., T1 - 100% Saturation under drip irrigation, T2 - 150% Saturation under drip irrigation T3 - 200% Saturation under drip irrigation, T4 - System of Rice Intensification (SRI), T5 - Conventional method. Result: Results of the experiment showed that growth parameters was higher in SRI method and this was on par with conventinal method. SRI method recorded significantly higher yield parameters and grain yield. From the above results, it can be concluded that. SRI method performed well compared to different method of cultivation due to the synergistic effects of various cultivation principles followed in this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Burkina Faso, surface drip irrigation is promoted as a water-saving technique to overcome the decline of agricultural water through the increase of water productivity. However, there is little proof up to now about the suitable dripper-plant spacing optimizing water uptake for high productivity. A field trial was undertaken to assess the effects of the dripper-plant spacing in improving yield and water productivity. The design was complete randomized blocs in four replications with the dripper-plant spacing of 0, 5, 10, and 15 cm. It is shown that placing the dripper 15 cm away from the plant resulted in higher water distribution, fruit size, and productivity. The increase of 91%, 131%, 51%, and 11% was registered for wetted area, fruit length, fruit diameter, and fruit weight, respectively. Yield and water productivity increased up to 143%. Implementing the system of drip irrigation at the dripper-plant spacing of 15 cm should be suggested for improving both yield and water productivity in the dry areas. The distance between the dripper and the plant is an important component for designing and implementing a drip-irrigation system for a specific crop on a specific soil since the crop water uptake and productivity depend on this parameter. Up to now, there is no evidence of suitable distance for fruits, more precisely for tomatoes. Technicians are implementing the drip system and farmers are still producing based on an old belief suggesting that the dripper should be as close as possible to the plant. The present study tested different distances (0, 5, 10, and 15 cm) between the dripper and the plant in an experimental field to identify the optimal spacing. Based on the obtained data, this paper suggests that the spacing of 15 cm between dripper and plant is adapted for improving water productivity and yield, and it should be adopted to optimize the efficiency of the drip-irrigation system for field-grown tomatoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Onions are economically and nutritionally important vegetable crops. Despite advances in technology and acreage, Indian onion growers face challenges in realizing their full productivity potential. This study examines the technical efficiency of onion growers, the factors influencing it, and the constraints faced by those adopting drip irrigation in the Ghod river basin of western Maharashtra. A sample of 480 farmers including those practicing drip irrigation and those not practicing it, was selected from Junnar, Shirur, Parner, and Shrigonda blocks of the basin. The primary data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Analytical tools such as the Cobb-Douglas production function (represents technological relationship between multiple inputs and the resulting output), a single-stage stochastic frontier model, the Tobit model, and descriptive statistics were used to assess the technical efficiency of onion production at the farm level. Results: According to the maximum likelihood estimates of the stochastic frontier analysis, drip adopters exhibited a mean technical efficiency of 92%, while for non-adopters it was 65%. It indicates that the use of drip irrigation technology is associated with higher technical efficiency. The association of technical efficiency and socio-economic characters of households showed that education, extension contacts, social participation, and use of information sources had a positive influence on technical efficiency, while family size had a negative influence on the drip irrigation adopters. For non-drip adopters, significant positive effects were observed for landholding, extension contact, and information source use. The major constraints faced by drip system adopters included a lack of knowledge about the proper operating techniques for drip systems and the cost of maintenance. Conclusion: The differences with inputs associated with two irrigation methods showed that the response of inputs to increase onion yield is greater for farmers who use drip irrigation than for farmers who do not, and are a result of the large differences in the technical efficiencies. These inefficiencies and other limitations following the introduction of drip irrigation, such as lack of knowledge about the proper operations, need to be addressed through tailored training for farmers and further interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Indonesia, corn is an important commodity that serves as the second source of carbohydrates after rice, whose productivity is influenced by management practices applied during cultivation. This research aimed to determine the effects of different management practices on the growth and yield of corn. This research was arranged in a single-factor Randomized Complete Block Design, with different agriculture management practices as treatments, consisting of TI1 = Best Practices (Drip Irrigation + Rice Husk + Mycorrhiza), TI2 = Farmers' Practices (Furrow Irrigation) + Mycorrhiza, and TI3 = Farmers' practices (Furrow Irrigation). The data observed were analyzed using Analysis of Variance and followed by the Post Hoc Tukey's HSD at a= 5%. The results showed that the TI1 produced significantly higher plant height, stem diameter, leaf dry weight, weight of cob with cornhusk and kernel dry weight, and effectively suppressed weed growth compared to TI2 and TI3. TI1 produced a significantly higher number of leaves, root dry weight, and total dry weight compared to TI3, but not significantly different compared to TI2. TI1 produced not significantly different stem dry weight and harvest index compared to TI2 and TI3. The kernel dry weight per plant observed in TI1 was 157.63 g, which was 14.22% and 22.91% higher than in TI2 and TI3, respectively. Based on the coefficient correlation and path analysis, the number of leaves, plant height, and total dry weight should be considered as important plant growth variables to produce high kernel dry weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subsoiling tillage breaks up the shallow plow layer and thickened plow pan resulting from prolonged crop rotation, thus enhancing the soil tillage layer environment and fostering crop growth. However, these changes in tillage practices are not accompanied by corresponding advancements in irrigation technology. Therefore, this study compared drip irrigation (DI) and micro-sprinkler irrigation (MS) with three watering levels (H, M, L) based on soil water content (70%, 60%, 50% of field capacity) against traditional surface irrigation (CK, 70%FC) to find the most suitable irrigation approach for subsoiling wheat fields. This study found that adjusting irrigation methods and regimes significantly impacted wheat growth and yield. Drip irrigation boosts winter wheat grain yield, harvest index, biomass transfer amount, biomass transfer rate, nitrogen accumulation, nitrogen use efficiency, and nitrogen harvest index significantly compared to surface and micro-sprinkler methods. Drip irrigation, notably the DI-M treatment, significantly enhances winter wheat grain yield by 28.7% compared to CK. Drip irrigation produced optimal results when soil water levels decreased to 60% of the field capacity. This suggests adopting a combination of DI, with irrigation initiated at 60% of field capacity, for enhanced wheat production and resource efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water scarcity is one of the significant constraints on sustainable agricultural development in arid and semi-arid regions. The challenges faced in forage production are even more severe than those encountered with general crops. The industry still struggles to achieve water-efficient, high-yield quality forage in water-scarce pastoral areas. This study focuses on alfalfa, a high-quality forage crop, employing a combination of "subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) + alternate partial root-zone irrigation (APRI)" and establishing three water supply gradients (full irrigation, 75% deficit, 50% deficit), in comparison with the widely used subsurface drip irrigation, to study the effects of two irrigation methods