Search

Introduction: A novel fluorescent magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer (FMMIP) was developed for the effective extraction of malathion (MLT) and chlorpyrifos (CPS) from agricultural water sources. Methods: The FMMIP was confirmed to have a stable polymer structure with significant thermal resilience through comprehensive characterization using techniques such as TEM and TGA. The magnetic properties of the FMMIP facilitated easy separation by external magnetic fields, with a notable magnetization of 0.006 emu/g. Kinetic and isotherm studies revealed that adsorption of MLT and CPS onto the FMMIP conformed best to the pseudo-first-order model and Freundlich isotherm, suggesting a predominance of physisorption mechanisms and heterogeneous binding sites. Results and Discussion: The FMMIP demonstrated exceptional adsorption capacities, achieving a maximum of 93 mg/g for MLT and 69 mg/g for CPS. Regeneration trials indicated that the FMMIP maintains its high adsorptive performance over multiple cycles, highlighting its potential for sustainable use. Statistical validation confirmed the method's reliability, with RSD values for MLT and CPS at 6.5% and 7.3%, respectively, and LODs determined to be 1.26 mg/L for MLT and 1.22 mg/L for CPS. The strong R2 values of 0.992 for MLT and 0.998 for CPS from the adsorption studies substantiate the method's effectiveness. This study demonstrates that the synthesized FMMIP is a promising material for removing MLT and CPS, supporting its application in environmental clean-up initiatives to protect and preserve ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural water is a potential source of microbial contamination whereby Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Cryptosporidium, and Cyclospora cayetenensis can enter the food supply. To reduce this risk, effective sanitization of agricultural water may be critical to food safety. As such, it is important to investigate the effects of aqueous peracetic acid (PAA) and chlorine (Cl) on bacteria and protozoa at different treatment times and temperatures in agricultural water with respect to key water characteristics. Multiple concentrations of each sanitizer, ranging from 3 to 200 ppm, were prepared in recently collected agricultural water, the solution was brought to the desired temperature, and the target organisms were added and left for the desired contact time (5 or 10 minutes) when sodium metabisulfite was added to neutralize the sanitizers. Bacterial samples were enumerated on MacConkey or XLT4 agar. Samples with protozoa were added to mammalian cell culture (HCT-8 cells for Cryptosporidium parvum and MDBK cells for Eimeria tenella). After 48 hours, the infected cells were collected, DNA extracted and infectivity assessed by quantitative PCR (qPCR). Low and high concentrations of sanitizer were effective at eliminating bacteria with Cl being significantly (P < 0.05) more effective. The greatest reductions in E. coli and Salmonella (3.48 log and 2.5 log cfu/mL, respectively) were observed after 10 minutes of exposure to 10 ppm Cl. Concentrations of sanitizer 50 ppm and lower resulted in insignificant (P > 0.05) reductions in parasite infectivity of less than 1 log for both organisms. A 200 ppm PAA treatment reduced infectious oocyst populations by 3.8 log for C. parvum and 2.6 log for E. tenella, with Cl being significantly (P < 0.05) less effective against these organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme temperature events significantly impact agricultural water, but it is still unclear how changes in agricultural water policies will affect extreme temperature differences. We analyzed the relationship between agricultural water usage and extreme temperature variations across 30 Chinese provinces from 2015 to 2022. Using an innovative grey model approach, we projected temperature variation trends under different agricultural water policy scenarios. Our analysis reveals that moderate increases in agricultural water allocation effectively reduced temperature extremes in most provinces. The impact was particularly pronounced in regions with high grey relation degrees, especially resonant regions where the mitigation effects were the strongest. We found that agricultural water policies have complex, nonlinear effects on temperature variations, with distinct patterns emerging across different provinces. These findings highlight the importance of accounting for regional variations in water use for climate adaptation strategies. Our research provides practical insights for policymakers seeking to balance agricultural sustainability with climate resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Plant protection products (PPPs) such as pesticides and herbicides are experiencing increased use worldwide. In the context of PPP authorization and registration, water exposure assessments (drinking water and aquatic exposure) use numerical modeling to simulate relevant hydrological processes and exposure pathways. A common practice for estimating PPP leaching to groundwater, PPP loading onto surface water via tile drainage, or PPP transport via runoff utilizes multiple one-dimensional models, each representing a separate exposure pathway. Separate analysis of individual exposure pathways can result in disparate assumptions being made that represent relative worst-case scenarios for each pathway, rather than an integrated reasonable worst-case scenario for all pathways. Methods: The interplay between PPP degradation, leaching to groundwater, transport in tile drainage, and runoff is well-suited for simulation using an integrated surface–subsurface hydrologic and chemical fate and transport model. This study presents functionality added to HydroGeoSphere (HGS), a three-dimensional, fully integrated, surface–subsurface hydrologic model. HGS was verified against other recognized models: PRZM, HYDRUS, PEARL, PELMO, and MACRO. Added features include automatic irrigation, non-linear adsorption, temperature and soil water content-dependent degradation, and solute uptake by plant roots. Results and Discussion: HGS results for leaching of PPP mass to groundwater showed the highest correlation, lowest error, and lowest bias relative to PEARL model results. Simulation of macropore flow to tile drains in HGS produced an intermittent tile drain flow in summer that resulted in generally lower peak effluent concentrations compared to the MACRO model. Simulation of runoff in HGS produced a higher total runoff compared to the PRZM model, attributed to lower evapotranspiration in HGS. Use of the integrated HGS model resulted in a greater agreement in water balance components relative to using multiple models to simulate individual hydrologic pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This study addresses the global issue of foodborne illness, specifically focusing on those resulting from the consumption of leafy green vegetables. It explores the rising trend of consuming minimally processed or raw foods and the imperative of maintaining safety standards starting at the preharvest stage to prevent pathogenic bacterial contamination. The study identifies soil and irrigation water as key sources of pathogens and emphasizes the need for strict preventive measures during production and preharvest. It discusses the challenges of postharvest decontamination and highlights the importance of early‐stage prevention strategies. The paper also examines advanced pathogen detection methods and food safety practices recommended by USDA and FSMA's PSR, including HACCP and LGMA strategies. Aimed at providing insights for consumers and producers, the study underscores the necessity of effective manufacturing strategies to ensure the safety of leafy greens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural water is commonly treated with chlorine-based disinfectants, which are impacted by water quality. Understanding how water quality influences disinfectants such as chlorine dioxide (ClO2) against pathogenic bacteria is important for creating efficacious sanitation regimens. In this study, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of ClO2 needed to achieve a 3-Log reduction against Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and Listeria monocytogenes was compared across agricultural water samples. Sterile ddH2O served as a control to compare with environmental samples from Salinas Valley, CA, and laboratory standards. To test different dosages and water qualities, stock ClO2 was diluted in 24-well plates with target concentrations of 10, 5, 2.5, and 1.25 mg/L. Well plates were inoculated with pathogens and treated with sanitizer for 5 min. Following treatment, surviving pathogens were enumerated using viable cell counts. The results demonstrate that groundwater samples had the highest water quality of the environmental samples and required the lowest concentration of disinfectant to achieve 3-Log reduction against both bacteria, with MIC between 1.4 and 2.0 mg/L. Open-source samples had lower water quality and required a higher concentration of ClO2 for 3-Log reduction, with MIC between 2.8 and 5.8 mg/L for both pathogens. There was no correlation between pH, turbidity, or conductivity/TDS and reduction for either STEC or L. monocytogenes , suggesting no individual water metric was driving reduction. A lower dosage was required to achieve 3-Log reduction against STEC, while L. monocytogenes required greater concentrations to achieve the same level of reduction. Overall, these results help guide growers in using ClO2 as a broad-spectrum disinfectant and demonstrate its efficacy in reaching 3-Log reduction across agricultural water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water scarcity is a critical threat in arid regions in China due to dry climate and rising human water demand. The sustainability of a recent wetter trend and its impact on future water security remain uncertain. This case study focuses on a hotspot region, the North Slope of the Tianshan Mountains (NSTM), to assess water scarcity in the coming decades (2030–2050) under two climate scenarios. To this end, we developed an integrated agro‐hydrological model to simulate historical and future hydrological processes and crop water dynamics in arid regions. Our results indicate nonsignificant increases in precipitation (around 3%) and evident rising temperatures (0.9–1.5°C) in the NSTM compared to the present‐day (2011–2020) climate. This translates to a projected increase in water availability (5.6%–11.2%) during 2030–2050, with slightly larger increases (6.3%–14%) in glacier runoff. However, the spatial mismatch between precipitation increases and water demand makes this potential gain largely offset by rising irrigation water demand (over 7%) if cropland remains constant from 2020 onwards. As a result, the current annual water deficit (3.3 km3) is likely to increase by 5%–11%, with 32% of NSTM basins facing persistent water scarcity. Most croplands are at high risk of groundwater depletion and 17%–34% of basins will experience intensified water scarcity. These findings highlight the urgent need for comprehensive water management strategies, including improved irrigation efficiency and exploration of alternative water sources, to ensure water security and sustainable development in arid China facing a changing climate. Plain Language Summary: Dry regions in China face a water shortage due to low rainfall and rising water use. Recently, even though more rainfall was observed in some arid regions, scientists aren't sure if this will continue. We focus on the hotspot region, the North Slope of the Tianshan Mountains (NSTM), to see how future climate change might affect water scarcity. We found slightly more rain and warmer temperatures in the coming decades (2030–2050) in the NSTM. This could lead to a small increase in available water. However, the need for irrigation water is expected to offset these gains. The current water deficit is likely to worsen, with some areas facing even greater scarcity and increased risk of groundwater depletion. This highlights the need for better irrigation practices and exploring alternative water sources to ensure water security and sustainable development in these regions under a changing climate. Key Points: Slight increases in precipitation and water availability are projected in the NSTMWater scarcity persists due to the spatial mismatch between increased water availability and high irrigation demandThe water deficit is likely to increase by 5%–11% from the current level of 3.3 km3 per year [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims The survival of inoculated Escherichia coli on Fuji apples in Washington State orchards was studied, considering evaporative cooling, canopy location, year, and region, with the examination of sunlight exposure and inoculation levels in year 2. Methods and results Rifampicin-resistant E. coli was applied to Fuji apples. Initial concentrations for the high-inoculation study were 7.4 ± 0.3 log10 CFU per apple and 3.4 ± 0.3 log10 CFU per apple for the low-inoculation study. Enumeration of E. coli was conducted at 0, 2, 10, 18, 34, 42, 58, 82, 106, and 154 h after inoculation. Results were analyzed using Tukey's honest significance difference test and a log-linear model. Log-linear, Weibull, and biphasic models characterized E. coli die-off patterns for high and low inoculations. The application of evaporative overhead cooling water did not significantly influence E. coli survival on Fuji apples; inoculation level and sunlight exposure were significant factors in a log-linear model. Escherichia coli decreased by 5.5 ± 1.3 and 3.3 ± 0.4 log10 CFU per apple for high and low-inoculated apples, respectively, by 154 h. The biphasic model best explained the die-off pattern for high and low-inoculated Fuji apples. Conclusions Overhead evaporative cooling, a useful fruit quality practice, did not impact the survival of generic E. coli on Fuji apple surfaces. The significant impact of sunlight exposure and inoculation levels on die-off highlights the importance of ultraviolet radiation in risk reduction and the need for various inoculum concentrations in preharvest field studies [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Warming and drying trends in the Mediterranean Basin exacerbate regional water scarcity and threaten agricultural production, putting global food security at risk. This study aimed to review the most significant research on future water availability for the Mediterranean agricultural sector under climate change (CC) scenarios published during 2009–2024. Two searches were performed in the Scopus and Web of Science databases, to which previously identified significant studies from different periods were also added. By applying a methodology duly protocoled in the PRISMA2020-based guideline, a final number of 44 particularly relevant studies was selected for review. A bibliometric analysis has shown that most of the published research was focused on Southwestern European countries (i.e., Spain, Italy, Portugal) and grapevine and olive tree crops. Overall, the reviewed studies state that future Mediterranean water reserves may not meet agricultural water demands, due to reduced reservoir inflows and higher irrigation demands under future CC and socioeconomic scenarios. Regarding adaptation measures to improve water-use management in agriculture, the majority of the reviewed studies indicate that the use of integrated modelling platforms and decision–support systems can significantly contribute to the development and implementation of improved water/land-management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionA novel fluorescent magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer (FMMIP) was developed for the effective extraction of malathion (MLT) and chlorpyrifos (CPS) from agricultural water sources.MethodsThe FMMIP was confirmed to have a stable polymer structure with significant thermal resilience through comprehensive characterization using techniques such as TEM and TGA. The magnetic properties of the FMMIP facilitated easy separation by external magnetic fields, with a notable magnetization of 0.006 emu/g. Kinetic and isotherm studies revealed that adsorption of MLT and CPS onto the FMMIP conformed best to the pseudo-first-order model and Freundlich isotherm, suggesting a predominance of physisorption mechanisms and heterogeneous binding sites.Results and DiscussionThe FMMIP demonstrated exceptional adsorption capacities, achieving a maximum of 93 mg/g for MLT and 69 mg/g for CPS. Regeneration trials indicated that the FMMIP maintains its high adsorptive performance over multiple cycles, highlighting its potential for sustainable use. Statistical validation confirmed the method’s reliability, with RSD values for MLT and CPS at 6.5% and 7.3%, respectively, and LODs determined to be 1.26 mg/L for MLT and 1.22 mg/L for CPS. The strong R2 values of 0.992 for MLT and 0.998 for CPS from the adsorption studies substantiate the method’s effectiveness. This study demonstrates that the synthesized FMMIP is a promising material for removing MLT and CPS, supporting its application in environmental clean-up initiatives to protect and preserve ecosystems.