and three moisture gradients on alfalfa. The aim is to provide some theoretical basis and data support for achieving water-saving and high-yield quality forage in water-scarce pastoral areas. The main findings are as follows: First, compared with SDI, the two-year alternate dry and wet environment provided by alternate partial root-zone drip irrigation (ARDI) significantly increased the specific root length, specific surface area, and root length density of alfalfa at 20~40 cm depth, increasing by 33.3~76.8%, 6.4~32.97%, and 15.2~93.9%, respectively, compared to SDI. Under ARDI irrigation, the alfalfa root system has a greater contact area with the soil, which lays a solid foundation for the water and nutrient supply needed for the accumulation of its above-ground biomass. Secondly, over the two-year production process, the plant height of alfalfa under ARDI treatment was 12~14.5% higher than that under SDI, the total fresh forage yield was 43.5~64% higher, and the total dry forage yield was 23.2~33.8% higher than SDI. Under ARDI, the 75% water deficit treatment could still maintain the plant height and stem thickness of alfalfa compared to full irrigation with SDI and increased the dry forage yield by 6.6% without significantly reducing the quality, significantly enhancing the productive performance of alfalfa. Moreover, during the two years of production and utilization, the nutritional quality of alfalfa under the ARDI irrigation mode did not significantly decrease compared to SDI, maintaining the stable nutritional quality of alfalfa over multiple years of production. Lastly, thanks to the improved root system and increased yield of alfalfa under ARDI irrigation, and based on this, its water evapotranspiration did not significantly increase compared to SDI; the annual average Alfalfa Water Productivity Index (AWPI) and Alfalfa Water Productivity of Crop (AWPC) under ARDI irrigation increased by 28.8% and 37.2%, respectively, improving the water use efficiency of alfalfa production. In summary, in the production of alfalfa in water-scarce pastoral areas, ARDI and its water deficit treatment have more potential for water-saving than SDI as a water-saving irrigation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the distribution of water and nitrate nitrogen in the soil profile is crucial for the reasonable operation of fertigation, and it is also fundamental for controlling and regulating nitrate nitrogen in the root zone, thereby meeting a crop's requirements. The application rates of fertilizer and water directly influence this distribution of water and nitrate nitrogen. However, the effects in Aeolian sandy soil, a type of developing soil bordering deserts, remain ambiguous. In this study, field experiments for different drip fertigation treatments in Aeolian sandy soil were conducted to investigate the soil water distribution, as well as that of nitrate nitrogen. A completely randomized experimental design was implemented, encompassing three levels of irrigation amount: low (W1), medium (W2), and high (W3), and three levels of nitrogen application rate: low (F1), medium (F2), high (F3). After the completion of each irrigation treatment, soil samples were extracted at 10–20 cm intervals. The soil water and nitrate nitrogen contents in the profiles of these samples were measured. The experimental results revealed that increasing the nitrogen application rate facilitated the retention of greater amounts of water and nitrate nitrogen in the soil profile. However, with an increase in the nitrogen application rate, both soil water and nitrate nitrogen exhibited a radial tendency to move away from the drip emitter. Some moved upward and accumulated in surface soil near a ridge furrow, while some moved downward and remained in a deeper area approximately 30 cm horizontally from the emitter at depths of 40–60 cm. The uniformity of the water distribution decreased with increasing nitrogen application under low water conditions, with a reversal of this trend observed in medium and high water treatments. The effect of nitrogen application level on the uniformity of the nitrate nitrogen distribution was not significant. There was no significant correlation between the average soil water content and nitrate nitrogen content along the horizontal direction, however, a positive correlation existed in the vertical direction. In the whole profile, increasing the nitrogen application enhanced the correlation under low water conditions, but under medium and high water conditions, this trend was the opposite. This implies that, to avoid nitrate nitrogen leaching or limiting in a specific area, a moderate nitrogen application level is advisable. Under low water conditions, nitrogen application showed a positive effect on the nitrate nitrogen content, and a higher application is recommended. In cases of substantial water irrigation or rainy years, the nitrogen application rate should be decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on the development of the root system can provide important information about responses to different management strategies, such as the use of lower quality water, also evaluating the interaction between plants and the physical properties of the soil. This study tested the hypothesis that irrigation with treated sewage effluent (TSE) supplies the water needs of sugarcane plants, increasing root growth and improving the physical properties of the soil. We evaluated the effects of subsurface dripping with TSE or surface reservoir water (SRW) on the root development of first ratoon cane (Saccharum officinarum L.) and the physical properties of dystrophic red latosol. Irrigation treatments were applied at 20 and 40 cm and soil properties were evaluated at soil depth layers of 0–20, 20–40, 40–60, and 60–80 cm. We verified that under irrigation with TSE and SRW, shallower soil layers present better porosity, soil aggregation, and aggregate stability conditions, parameters that improve the root system development and plant growth. On the other hand, deeper soil layers have lower macroporosity and higher total clay volume, indicating the possibility of compaction and greater limitations for sugarcane root growth. These results are important for understanding soil quality and provide significant information for agricultural management and for the implementation of sustainable soil conservation practices. This study shows the efficiency of TSE as an alternative water source for sugarcane crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining a suitable "dry sowing and wet emergence" water control program for cotton fields in the arid regions of Northwest China is of great significance in saving water resources, improving economic efficiency, and promoting sustainable development of agriculture. The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of different "dry sowing and wet emergence" water control treatments on dry matter accumulation, chlorophyll fluorescence, yield quality, and water productivity of cotton, and to determine the optimal "dry sowing and wet emergence" water control program for cotton growth in arid areas. A two-year experiment was carried out in 2021 and 2022 in mulched drip-irrigated cotton fields, with a total of 13 treatments of different seedling water quantities (2021: 67.5 mm, 90 mm, 112.5 mm; 2022: 6 mm, 10.5 mm, 15 mm) and different drip frequencies (frequencies means number of drops at seedling stage) (2021: one, two, three times; 2022: two times, four times) in the "dry sowing and wet emergence". Results indicated a positive correlation between increased seedling water quantity and growth indexes. High seedling water quantity treatment demonstrated a 14.33% higher cotton yield than the low seedling water quantity treatment. In comparison with low-frequency treatment, the high-frequency treatment exhibited significantly larger cotton plant height, dry matter accumulation, and yield. Over two years, the average values increased by 8.69%, 16.4%, and 15.91%, respectively, with a 14.55% increase in the coefficient of photochemical quenching of the leaf blade (qP). The high frequency and larger amount of seedling water quantity treatments showed significantly higher irrigation water productivity, with increases of 39.2% and 70.2% compared to the winter irrigation control treatment. In summary, the appropriate "dry sowing wet emergence" water regulation mode (the first drip: 15 mm, the second drip: 4.5 mm, the third drip: 22.5 mm, the fourth drip: 15 mm) can ensure crop yield quality under the premise of significantly reducing the agricultural irrigation water, which can provide certain theoretical support for the green, efficient, and sustainable development of the local cotton industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve higher crop yields and maintain environmental conservation, it is imperative to adopt novel agricultural methods that improve both the quantity and quality of produce. The following study focused on investigating the effectiveness of integrated use of biogas slurry and inorganic nutrigation on spinach growth and nutrient uptake through drip irrigation. A field experiment was conducted using a split-plot design; spinach was cultivated with seven different treatments: biogas slurry nutrigation (BSN) (T1), integrated inorganic + organic nutrigation: 40% Recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) + BSN (T2), 60% RDF + BSN (T3), 80% RDF + BSN (T4), 100% RDF (T5), slurry broadcasting (SB) (T6), and control (T7). The results showed that spinach grown with (T4) 80% RDF + BSN exhibited optimum plant height and leaf count compared to spinach under other treatments and was at par with T5 100% RDF for crop parameters. T5 treated plants demonstrated the longest roots, followed by T4 treated plants. The highest recorded yield of 5.72 tons ha−1 was achieved in treatment T5 with 100% RDF, followed closely by T4 with 80% RDF + BSN at 5.52 tons ha−1 and T3 with 60% RDF + BSN at 5.36 tons ha−1. These three treatments exhibited comparable yields, showcasing the effectiveness of incorporating biogas slurry nutrigation in conjunction with inorganic fertilizer for achieving high spinach yields. In terms of macronutrient content in spinach leaves, significant differences were found for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) contents. Incorporating biogas slurry into the soil modified microbial enzyme activities, specifically dehydrogenase and phosphatase. Normally, alkaline phosphatase shows greater activity than acidic phosphatase, but the addition of biogas slurry equalized the enzymatic activity of both, establishing a harmonized enzymatic profile. Our results suggest that fertilizing spinach with integrated biogas slurry nutrigation (if properly filtered) + inorganic nutrigation through drip nutrigation is a viable strategy for improving the morphological parameters and productivity of spinach while also contributing to environmental preservation and a reduction in production costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the influence of the Asian southwest monsoon, seasonal drought is serious and water resources are scarce in the Yunnan province of Southwest China. More effective water-saving irrigation methods should be developed to solve the problem of water scarcity in the dry season. In this study, a subsurface drip irrigation method was used to improve the water productivity of tomato cultivation. Deficit irrigation was conducted. We controlled the lower limit of soil moisture at three different levels (55~65%, 65~75%, and 75~85% of the field capacity). The results indicated that the subsurface drip irrigation treatment significantly increased tomato height in the later stage of tomato growth. Due to the buried pipes, the root/shoot ratio was 8~18% higher for subsurface drip irrigation than for surface drip irrigation methods. Though the yields using subsurface drip irrigation methods were slightly lower than those obtained using surface drip irrigation methods, the tomato quality and water productivity improved significantly. The subsurface drip irrigation methods improved the water productivity by 8.5~21.8% at different soil moisture levels and improved the chlorophyll content by 9.1~17.3%. The VC, soluble sugar, soluble solids, and the ratio of sugar to acid increased by 6.5~15.2%, 7.3~21.6%, 4.1~6.6%, and 3.2~20.8%. This study also indicated that by optimizing the irrigation methods and patterns, water productivity and fruit quality could be improved by more than 50%. This research will be helpful for guiding irrigation during the drought season in the southwest monsoon area in Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we established a feasible fertilization programming method for wheat production by exploring the effects of the combined application of chemical and organic fertilizers on wheat yield, nutrient uptake, soil nutrient content, and fertilizer utilization. Six treatments, no fertilizer (CK), conventional fertilizer (CF), optimized fertilizer (with reduced fertilizer amount) (RF), chemical fertilizer with organic fertilizer extract (RPAE), partial replacement of chemical fertilizer with raw amino acid powder (RAF), and partial replacement of chemical fertilizer with raw humic acid powder (RHF), were set up for a field experiment. The fertilizer application rates for the RF treatment were calculated based on fertilization-monitoring techniques (30.3% nitrogen and 24.8% phosphorus reductions in 2022 and 23.0% nitrogen and 1.5% phosphorus reductions in 2023). The effects of different fertilizer treatments on yield, dry matter accumulation, plant nutrient accumulation, soil nutrients, and nutrient utilization in wheat were investigated. The results showed that, on the basis of 23% nitrogen and 1.5% phosphorus reductions, there was no significant difference in wheat yield between the RF and CF treatments and that the utilization rate of nitrogen fertilizer was improved. The application of organic fertilizer promoted dry matter accumulation in different organs of wheat; increased plant nutrient accumulation; improved soil nutrient content, nutrient utilization rate, nutrient partial productivity, and nutrient agronomic use efficiency; and ensured stable and increased crop yield. Specifically, compared with CF, the RPAE, RAF, and RHF organic fertilizer treatments increased wheat yield by 3.85%, 1.97%, and 0.67%, respectively, and the utilization of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers induced by these treatments significantly increased by 40.46%, 39.28%, and 37.46% (nitrogen) and by 9.83%, 8.91%, and 7.46% (phosphorus), respectively. As a result of our experiment, we concluded that RPAE exerted the best effects among the three organic fertilizer treatments (RPAE, RAF, and RHF) and that its use can result in a higher wheat yield and fertilizer utilization rate in drip-irrigated wheat fields. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for the combined application of chemical and organic fertilizers, which is conducive to sustainable agriculture development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaks and clogs in drip-irrigated orchards lead to variable yields, reduced efficiency and profitability. Frequent monitoring of irrigation systems by farmers is important but costly, labor-intensive, and not easily implementable on a regular basis. Moreover, in subsurface drip-irrigation systems, it is difficult to visually detect malfunctions. The objective of this study was to develop processing methodologies based on thermal remote sensing, to produce classification models for detecting irrigation malfunctions in orchards, and distinguish between different types of malfunctions. A thermal camera mounted on an unmanned aerial vehicle platform was used to acquire thermal images in three commercial almond and jojoba plantations with subsurface drip irrigation. An image-processing pipeline was developed to extract plant-specific features, and classification models were used to detect malfunctions in individual plants. Plants were segmented using four algorithms: Otsu, continuous max-flow and min-cut, full-width-half-max, and watershed. Thirty-two features were extracted from the canopy temperature of each plant and normalized with meteorological data. The most significant features were selected using a recursive feature elimination method. Three classification models (multiclass, binary, hierarchical) were constructed using five classification algorithms. Performance was evaluated with k-fold cross-validation and an independent test set. In the almond plants orchard, the hierarchical classification approach with support vector machine (SVM) algorithms yielded 68% accuracy and 33% false-positive rate (FPR) for clog detection and 2.8% FPR for leak detection. In the jojoba plantation, the multiclass classification approach with SVM algorithms gave 82% accuracy for clog and leak detection with 0% FPR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: The study of environmental factors affecting forest phenology has attracted attention, and we have proposed that moisture and precipitation in the rainy season have an influence on the growth of Populus tomentosa. Methods: Near-earth remote sensing devices were applied to monitor the canopy phenology of planted Populus tomentosa B301 cultivated under full drip irrigation (DIFI), controlled drip irrigation (DICI), and non-irrigation (CK). The relative green vegetation index was calculated and the TIMESAT3.3 procedure was used to fit the time series curve of the phenological index of Populus tomentosa B301 and the key period of phenological growth was extracted. Results: The data on the relative green vegetation index and the forest growth change rate are different. The tree species under controlled drip irrigation reached their growth peak on Day 111, 1 d after those with full drip irrigation and non-irrigation. 