IntroductionPlant protection products (PPPs) such as pesticides and herbicides are experiencing increased use worldwide. In the context of PPP authorization and registration, water exposure assessments (drinking water and aquatic exposure) use numerical modeling to simulate relevant hydrological processes and exposure pathways. A common practice for estimating PPP leaching to groundwater, PPP loading onto surface water via tile drainage, or PPP transport via runoff utilizes multiple one-dimensional models, each representing a separate exposure pathway. Separate analysis of individual exposure pathways can result in disparate assumptions being made that represent relative worst-case scenarios for each pathway, rather than an integrated reasonable worst-case scenario for all pathways.MethodsThe interplay between PPP degradation, leaching to groundwater, transport in tile drainage, and runoff is well-suited for simulation using an integrated surface–subsurface hydrologic and chemical fate and transport model. This study presents functionality added to HydroGeoSphere (HGS), a three-dimensional, fully integrated, surface–subsurface hydrologic model. HGS was verified against other recognized models: PRZM, HYDRUS, PEARL, PELMO, and MACRO. Added features include automatic irrigation, non-linear adsorption, temperature and soil water content-dependent degradation, and solute uptake by plant roots.Results and DiscussionHGS results for leaching of PPP mass to groundwater showed the highest correlation, lowest error, and lowest bias relative to PEARL model results. Simulation of macropore flow to tile drains in HGS produced an intermittent tile drain flow in summer that resulted in generally lower peak effluent concentrations compared to the MACRO model. Simulation of runoff in HGS produced a higher total runoff compared to the PRZM model, attributed to lower evapotranspiration in HGS. Use of the integrated HGS model resulted in a greater agreement in water balance components relative to using multiple models to simulate individual hydrologic pathways.

Contaminated agricultural water has been implicated in produce-associated outbreaks, including dry bulb onions (Allium cepa). This study was designed to quantify risks associated with contaminated water used to prepare crop protection sprays applied immediately before the onset of field curing of dry bulb onions. Laboratory experiments determining the behavior of Salmonella and Escherichia coli in crop protection chemical solutions were performed to guide selection for field use. Field trials were conducted (2022, 2023) in eastern Oregon (Treasure Valley) using two onion cultivars (‘Red Wing’ and ‘Cometa’) inoculated with a rifampicin-resistant E. coli cocktail (3–4 log CFU/100 mL) suspended in fungicide solution or clay suspension, and applied with a backpack sprayer at the end of the growing season. Onions were sampled through the next 4 weeks of field curing and after 1 and 4–5 mos of postharvest storage. In 2022, onions were initially contaminated at a maximum cell density of 48 MPN/onion (Geometric mean (GM): 3.7 MPN/onion). At the end of curing, a single onion (out of 320) tested positive at 2 MPN/onion. In 2022, E. coli was not detected during postharvest storage (n = 160). In 2023, the application of contaminated sprays resulted in a maximum contamination of 275 MPN/onion (GM: 8.6 MPN/onion). At the end of the 2023 curing period, three out of 320 onions (0.9%) had detectable levels of E. coli (1–2 MPN/onion). Three ‘Cometa’ onions from the same plot that were treated with fungicide were positive for E. coli after 5 months of postharvest storage (2, 11, and 83 MPN/onion). These field trials indicate field curing conditions in the Treasure Valley help mitigate risks associated with contaminated water used for applying crop protection sprays. E. coli was detected on a small percentage of onions at low cell density after curing. The single onion with elevated E. coli populations after postharvest storage had internal damage characteristic of bacterial rot.