2) The tree species in the CK area withered and fell on Day 307, those in the DIFI region began to wither and decline on Day 315, and those in the DICI area began to wilt and decline on Day 291. The CK, DIFI, and DICI growing seasons were 222, 230, and 206 d, respectively. 3) Forests have different responses to different irrigation conditions. The use of different irrigation conditions changes the growth and development of the forests, resulting in significant phenological effects. Conclusion: Appropriate irrigation techniques can improve water resource use efficiency, water environmental factors, and irrigation methods, all of which affect forest growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted at the experimental farm of Department of Soil Science and Water Management, Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (HP) to study the effect of different irrigation and fertigation schedules on growth and productivity of Red Velox apple in Northwestern Himalayan region. A factorial experiment comprised of sixteen treatment combination of four drip irrigation levels viz. drip irrigation at 100% ETc (I1), drip irrigation at 80% ETc (I2), drip irrigation at 60% ETc (I3), conventional irrigation (I4) and four levels of fertigation viz. absolute control; no application of fertilizer (F0), 100% of adhoc dose of NPK (F1), 75% of adhoc dose of NPK (F2) and 50% of adhoc dose of NPK (F3) were replicated thrice with three plants in each replication. With an increase in the volume of water and an increasing dose of NPK, vegetative growth parameters (tree height, tree spread, trunk girth, tree volume and annual extension growth), leaf nutrient content and yield were noted to be significantly increased. Drip irrigation at 100% ETc (I1) and fertigation at 100% of adhoc dose of NPK (F1) significantly increased the growth, foliage nutrient content and productivity of apple. Interaction I1F1 recorded highest growth parameters, leaf NPK content as well as yield. The results of two years experiment indicated a positive impact of drip irrigation and fertigation schedules on enhanced fertilization effectiveness and improved vegetative growth, leaf nutrient content and yield of apple. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global expansion in farmland and the increase in the world population has compounded the need for more efficient water use. The spiral water wheel pump can be a valuable and low-cost option for pumping water for surface and subsurface irrigation for farmland near flowing water bodies. This low-cost waterlifting device, which uses the kinetic energy of a flowing stream/river to lift water to homes and farmlands, can help smallholder farmers expand the growing season into the dry season. It is more cost-effective than conventional energy sources. It can be used in areas with limited access to electricity or fossil fuels because the energy of pumping is derived from the kinetic energy of flowing water. Its simplicity, adaptability, and low maintenance requirements make it a valuable tool for communities seeking water security and improved livelihoods. The main objective of this study was to develop performance curves for a version of the pump fabricated from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and wood, materials that are readily accessible to smallholder farmers in Africa, to optimize its performance for different field conditions. Laboratory and field tests were performed in Illinois, United States of America, and Sierra Leone, West Africa, with pumps with several pipe diameters/pipe configurations and wheel diameters. During the laboratory tests, a 0.6m diameter single-layer pump with a 2.5cm pipe diameter (18 coils) lifted water to a maximum height of 3.4m. When a 3.8cm pipe diameter (10 coils) was used, the maximum height was reduced to 2.7m. Field tests at an experimental site in Fulton County, Illinois, generated a maximum height of 3.4m and 3.1m when 2.5cm pipe diameters were used on 1.22m and 0.6m diameter wheels, respectively. In Sierra Leone, the maximum height generated was 16m and 8.5m for the 1.22m and 0.6m diameter wheels, respectively, with a 1.9cm pipe diameter. In all the field tests, the pumps only worked when the water velocity exceeded 0.6 ms-1, smaller streams with a velocity less than 0.6 ms-1 can be channeled if necessary. These results indicate that this pump can improve dry season productivity for farmland near the flowing water bodies in developing countries like Sierra Leone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adverse impacts of climate change and the disparity between water availability and demand in agriculture necessitate the development of water-efficient irrigation schedules. The empirically derived crop water stress index (CWSI) is a popular tool for the detection of water stress in crops and the scheduling of water-efficient irrigation regimes. But the sensitivity of the empirical CWSI to the input parameters, i.e., air temperature (Ta), canopy temperature (Tc), and relative humidity (RH), is rarely studied. This study is conducted on wheat crops in the Uttar Pradesh province of India where four irrigation scheduling strategies/treatments are experimented with to study CWSI and its sensitivity to Tc and meteorological parameters (Ta and RH). Two irrigation scheduling strategies correspond to drip irrigation and the remaining two correspond to flood irrigation. The mean CWSI values, derived by empirical approach, are 0.11 and 0.03 for drip irrigated treatments and 0.29 and 0.31 for flood irrigated treatments. To observe the sensitivity of the empirical CWSI to the input parameters, initially, the accuracies of the research-grade equipment, used for taking Tc, Ta, and RH observations, are used as error values in the input parameters. This resulted in 3.5 to 7% errors in the empirically derived CWSI values. A maximum error of 2.7% was observed in CWSI values when an error of 10% was introduced in the RH data. The maximum error in CWSI (52%) was observed for the case when a combined error in Ta, Tc, and RH by −1 °C, 1 °C, and 10%, respectively, were introduced. A random error in the range −1 to 1 °C in Tc resulted in a maximum CWSI error of 21%. Out of the three input parameters, CWSI was found to be least sensitive to RH and with sensitivity to both Ta and Tc showing similar trends. A common pattern of decreasing error in CWSI values for increasing vapor pressure deficit (VPD) was observed for all the studied cases. The results show that the water stress, as reflected by the CWSI values, was significantly lower for the drip irrigation treatments as compared to the flood irrigation treatments. Also, small errors in the input parameters may combine to result in significant errors in empirically derived CWSI. Hence, data quality is critical for the studies that utilize CWSI for irrigation scheduling, especially in humid climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cultivation of avocado (Persea Americana) is not only essential from an economic point of view, but also plays a crucial role in the nutrition, health and well-being of populations around the world. The study was carried out in Ayacucho -Peru (latitude: 12° 53' 57" S, longitude: 74° 16' 55" W and altitude: 2596 masl), with the objective of evaluating the effect of the use of the technical drip irrigation system on the production and yield of twovarieties of avocado, Hass and Fuerte. The study was based on the use of an irrigation system with programming by treatment with avocado plants installed in plots of 500 m² in 6 sectors, with a density of 5 x 5 m, whose age was between 5 to 16 years, of the whichwere considered 12 plants (6 plants with drip irrigation and 6 plants as a control with gravity irrigation). Irrigation was carried out right at the flowering and production stage,guaranteeing adequate water supply in periods of water deficit, between February and June 2022. The experimental design was a complete randomized block, with six blocks of 20 plants each. The harvest carried out reported yields of 67.96 ± 8.8 t/ha under technical irrigation and 26.42 ± 4.93 t/ha under gravity irrigation, an increase of 157% with respect to the latter. As for the varieties, the Fuerte avocado had the highest yield 49.38 ± 23.06 t/ha compared to the Hass variety (45.0 ± 21.14 t/ha), the maximum yieldoccurred with drip irrigation for the Fuerte variety (71.09 ± 8.38 t/ha), this is explained by the energy expenditure in the osmotic adjustment potential which drastically decreasesthe yield potential with traditional gravity irrigation, obtaining a minimum yield in Hassof 25.18 ± 4.44 t/ha. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The plant roots pay a vital role in the uptake of water and nutrients. This experiment evaluated the changes in root growth and soil enzyme activity with respect to different rice cultivation methods. Methods: The study was carried out during Kuruvai (July-November) 2022 at Wetlands farm, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. Experiments were carried out with five treatments viz., T1-100% Saturation under drip irrigation, T2-150% Saturation under drip irrigation T3-200% Saturation under drip irrigation, T4-System of Rice Intensification (SRI), T5-Conventional method. Result: The result of the experiment shows that higher root growth, enzyme activity was observed in SRI method of rice cultivation. Higher grain yields were recorded in SRI method. It can be concluded that most favourable method of rice production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Fixed Spray Delivery System (FSDS) is a new pesticide system derived from a drip irrigation system. Briefly, it consists of a series of emitters (nozzles) - mounted on a pipeline positioned within the plant canopy - and a pumping station, that can be either fixed or mobile. The FSDS can be used for applying pesticide in bush and tree crops and offers several advantages for farmers such as the possibility to spray at the most appropriate conditions (e.g., low wind speed, right temperature/humidity, and immediately after a rain, etc.), the drastic reduction of tractors use and of related manpower. The adoption of this system could be of primary importance in steep slope areas, where it can represent an alternative to conventional spray application techniques, it can mitigate workers’ exposure to pesticides (e.g., when spray application is carried out manually due to inaccessibility of the area with tractors) and avoid safety risks for tractor drivers (e.g., where spray applications are carried out using sprayers connected to tracked tractors and risk of overturning is high). FSDS operates at a pressure and flow rate close to the drip irrigation one, resulting in reduced energy use, compared to conventional Pesticide Application Equipment (PAE), and significantly contributing to carbon footprint mitigation. Due to these positive aspects, the interest in FSDS increased across EU Countries. Since these systems are PAE, they shall comply with the EU Directive on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides (2009/128/EC), article 8, and shall be subjected to a periodical mandatory inspection for their functionality. At present, no specific EN or ISO Standards concerning the requirements and methods for the functional inspection of FSDS are available. Trying to cover this gap, a first draft proposal about the components of this system that deserves to be subjected to functional inspection has been made. Furthermore, the required functional limits for the different components and the methods to carry out their inspection were investigated and proposed. The present document is intended to provide a first draft set of technical indications about the steps to be followed for carrying out a functional inspection of FSDS. When possible, the harmonized standard EN ISO 16122 for general (part 1) and specific (part 4) components were followed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Misr Journal of Agricultural Engineering is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) 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.)

Water scarcity has necessitated the adoption of water-saving techniques in both protected and non-protected farming. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of a water-saving soilless cultivation technique and compare it to conventional soil-based cultivation in protected farming. The soilless technique utilized local gravel and a mixture of peat moss, humin-substrate, and perlite in a 4:3:1.5 ratio. During the tomato growth cycle, three irrigation regimes were imposed using drip irrigation: 8 Lh−1 design discharge (D1) emitters, 6 Lh−1 design discharge (D0.75) emitters, and 4 Lh−1 design discharge (D0.5) emitters for both cultivation methods. Vegetative growth, fruit yield, and water consumption were measured and water productivity was determined. Additionally, an economic assessment was conducted by estimating and comparing economic coefficients for both cultivation methods. Estimated coefficients included revenues, net profit, benefit–cost ratio, breakeven levels of production and prices, revenues over variable cost, and revenues on investment. The tomato fruit yield under soil-based cultivation surpassed the yield under soilless cultivation. Water productivity under soilless cultivation was nearly double (24.3 kg m−3) that of soil-based cultivation (15.5 kg m−3). Soilless cultivation saved 50% of the irrigation water applied by the conventional soil-based method, conserving energy and protecting the soil from deterioration. Revenues and net profits, driven by higher yield and lower variable costs, favored soil-based cultivation. The economic assessment demonstrated that both cultivation methods were economically viable. However, the soil-based cultivation method was more profitable due to its higher fruit yield. Overall, the results of this study suggest that the soilless cultivation technique is a feasible option for water-saving cultivation. However, the soil-based cultivation method remains more profitable due to its superior fruit yield. The soilless cultivation technique offers significant water savings but needs further improvements to achieve comparable economic returns to traditional farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: to evaluate the effect of the drip-tape irrigation depth on the efficiency of water use, yield, nutritional quality and profitability of forage maize, a study was established by installing drip-tape at a depths 0.05, 0.15 and 0.30 meters. Design/Methodology/Approach: a randomized block experimental design was used. Treatments evaluated consisted of the installation of drip-tape at three depths 0.05, 0.15 and 0.30 m; each treatment in three replicates. The experimental unit was a 15 m² surface (comprising four 5m-long furrows, with a 0.76 m separation between furrows). Results: results showed that with the drip-tape installed at a depth of 0.15 m, the highest biomass production and water use efficiency were obtained, without modifying the bromatological quality of the forage. However, the best benefit-cost ratio corresponded to the drip-tape installed at 0.3 m, recovering $1.27 for each MXN peso invested in crop production. Limitations/Implications of the study: water scarcity in arid and semi-arid regions is a global problem, so it is necessary to use irrigation methods that make water use more efficient without reducing crop yield. Findings/conclusions: the installation of the drip-tape at a depth of 0.15 m is recommended, due to the improvement in yield and water use efficiency without affecting nutritional quality of the forage or profitability of maize crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to observe the changes in soil nitrogen pools (active organic and inorganic nitrogen fractions) after applying organic materials under drip irrigation with film mulching in a semi-arid soil. The two-year field experiment included four fertilization treatments: maize straw, fodder grass, sheep manure, and a control treatment with no organic material applied (CK). The results showed that the application of maize straw and sheep manure significantly increased the soil total nitrogen content by 9.02~13.33% and 11.02~17.27%, respectively, while no significant improvement was found with the use of fodder grass. Compared with CK, returning organic materials to the field increased the soil active nitrogen pools, except for ammonium nitrogen content. Meanwhile, the content of particulate organic nitrogen was significantly increased by 42.11~78.85% under the application of organic materials, which took the highest proportion of active nitrogen pools and was sensitive to fertilization treatments. Among the three organic materials, maize straw and sheep manure increased the soil active nitrogen content the most. In conclusion, both maize straw and sheep manure are the optimum organic materials, which could be applied for improving soil nitrogen storage under drip irrigation with film mulching within semi-arid areas. [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.)