Fresh produce can be contaminated by enteric pathogens throughout crop production, including through contact with contaminated agricultural water. The most common outbreaks and recalls in fresh produce are due to contamination by Salmonella enterica and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Thus, the objectives of this study were to investigate the prevalence of markers for STEC (wzy, hly, fliC, eaeA, rfbE, stx-I, stx-II) and Salmonella (invA) in surface water sources (n = 8) from produce farms in Southwest Georgia and to determine correlations among the prevalence of virulence markers for STEC, water nutrient profile, and environmental factors. Water samples (500 mL) from eight irrigation ponds were collected from February to December 2021 (n = 88). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to screen for Salmonella and STEC genes, and Salmonella samples were confirmed by culture-based methods. Positive samples for Salmonella were further serotyped. Particularly, Salmonella was detected in 6/88 (6.81%) water samples from all ponds, and the following 4 serotypes were detected: Saintpaul 3/6 (50%), Montevideo 1/6 (16.66%), Mississippi 1/6 (16.66%), and Bareilly 1/6 (16.66%). Salmonella isolates were only found in the summer months (May-Aug.). The most prevalent STEC genes were hly 77/88 (87.50%) and stx-I 75/88 (85.22%), followed by fliC 54/88 (61.63%), stx-II 41/88 (46.59%), rfbE 31/88 (35.22%), and eaeA 28/88 (31.81%). The wzy gene was not detected in any of the samples. Based on a logistic regression analysis, the odds of codetection for STEC virulence markers (stx-I, stx-II, and eaeA) were negatively correlated with calcium and relative humidity (p < 0.05). A conditional forest analysis was performed to assess predictive performance (AUC = 0.921), and the top predictors included humidity, nitrate, calcium, and solar radiation. Overall, information from this research adds to a growing body of knowledge regarding the risk that surface water sources pose to produce grown in subtropical environmental conditions and emphasizes the importance of understanding the use of abiotic factors as a holistic approach to understanding the microbial quality of water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Water scarcity is a critical threat in arid regions in China due to dry climate and rising human water demand. The sustainability of a recent wetter trend and its impact on future water security remain uncertain. This case study focuses on a hotspot region, the North Slope of the Tianshan Mountains (NSTM), to assess water scarcity in the coming decades (2030–2050) under two climate scenarios. To this end, we developed an integrated agro‐hydrological model to simulate historical and future hydrological processes and crop water dynamics in arid regions. Our results indicate nonsignificant increases in precipitation (around 3%) and evident rising temperatures (0.9–1.5°C) in the NSTM compared to the present‐day (2011–2020) climate. This translates to a projected increase in water availability (5.6%–11.2%) during 2030–2050, with slightly larger increases (6.3%–14%) in glacier runoff. However, the spatial mismatch between precipitation increases and water demand makes this potential gain largely offset by rising irrigation water demand (over 7%) if cropland remains constant from 2020 onwards. As a result, the current annual water deficit (3.3 km3) is likely to increase by 5%–11%, with 32% of NSTM basins facing persistent water scarcity. Most croplands are at high risk of groundwater depletion and 17%–34% of basins will experience intensified water scarcity. These findings highlight the urgent need for comprehensive water management strategies, including improved irrigation efficiency and exploration of alternative water sources, to ensure water security and sustainable development in arid China facing a changing climate.

Agricultural water is commonly treated with chlorine-based disinfectants, which are impacted by water quality. Understanding how water quality influences disinfectants such as chlorine dioxide (ClO2) against pathogenic bacteria is important for creating efficacious sanitation regimens. In this study, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of ClO2 needed to achieve a 3-Log reduction against Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and Listeria monocytogenes was compared across agricultural water samples. Sterile ddH2O served as a control to compare with environmental samples from Salinas Valley, CA, and laboratory standards. To test different dosages and water qualities, stock ClO2 was diluted in 24-well plates with target concentrations of 10, 5, 2.5, and 1.25 mg/L. Well plates were inoculated with pathogens and treated with sanitizer for 5 min. Following treatment, surviving pathogens were enumerated using viable cell counts. The results demonstrate that groundwater samples had the highest water quality of the environmental samples and required the lowest concentration of disinfectant to achieve 3-Log reduction against both bacteria, with MIC between 1.4 and 2.0 mg/L. Open-source samples had lower water quality and required a higher concentration of ClO2 for 3-Log reduction, with MIC between 2.8 and 5.8 mg/L for both pathogens. There was no correlation between pH, turbidity, or conductivity/TDS and reduction for either STEC or L. monocytogenes, suggesting no individual water metric was driving reduction. A lower dosage was required to achieve 3-Log reduction against STEC, while L. monocytogenes required greater concentrations to achieve the same level of reduction. Overall, these results help guide growers in using ClO2 as a broad-spectrum disinfectant and demonstrate its efficacy in reaching 3-Log reduction across agricultural water samples.

Two U.S. outbreaks of salmonellosis in 2020 and 2021 were epidemiologically linked to red onions. The 2020 outbreak investigation implicated the production of agricultural water as a likely contamination source. Field trials were designed to investigate the prevalence and survival of Escherichia coli (surrogate for Salmonella) on dry bulb onions after the application of contaminated irrigation water at the end of the growing period. Irrigation water was inoculated at 3 log most probable number (MPN)/100 mL (2022 and 2023) or 5 log MPN/100 mL (2023, drip only) with a cocktail of rifampin-resistant E. coli and applied with the final irrigation (0.4 acre-inch/0.4 ha-cm) to onions. Onion bulbs (40 or 80) were sampled immediately after irrigation and throughout field curing (4 weeks) and E. coli was enumerated using an MPN method. For drip irrigation, at 3 log MPN/100 mL E. coli was detected on 13% of onions at 24 h but not detected at 0 h; at 5 log MPN/100 mL for drip irrigation applied to saturated soil, E. coli was detected in 63% of onions at 0 h. Prevalence significantly (P

Characteristics and spatial distribution of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) pollution in agricultural water of suburban Beijing typical rivers were investigated in 30 water samples collected from the agricultural water of Liangshui River in Tongzhou District and Ciwei River-Xiaoqing River in Fangshan District. The species and concentration of PFCs in water were determined and studied using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and occurrence characteristics and possible sources of PFCs were analyzed. Finally, an ecological risk assessment was performed. More PFCs were detected at low levels in the agricultural water environment of typical rivers in suburban Beijing. Eleven types of PFCs were detected in Liangshui River. The total PFC concentration range was 0-62.7 ng·L-1, and the main PFCs were perfluorobutanoic acid, perfluorohexanoic acid, and perfluorooctanoic acid. Twenty one PFCs were detected in Ciwei River-Xiaoqing River. The total PFC concentration range was 0-93.1 ng · L-1, and the main PFCs were perfluoropentanoic acid, perfluoroundecanoic acid, and perfluorododecanesulfonate. The results revealed great upstream pollution of PFCs from agricultural water in typical rivers of suburban Beijing. Pollution originated mainly from sewage treatment plant effluent discharge and surface runoff. The ecological risk assessment showed that the concentrations of PFCs in water bodies did not reach levels that are harmful to the ecological environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyclospora cayetanensis is a coccidian parasite of the phylum Apicomplexa that causes cyclosporiasis, a human-specific gastrointestinal disease. Unlike most enteric pathogens, C. cayetanensis does not infect via direct fecal–oral transmission between humans because shed oocysts must be exposed to environmental triggers prior to becoming infectious. The development of specific and sensitive detection methods for C. cayetanensis is crucial to effectively address data gaps and provide regulatory support during outbreak investigations. In this study, new more specific molecular markers for the detection of C. cayetanensis were developed based on updated genomic databases of Apicomplexa mitochondrial sequences. Novel alternative reagents and supplies, as well as optimization protocols, were tested in spiked produce and agricultural water samples. The selected Mit1C primers and probe combined showed at least 13 mismatches to other related species. The new optimized qualitative real-time PCR assay with modifications to sample processing and replacement of discontinued items produced results comparable to the previously validated methods. In conclusion, the new optimized qualitative Mit1C real-time PCR assay demonstrated an increase in its specificity in comparison to other detection methods previously published, while it showed to be robust and as sensitive as the previously validated method at the FDA. This study has also expanded the array of PCR reagents that can be used to detect C. cayetanensis in produce and agricultural water samples and provided several improvements to the method for detection in agricultural water including replacements for discontinued items and a new dialysis filter for water filtration.

Fresh produce can be contaminated by enteric pathogens throughout crop production, including through contact with contaminated agricultural water. The most common outbreaks and recalls in fresh produce are due to contamination by Salmonella enterica and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Thus, the objectives of this study were to investigate the prevalence of markers for STEC (wzy, hly, fliC, eaeA, rfbE, stx-I, stx-II) and Salmonella (invA) in surface water sources (n = 8) from produce farms in Southwest Georgia and to determine correlations among the prevalence of virulence markers for STEC, water nutrient profile, and environmental factors. Water samples (500 mL) from eight irrigation ponds were collected from February to December 2021 (n = 88). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to screen for Salmonella and STEC genes, and Salmonella samples were confirmed by culture-based methods. Positive samples for Salmonella were further serotyped. Particularly, Salmonella was detected in 6/88 (6.81%) water samples from all ponds, and the following 4 serotypes were detected: Saintpaul 3/6 (50%), Montevideo 1/6 (16.66%), Mississippi 1/6 (16.66%), and Bareilly 1/6 (16.66%). Salmonella isolates were only found in the summer months (May-Aug.). The most prevalent STEC genes were hly 77/88 (87.50%) and stx-I 75/88 (85.22%), followed by fliC 54/88 (61.63%), stx-II 41/88 (46.59%), rfbE 31/88 (35.22%), and eaeA 28/88 (31.81%). The wzy gene was not detected in any of the samples. Based on a logistic regression analysis, the odds of codetection for STEC virulence markers (stx-I, stx-II, and eaeA) were negatively correlated with calcium and relative humidity (p

The efficient use of water resources has become an important topic in China. Research on measurement and driving factors is the foundation for improving water resources use efficiency (WRUE). In this paper, the super-efficiency slacks-based measure (SE-SBM) model is used to measure the WRUE of China from 2005 to 2021. The agricultural carbon emissions and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in industrial wastes are taken as undesirable by-products. The driving factors of WRUE are discussed with use of the Tobit regression model. The results show that China's agricultural WRUE ranges from 1.185 in Jilin to 0.687 in Ningxia. In the industrial sector, the WRUE ranges from 1.399 in Beijing to Jiangxi 0.212. The economic structure and development level, water resources endowment, government influence and environmental regulation, agricultural planting scale and urbanization rate have impacts on WRUE. Precautionary measures need to be applied to prevent inefficient WRUE caused by the declining share of the industrial sector in the economic structure. More financial support should be focused on water-saving irrigation in agriculture and energy and resource efficiency in industry. The organizational structure and technological advantages of urbanization should also be emphasized in efforts to improve water efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the hydrological dynamics of the Ticino irrigation cascade in northern Italy from 2004 to 2022. The region, which is shaped by human activity, is characterized by its flat topography and complex management of water resources, featuring a unique historic irrigation cascade. Utilizing the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), we investigated the water availability during recent severe droughts in this complex agricultural environment, which lacks natural drainage. This area faces risks due to increasing temperatures and increased rainless days. Therefore, understanding the soil water dynamics is essential for maintaining the system's sustainability. Calibrating and validating the SWAT model with runoff data was challenging due to the absence of natural drainage. Thus, we utilized MOD16 evapotranspiration (AET) data for calibration. Generally, the calibration and validation of the SWAT model yielded satisfactory results in terms of the Kling–Gupta efficiency (KGE). Despite some discrepancies, which were mainly related to the data sources and resolution, the calibrated model's outputs showed increased actual evapotranspiration that was influenced by climate and irrigation, leading to water deficits and droughts. The soil water content (SWC) decreased by 7% over 15 years, impacting crop productivity and environmental sustainability. This also resulted in rising water stress for crops and the ecosystem in general, highlighting the direct impact of adverse climate conditions on soil hydrology and agriculture. Our research contributes to the understanding of soil–water dynamics, as it specifically addresses recent droughts in the Lombardy lowlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A broad understanding of community member food safety priorities in the fresh produce supply chain does not currently exist. This information is essential to improve food safety knowledge and practices effectively and efficiently throughout the fresh produce industry; therefore, the goal of this study was to identify and rank community produce safety priorities in the United States. Survey questions were designed and approved by food safety experts for participants to rank 24 fresh produce safety priorities. The anonymous survey was distributed online via Qualtrics™ to fresh produce community members from November 2020 to May 2021. A score was calculated for each priority by summing weighted ranking scores across responses. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to determine frequencies and distribution of response and identify factors (e.g., role in produce safety, size/location of organization/operation) that influenced rankings. A total of 281 respondents represented fourteen different roles in the fresh produce industry, with most identified as growers (39.5%). Produce operations were distributed across the U.S. and annual produce sales ranged from below $25,000 to over $5,000,000. Health and hygiene, training, postharvest sanitation, traceability, and harvest sanitation were ranked as the top five food safety priorities. These findings provide insight into community member priorities in fresh produce safety and can be used to inform intervention efforts, ranging from specialized training for produce growers and packers, industry-driven research projects, and gaps in risk communication strategies.