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.)

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.)

The paper focuses on the institutional shifts in agricultural relations that establish the prerequisites for raising production efficiency in the context of agriculture's transition. It was investigated how quickly and qualitatively new structural and market reforms could be introduced in the agricultural sector. Sustainability and organizational development of state assistance that is effective in the face of market volatility and development transformation processes is predicated on the enhancement of the mechanism. Agriculture-related subsidies, the application of resource-saving technology, and specifically the efficacy of water-saving technologies were examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous monitoring, improving, and controlling water resource contamination and effective policies are necessary in handling complex agricultural water quality management. The micro-irrigation promoted as efficient water use is entangled by several water pollution problems like corrosion and clogging. This review highlights the key assessment parameters and indexes; pH and temperature interaction, total suspended solids (TSS), electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solids (TDS), turbidity, sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), bacteria and microorganisms' biofilm, residual sodium carbonate (RSC) from Mg2+, Ca2+, HCO3- and CO32- ion precipitation, magnesium hazard (MH), permeability index (PI), soluble sodium percentage (SSP) and Kelly's ratio (KR). The Langelier Saturation Index, the Ryznar Stability Index, Wilcox Diagram, Gibbs Diagram, Piper Trillinear Diagram, and the United States Salinity Laboratory Diagram are highlighted as the significant water assessment indicators, how they are used and their limitations. It delves into Irrigation Water Quality Index (IWQI) essentially applied to simplify complex water quality reports into information easily comprehensible by experts and policymakers in irrigation water pollution management. The key motive of this article is to showcase indicators applicability along with existing agriculture practices, land use planning, and time-lapse capsules in water quality management. Eventually, modified weighted factors alongside the categorization scheme are presented using amalgamated water quality guidelines. Concerning drip irrigation, consideration of the reviewed indexing practices is emphasized as a practical policy formulation paradigm that can boost the development of practical guidelines and flexibility to embrace multiple water quality parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation was carried out at the National Irrigation Laboratory of Agricultural Engineering Research Institute (AEnRI), Dokki, Giza, Egypt. This study was performed to investigate the hydraulic performance and clogging ratio of drip irrigation with magnetized water. Magnetized water was created by transferring water through a permanent magnet connected to a feed pipeline. Two main treatments of magnetized and non-magnetized water, as well as three sub-treatments of irrigation water salts, including fresh water (219 ppm) and the addition of 1000 and 2000 ppm to irrigation water with three replications were applied under different operating pressure (75, 100, 125 and 150 kPa). At the beginning of the experiment, results show that hydraulic parameters were almost the same for both the magnetized and the non-magnetized water and for all salinity levels. At the end of working time, the hydraulic parameters were improved for the magnetized water under salinity levels compared to the non-magnetized water. Average emitter discharge increased with roughly 2.7% and 5.6%, coefficient of variation (Cv) decreased by 0.6 and 0.91%, emission uniformity (Eu) increased about 1 and 1.1% and variation of average flow rate (qavr) decreased by 21.3 and 29.4% when 1000 and 2000 ppm were used, respectively. Magnetized water had slight effect on clogging at non-saline water at the end of experiment. At 1000 and 2000 ppm salinity levels, the clogging ratio decreased by 1.97 and 2.45% at different pressure, respectively. The results show that magnetized water treatment could effectively relieve and delay the occurrence time of clogging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corn (Zea mays) biomass accumulation and nutrient uptake by the six-leaf collar (V6) growth stage are low, and therefore, synchronizing nutrient supply with crop demand could potentially minimize nutrient loss and improve nutrient use efficiency. Knowledge of corn's response to nutrient stress in the early growth stages could inform such nutrient management. Field studies were conducted to assess corn recovery from when no fertilizer application is made until the V6 growth stage, and thereafter, applying fertilizer rates as those in non-stressed conditions. The early season nutrient stress and nonstress conditions received the same amount of nutrients. As the availability of nutrients for plant uptake is largely dependent on soil moisture, corn recovery from the early season nutrient stress was assessed under different soil moisture regimes induced via irrigation scheduling at 50% and 80% field capacity under overhead and subsurface drip irrigation (SSDI) systems. Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) was the previous crop under all conditions, and the fields were under cereal rye (Secale cereale) cover crop prior to planting corn. At the V6 growth stage, the nutrient concentrations of the early season-stressed crops, except for copper, were above the minimum threshold of sufficiency ranges reported for corn. However, the crops showed poor growth, with biomass accumulation being reduced by over 50% compared to non-stressed crops. Also, the uptake of all nutrients was significantly lower under the early season nutrient stress conditions. The recovery of corn from the early season nutrient stress was low. Compared to non-stress conditions, the early season nutrient stress caused 1.58 Mg ha-1 to 3.4 Mg ha-1 yield reduction. The percent yield reduction under the SSDI system was 37.6-38.2% and that under the overhead irrigation system was 11.7-13%. The high yield reduction from the early season nutrient stress under the SSDI system was because of water stress conditions in the topsoil soil layer. The findings of the study suggest ample nutrient supply in the early season growth stage is critical for corn production, and thus, further studies are recommended to determine the optimum nutrient supply for corn at the initial growth stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is a rapid and non-destructive geophysical technique widely employed to detect and quantify subsurface structures and characteristics. Its capability for time lapse (TL) detection provides essential insights into subsurface hydrological dynamics, including lateral flow and soil water distribution. However, during TL-GPR surveys, field conditions often create discrepancies in surface geometry, which introduces mismatches across sequential TL-GPR images. These discrepancies may generate spurious signal variations that impede the accurate interpretation of TL-GPR data when assessing subsurface hydrological processes. In responding to this issue, this study introduces a TL-GPR image alignment method by employing the dynamic time warping (DTW) algorithm. The purpose of the proposed method, namely TLIAM–DTW, is to correct for geometric mismatch in TL-GPR images collected