Khuzestan province has fertile plains for agriculture. In recent years, the regular supply of water in Izeh plain and Bagh Malek has been a concern, especially for agricultural purposes. With the help of a pumping station, the water of these areas reaches the heights overlooking the area from the reservoir of the Karun 3 dam and moves by gravity towards the delivery points after passing through a tunnel. The normal level of the dam during operation is 840 meters, the maximum level of the reservoir is 845 and the top level is 850 meters from the level of the Azad sea, also the minimum and maximum level of water intake from the lake of Karun Dam 3 is equal to 800 and 845 meters, respectively. Basic studies and numerical methods to achieve the goal of the current research, which is to optimize the level to which water is pumped, it was done. According to the optimizations, the lowest cost will be at the level of 970 if the tunnel level of 1000 is considered in the initial plan.

Considering the increasing demand for urban water and the low water-use efficiency in the agricultural sector, an exchange of treated urban wastewater for agricultural water could be a fundamental solution for administering sustainable management of water resources. However, implementing the intersectoral water exchange project is influenced by the economic, social, and environmental conditions of each region, especially in developing countries. Therefore, this study sought to identify the best possible strategies for exchanging treated urban wastewater for agricultural water in Mashhad city, located in Iran, a country that suffers from decreased urban water resources. Based on the interviews conducted with the experts and the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis, 28 influential factors were identified for the water exchange project, and eleven strategies were developed for its implementation. The results of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and F-TOPSIS indicated that organizing educational and awareness campaigns regarding the exchange project's goals, devising an appropriate organizational structure, enhancing treated wastewater's quality according to the WHO standards, taking the necessity of conducting social, cultural, and economic studies into account, developing consumers' awareness programs, and supporting, training, and counseling the farmers and setting the required incentives for them were among the main factors involved in the implementation of the water exchange project in Mashhad. HIGHLIGHTS Disclosing information about recycled water has the most significant effect on public awareness and acceptance.; Acceptance or rejection of the treated wastewater by farmers depends on specific cultural, religious, social, and economic conditions.; Improving the treated wastewater's quality according to the World Health Organization's standards plays a very important role.;

To improve the effect of agricultural water management, this paper builds an agricultural water management system based on the Internet of Things and data analysis, and designs an intelligent analysis model of the system using the method of time series forecasting. Moreover, this paper designs the software and hardware of the ZigBee wireless sensor network monitoring node, including the hardware circuit design of the ZigBee network monitoring node and the software acquisition program design to realise the data acquisition and short-distance transmission of the farmland environment. In addition, this paper designs a farmland irrigation system based on the Internet of Things, which can also realise real-time monitoring of agricultural water quality. Finally, this paper designs an experiment to analyse the performance of the system constructed in this paper. Judging from the performance of the agricultural water management system, it can be seen that its performance can meet the actual needs of agricultural water management.

Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light-assisted water treatment systems are an increasingly investigated alternative to chemical sanitizers for agricultural surface water decontamination. However, the relatively high concentration of particulate matter in surface water is a major challenge to expanding its application in the production of fresh produce. The objective of this project was to test the efficacy of two commercial UV-C devices to reduce the microbial risk of agricultural water in order to develop a web application to assist growers in decision-making related to the on-farm implementation of UV-C technologies for agricultural water treatment. An on-farm study using three agricultural water sources was performed to determine the microbial reduction efficacy of a low power, low flow (LP/LF; 1–9 gallons per minute (GPM), 1.34-gallon capacity) and a high powered, high flow (HP/HF; 1–110 GPM, 4.75-gallon capacity) device at flow rates of 6, 7, and 9 GPM. A threshold of 30% UVT for the HP/HF device was observed, wherein lower water transmissibility significantly impacted microbial inactivation. Although less effective at lower %UVT, the LP/LF device costs less to install, maintain, and operate. The observations were used to design an online tool for growers to calculate the predicted reduction of generic Escherichia coli using either device based on the %UVT of their water source. However, because this study utilized an exploratory and proof-of-concept approach, the experimental flow rates were limited to reflect the capacities of the smaller unit (9 GPM) for direct comparison to the larger unit. Thus, the preliminary model and tool are largely limited to the experimental conditions. Yet, these results of this study demonstrate the utility of UV-C light in reducing the microbial risk of agricultural water, and future studies using different UV-C devices and higher flow rates will expand the use of the decision-making tool.

Agricultural water demands can conflict with habitat needs in many North Coast watersheds. Understanding different water use patterns can help reduce conflict over limited supplies. We measured on-farm crop water use and conducted grower interviews to estimate the agricultural water demand in the upper Russian River and Navarro River watersheds. Annual agricultural water demand was less than 11% in the Russian River, and 2% in Navarro River, of the total annual discharge in each watershed. However, because demands are concentrated in the dry season when instream flows are at a minimum, these relatively small amounts can represent a significant constraint to stream habitat conditions. We have shared our study results in broad basin and community water resource planning efforts, including flow management of the Russian and Navarro rivers and implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act in the Ukiah Basin. Findings and recommendations from this study have influenced on-the-ground solutions to meet water demand in these watersheds, including construction of off-stream wintertime storage capacity to replace summertime stream diversions, and use of a municipal recycled water conveyance system as a replacement for summer diversions.