from the identical survey line in the field. We validated the efficacy of the TLIAM–DTW method using both synthetic data from gprMax V3.0 simulations and actual field data collected from a hilly, forested area post-infiltration experiment. Analyses of the aligned TL-GPR images revealed that the TLIAM–DTW method effectively eliminates the influence of geometric mismatch while preserving the integrity of signal variations due to actual subsurface hydrological processes. Quantitative assessments of the proposed methods, measured by mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean square error (RMSE), showed significant improvements. After performing the TLIAM–DTW method, the MAE and RMSE between processed TL-GPR images and background images were reduced by 96% and 78%, respectively, in simple simulation scenarios; in more complex simulations, MAE declined by 27–31% and RMSE by 17–43%. Field data yielded reductions in MAE and RMSE of >82% and 69%, respectively. With these substantial improvements, the processed TL-GPR images successfully depict the spatial and temporal transitions associated with subsurface lateral flows, thereby enhancing the accuracy of monitoring subsurface hydrological processes under field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water scarcity challenge has become a global threat to food security and the entire agricultural value chain at large. Saving water is the most strenuous challenge for farmers prompting the need for smart irrigation infrastructure upgrades. To predict the best time to irrigate or not, farmers utilize information such as soil type, available water resources, soil moisture, and climate conditions to make decisions that solve agricultural complexity. Deploying field sensors using IoT, a data-driven technology, requires the combination of emerging technologies and modern methodologies to provide solutions to the complex problems faced by agriculture. IoT has facilitated the gathering of information over a long period, and since information is accessible, the implementation of 4IR in the sector of agriculture to machine learning and Logistic Regression identifies several perceptions that lead to the solution for a complex problem. This article proposes a 4IR-enabled Smart Irrigation System that minimizes water usage within the agriculture sector to assist farmers in getting live data of soil moisture, weather API, the water capacity of different crops, and plugging sensors to predict when farmers can irrigate or not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When optimizing irrigation methods, much consideration is given to crop growth indicators while less attention has been paid to soil's gaseous carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) emission indicators. Therefore, adopting an irrigation practice that can reduce emissions while maintaining crop yield and quality is of great interest. Thus, open-field experiments were conducted from September 2020 to January 2022 using a single-factor randomized block design with three replications. The lettuce plants ("Feiqiao Lettuce No.1") were grown using four different irrigation methods established by setting the lower limit of drip irrigation to 75%, 65%, and 55% of soil water content at field capacity corresponding to DR1, DR2, and DR3, respectively. Furrow irrigation (FI) was used as a control. Crop growth indicators and soil gas emissions were observed. Results showed that the mean lettuce yield under DR1 (64,500 kg/ha) was the highest, and it was lower under DR3 and FI. The lettuces under DR3 showed greater concentrations of crude fiber, vitamin C, and soluble sugar, and a greater nitrate concentration. Compared with FI, the DR treatments were more conducive to improving the comprehensive quality of lettuce, including the measured appearance and nutritional quality. Among all the irrigation methods, FI had the maximum cracking rate of lettuce, reaching 25.3%, 24.6%, and 22.7%, respectively, for the three continuous seasons. The stem cracking rates under DR2 were the lowest—only 10.1%, 14.4%, and 8.2%, respectively, which were decreased to nearly half compared with FI. The entropy model detected that the weight coefficient evaluation value of DR2 was the greatest, reaching 0.93, indicating that the DR2 method has the optimal benefits under comprehensive consideration of water saving, yield increase, quality improvement, and emission reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irrigation of calcareous soil with saline–sodic water can modify the composition of the soil solution and exchange complexes in agricultural land of arid and semi-arid regions with low water resources. The objective of this study was to monitor (medium-term) potential changes in a calcareous clay soil irrigated with two types of sodic waters without cropping. Irrigation water with two high sodium adsorption ratios (SAR = 20 and 40) and electrical conductivity (EC < 3 dS m−1) was prepared using NaCl and NaHCO3 salts. The sodic irrigation waters were applied (June–October) in three periods (1, 2, and 4; one period = five irrigations) to bare non-saline soil with drip irrigation during two growing seasons; no irrigation action was taken in the winter–spring rainy season (period 3). Sampling (0–30 cm) was made after each period to determine the changes in soil pH, EC, water-soluble Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Cl−, and HCO3−. Relative to the control, irrigation with both sodic waters increased soil pH, EC, and water-soluble Na+ and decreased or did not change water-soluble cations (Ca2+, Mg2+). The Cl− concentration increased rapidly with NaCl-type water application, but it was leached away quickly by winter–spring rains. The HCO3− concentration increased with NaHCO3-type water application, yet it leached out slowly in the rainy period. The movement of HCO3− ions in the upper soil profile (0–30 cm) was significantly slower compared to Cl− ions. Dissolution of slightly soluble soil CaCO3 by irrigation increased the solution concentration of Ca2+ and its mobility, yet the kinetics of processes depended on water type and irrigation period. The released Ca2+ interacted with other cations in the soil, causing further significant positive physicochemical changes in the soil solution and exchange capacity (comparable with control soil) at the end of the irrigation period. The CaCO3 content in the soil would be a long-term guarantee of the Ca2+ resource in soils, even if the amount of water-soluble Ca2+ may decrease for the short-term period during irrigation. The results should be considered for rational irrigation management (with various water qualities) in semi-arid and arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the optimum lateral spacing and irrigation frequency of a subsurface drip irrigation system for broccoli crop grown in the semi-arid region of Haryana (India). The effects on soil water dynamics, growth parameters (i.e. plant height, leaf length, no. of leaves/plant, curd weight and curd diameter), irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE), fertilize use efficiency (FUE) and yield response of broccoli were assessed under two lateral spacings (45 cm and 60 cm) and four irrigation frequencies (daily, and after one, two & three days) in the years of 2019–20 and 2020–21. The results show that soil moisture content was higher near the dripper, and it decreased with increasing radial distance from the drippers. Further, the moisture content was high at 45 cm lateral spacing as compared to 60 cm lateral spacing. The effects of selected treatments on growth and yield parameters were found significant and maximum broccoli yield (147. 