In order to improve regional groundwater development and utilization measures and to aid regional groundwater resource management, groundwater storage variability characteristics were assessed using GRACE data in three provinces of Northeast China from 2002 to 2017. GRACE and GLDAS data were combined to estimate groundwater storage variations. The estimated groundwater storage variations were verified using measured groundwater storage variations and the factors influencing groundwater storage variations were explored. The results showed that the correlation between groundwater storage variations estimated by GRACE and the measured groundwater storage variations was strong, with a correlation coefficient of 0. 72. Groundwater storage variations increased significantly at the end of 2011, and the average growth rate was 2. 23 mm / a. The largest surplus in groundwater storage was at the end of 2013, and the largest deficit was at the beginning of 2008. There was an evident loss in groundwater storage in the winter and autumn, and an evident surplus in the summer. Furthermore, there were differences in the spatial distribution of groundwater storage. In 2002-2012, there was less groundwater storage in the northeast than in the southwest, and in 2013-2017 there was more groundwater storage in the northeast than in southwest. There were evident groundwater storage variations in Heilongjiang Province. Furthermore, due to drought, there were significant losses in groundwater storage in Liaoning Province and Jilin Province. Groundwater storage variations were strongly correlated with changes in precipitation and had the strongest correlation with agricultural irrigation, with a correlation coefficient of 0. 58. In the winter, groundwater storage variations were the most significantly correlated with snowfall, with a correlation coefficient of up to 0. 426. By studying the spatiotemporal variability characteristics of groundwater storage in three provinces of Northeast China, this study aims to provide a reference for the optimal allocation of water resources and the sustainable development of the environment in China and globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing a stage–discharge rating curve in an irrigation canal might look outdated, but it is still an important issue of agricultural water management. Therefore, in this study, a method by using machine learning (neural network) to establish a stage–discharge rating curve is proposed. The machine learning trained by the observed gage height was used to estimate velocities in an irrigation canal. The estimated velocities were used to compute the discharge. Then, the observed gage height and estimated discharge are applied to establish a simple stage–discharge rating curve. The data collected in the Wan-Dan Canal are used to evaluate the proposed method. The results showed that machine learning could effectively simulate the velocity distribution in an irrigation canal from its bottom to the water surface, as well as the flow fields at ungagged sites. Therefore, using the velocity derived from machine learning, the discharge of an irrigation canal can be accurately determined. Meanwhile, an accurate and dependable stage–discharge rating curve can be established. Our proposed method is applicable to forecast the discharges of other irrigation canals to manage agricultural water effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proper governance of agriculture water is crucial for meeting global food security and achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially when considering small-scale farmers in the Global South. Water management has been examined as a form of the commons for agriculture, but shortcomings in Ostrom’s Design Principles restrict the scope of analysis. There is an urgent need for a novel framework for informing theories and practices found in water commons. This research builds upon Ostrom’s Design Principles to suggest a new lens of environmental justice to explain one successful approach to the governance of water commons. Using an empirically grounded framework, the research examined the governance of irrigation water as a common-pool resource shared by multiple ethnic groups at a World Heritage watershed site in Yunnan Province, China. The research suggested that a local shared notion of multi-dimensional justice, incorporating distributive, procedural, and recognitional justice, is a precondition for the successful management of irrigation water. The policy implication calls for a wider understanding of plurality and multidimensionality of justice and the roles they play in justice practices situated in local value systems in China and beyond.