41 q ha−1) was found at 45 cm lateral spacing with alternate days of irrigation. The highest IWUE and FUE of 9.93 kg/m3 and 30.68 kg/kg, respectively, were also found at alternate days irrigation with 45 cm lateral spacing. It may be concluded from the present study that alternate days irrigation with 45 cm lateral spacing is the best choice to obtain the maximum yield of broccoli grown in winter season in the semi-arid region of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evaluation of soil particle composition and salt dynamics is essential for promoting the sustainable development of oasis agriculture in arid regions under long-term mulched drip irrigation (MDI). In this study, we employed the space-for-time substitution method to investigate the long-term effects of MDI on soil particle composition and salinity. Additionally, seven fields, with MDI durations ranging from 0 to 16 years, were selected to represent the primary successional sequence though time in Northwest China. Soil samples were collected from three soil depths (0–30 cm, 30–60 cm, and 60–100 cm) and then analyzed in the laboratory for soil particle composition and salt content. Our findings demonstrated that influenced by the depth of mechanical cultivation and the maximum wetting front depth, the long-term application of MDI significantly altered both the structure of soil layers and the composition of soil particles after 8 years. Soil sand content and soil salinity gradually decreased, whereas the content of soil silt and clay increased with increasing MDI duration throughout 0–100 cm soil depth. Furthermore, the rates of soil desalination stabilized after 10 years of MDI application, with desalination levels exceeding 90% in the 0–100 cm soil layer. Additionally, the soil mass fractal dimension (Dm) exhibited an upward trend across 0–100 cm soil depth. The changes in soil particle composition indirectly influenced the variations in Dm and salt content. Our study demonstrated that long-term application of MDI effectively mitigated soil salinity, changed soil structure, and ultimately enhanced soil quality and cotton yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cultivation of drip-irrigated rice has resulted in lower yields. However, the decrease in rice yield under drip irrigation and its relationship with the existing water and N regime have not been fully explained. Research and development of optimized water and N-management techniques are crucial for increasing rice yield under drip irrigation. In this study, two irrigation treatments were set: conventional drip irrigation (DIO) and drip irrigation with water stress (DIS). Each irrigation treatment contained four N rates: urea N 240 kg ha−1 (LN), urea N 300 kg ha−1 (MN), urea N 360 kg ha−1 (HN), and ammonium sulfate N 300 kg ha−1 (AN). The soil's ammonium and nitrate contents were measured on the 2nd and 28th days after N application at panicle initiation stage. At anthesis, the aboveground and root biomass of rice were measured. In heading and maturity stage the N content of aboveground was measured and the yield, yield components, and NPFP were assessed at maturity stage. The results showed the following: (1) On the second day after N application, the contents of soil NO3−-N and NH4+-N in the 0–10 cm soil layer were highest for both the DIO and DIS. On the 28th day after N application, the soil NO3−-N content was highest at the 20–40 cm depth, while the soil NH4+-N content was still highest at the 0–10 cm depth. (2) The aboveground and root biomass in DIO treatment were significantly higher than in DIS. Furthermore, the root biomass at the 0–10 cm depth was significantly greater than at the 10–50 cm depth for both the DIO and DIS treatments. In the DIO treatment, the root biomass at the 10–50 cm depth was significantly higher with the HN and AN treatments compared to MN. However, in the DIS treatment, the root biomass at the 10–50 cm depth did not show significant differences between the MN, HN, and AN. (3) N accumulation in rice was significantly higher for the DIO treatment compared to the DIS treatment. Under the same irrigation treatment, the N accumulation in rice was highest in the AN and lowest in the LN. The PrNTA and PrNTC in DIS were significantly higher than in DIO, while the PoNAA and PoNAC were significantly lower in DIS. (4) The number of panicles, spikelets per panicle, seed-setting rate, 1000-grain weight, and grain yield were significantly lower in DIS. Under the DIS, these parameters were not significantly different among the MN, HN, and AN. In the DIO, the seed-setting rate, 1000-grain weight, and yield were not significantly different between the HN and AN, but were significantly higher than in the MN and LN. (5) NPFP was significantly higher in the DIO compared to the DIS. Among the different N rates, NPFP was highest with the AN treatment and lowest with the LN. In summary, under drip irrigation, there was a mismatch between soil mineral N and the distribution of rice roots, leading to reduced N accumulation and utilization in rice, ultimately impacting yield formation. Increasing N application and soil ammonium nutrition can improve rice yield under drip irrigation. However, optimizing N fertilizer management may not increase rice yield further when irrigation is further limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Denitrification is a key process in soil available nitrogen (N) loss. However, the effects of different water-saving irrigation systems on soil N components and denitrifying bacterial communities are still unclear. In this study, quantitative fluorescence PCR and Illumina MiSeq sequencing were used to investigate the effects of three main irrigation systems, conventional flooding irrigation (FP), shallow buried drip irrigation (DI), and mulched drip irrigation (MF), on the abundance, community composition, and diversity of soil nirK- and nirS-type denitrifying bacteria in the semi-arid area of Northeast China, and to clarify the driving factors of nirK- and nirS-type denitrifying bacterial community variations. The results showed that, compared with FP, MF significantly increased soil moisture, alkaline hydrolyzed nitrogen (AHN), nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N), non-acid hydrolyzed nitrogen (AIN), and amino sugar nitrogen (ASN), but significantly decreased the contents of ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) and acid hydrolyzed ammonium nitrogen (AN). The irrigation system changed the relative abundance of the dominant genera of denitrifying bacteria, DI and MF significantly increased nitrate reductase (NR) and nitrite reductase (NiR) activities, and MF significantly increased the diversity of nirK- and nirS-type denitrifying bacteria but significantly decreased the richness. The community structure of nirK- and nirS-type denitrifying bacteria was significantly different among the three irrigation systems. NO3−-N was the main driving factor affecting the community structure of nirS-type denitrifying bacteria, and moisture significantly affected the community structure of nirK-type denitrifying bacteria. DI and MF significantly increased the abundance of nirK- and nirS-type denitrifying bacteria and also increased the abundance ratio of nirS/nirK genes. Therefore, although DI and MF significantly increased the abundance of denitrifying microorganisms, they did not lead to an increase in the N2O emission potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]