Given the increasing demand for high-quality food and protein, global food security remains a challenge, particularly in the face of global change. However, since agriculture, food and water security are inextricably linked, they need to be examined via an interdisciplinary lens. Sociohydrology was introduced from a post-positivist perspective to explore and describe the bidirectional feedbacks and dynamics between human and water systems. This review situates sociohydrology in the agricultural domain, highlighting its contributions in explaining the unintended consequences of water management interventions, addressing climate change impacts due to/on agriculture and incorporating human behaviour into the description of agricultural water systems. Sociohydrology has combined social and psychological insights with novel data sources and diverse multi-method approaches to model human behaviour. However, as agriculture and agriculturalists face global change, sociohydrology can better use concepts from resilience thinking more explicitly to identify gaps in terms of desirable properties in resilient agricultural water systems, potentially informing more holistic climate adaptation policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water productivity refers to the yield produced per cubic meter of fresh water for a given crop. It is not recorded for most crops in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), where water shortages have recently forced farmers to switch from conventional farming methods like surface irrigation on bare soil to modern farming methods like drip irrigation and mulching. This study is the first effort in Iraq and KRI to determine and report the water productivity for melons (Cucumis melo L.) grown on farms using drip irrigation and plastic mulch. Data on the production, the number of irrigations, the length of each irrigation, as well as the cost and benefit of production were collected from 24 farmers who produced melons in 2022 on an area of 56 ha. Then, the yield, the amount of water applied, and the water productivity were determined. The mean value was 37.4 tons ha-1 for yield, 5,486 m3 ha-1 for water applied, and 7.1 kg m-3 water for productivity. Hence, 140 litres of water were applied to produce 1 kilogram of melon. A cost-benefit analysis showed that water applied accounted for 18% of the overall production benefits, production expenses for 37%, and net benefits for 45%. Therefore, melon production is a profitable rising business in the region. In light of the present water shortage in the area, it is concluded that the recent switch from bare soil surface irrigation to drip irrigation and mulching is a successful adaptation approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to quantitatively evaluate the performance of practical alternatives in modernization projects of water distribution in irrigation networks based on the water-food-energy nexus using the AHP-Entropy-WASPAS technique. Three methods of improved manual operation, decentralized automatic operation, and centralized automatic operation were developed under normal and water shortage operation scenarios and modeling the current status of water distribution in the main canal of the Rudasht irrigation network as a case study. Water-based, energy-based and food-based indicators were used to develop the nexus evaluation framework. The results showed that the average values of the water-food-energy nexus index in the manual operation method were estimated at 0.49 and 0.16 under normal and water shortage operation scenarios, respectively. These average values were estimated at 0.53 and 0.17 under normal and water shortage operation scenarios, respectively, by improving the method to the improved manual operation method. The decentralized automatic operation method improved these average values to 0.82 and 0.39 under normal and water shortage operation scenarios. Finally, using the centralized automatic operation method, these average values were 0.94 and 0.35 under normal and water shortage operation scenarios. Since the downstream secondary off-takes of the irrigation network receive no water even by upgrading the surface water distribution system to the decentralized automatic operation method under the water shortage operation scenario, it can be said that the performance of the centralized automatic operation method is more efficient than the decentralized automatic operation method due to the fair and uniform distribution of water in both normal and water shortage scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyclospora cayetanensis is a coccidian parasite that causes diarrheal illness outbreaks worldwide. The development of new laboratory methods for detection of C. cayetanensis is of critical importance because of the high potential for environmental samples to be contaminated with a myriad of microorganisms, adversely impacting the specificity when testing samples from various sources using a single molecular assay. In this study, a new sequencing-based method was designed targeting a specific fragment of C. cayetanensis cytochrome oxidase gene and developed as a complementary method to the TaqMan qPCR present in the U.S. FDA BAM Chapter 19b and Chapter 19c. The comparative results between the new PCR protocol and the qPCR for detection of C. cayetanensis in food and water samples provided similar results in both matrices with the same seeding level. The target region and primers in the protocol discussed in this study contain sufficient Cyclospora-specific sequence fidelity as observed by sequence comparison with other Eimeriidae species. The sequence of the PCR product appears to represent a robust target for identifying C. cayetanensis on samples from different sources. Such a sensitive method for detection of C. cayetanensis would add to the target repertoire of qPCR-based screening strategies for food and water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water-resource policy of South Korea has been changing from that of securing water to that of saving water through sustainable water management. Moreover, population aging in rural areas is leading to agricultural water-management problems. In this study, an automatic irrigation system for rice crops was investigated and compared with conventional irrigation, and changes in water productivity and required labor power were quantified. The effect of the proposed system on economic feasibility was verified on farmland by monitoring irrigation water and rice yields for three years. Under the automatic irrigation system, on-site water productivity improved by an average of 12.7% and the labor power required for paddy water management decreased by an average of 21.8% compared to the conventional irrigation system. The internal rate of return was 8.6% higher than the discount rate of 4.5%. The net present value was 406,411 KRW, and the benefit-cost ratio was 1.23. The results can serve as a reference for the on-site introduction of irrigation water-supply automation for sustainable water management and are expected to benefit farmers in saving water and reducing labor demands through sustainable agricultural activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the influence of agricultural development under urbanization on agriculture water supply internalization. Water supply internalization is the process of measuring water security to estimate the degree of water supply sustainably by region inside. According to water users, Water supply internalization could be divided into Agriculture and urban water supply internalization. Agriculture and urban water supply internalization are calculated in this study. This study employed a spatial model to analyze agricultural water supply internalization and its influencing factors. The results showed that the agriculture development associated with agricultural population and crop typology impacts agricultural water supply internalization. Urban water supply internalization increases lead to an increase in agricultural water supply internalization. The agricultural population's spatial agglomerations lead to increased agricultural water supply internalization. Agricultural population's spatial agglomerations mean neighborhood city agriculture population share similar trend. Agricultural and urban water supply internalization have spatial autoconnection. The study area consisted of 30 cities in four provinces in North China: Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, and Shandong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of water application method on bacterial survival at or after the final irrigation was evaluated in bulb onions during commercially relevant field drying (curing). A three-strain rifampin-resistant cocktail of Escherichia coli was introduced to onions via a single overhead spray application in two separate trials (5.22 [trial 1] or 2.40 [trial 2] log CFU per onion) 2 to 3 days after the final irrigation. Onions were lifted from the soil 8 days after spray inoculation and, in some cases, foliage was removed (topping); onions remained in the field for an additional ca. 2 weeks (total ca. 3 weeks of curing). E. coli populations declined on the onions in the first 4 h after spray inoculation. E. coli was recovered from 38 (48%) or 28 (35%) of 80 whole-onion enrichments at the end of curing in trials 1 or 2, respectively. Topping did not significantly impact the percentage of E. coli–positive onions detected at the end of curing. From 8 h to 21 days, E. coli populations on positive onions ranged from 1 CFU per onion to 7 log CFU per onion in both trials, representing a potential risk of E. coli growth with overhead application of contaminated water at the end of onion production. In trial 2, additional rows of onions were inoculated via a 22-cm subsurface or surface drip irrigation line (1.94 log CFU/mL for 2.5 h). E. coli was detected in 0 (subsurface) and 4 (surface) of 50 whole-onion enrichments 3 h after the initiation of drip irrigation. Positive onions were detected at days 1 (4 of 50) and 7 (1 of 50) with subsurface drip inoculation, and at days 1 (7 of 50), 7 (2 of 50), and 14 (2 of 50) with surface drip inoculation. E. coli was not detected in whole-onion enrichments at the end of curing when inoculated by subsurface (0 of 50) or surface (0 of 50) drip irrigation. Application of contaminated water through drip irrigation, when coupled with field curing, results in low rates of contamination of bulb onions at the time of harvest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leafy greens are responsible for nearly half of the produce-related Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) outbreaks in the United States and recent investigations have implicated agricultural water as a potential source. Current FDA detection protocols require extensive analysis time. We aimed to use Oxford Nanopore rapid sequencing kits for an in-field determination of agricultural water microbiome and possible detection and characterization of STECs strain(s) in these samples. We tested the performance of the nanopore rapid sequencing kit (RAD004) for fast microbiome determination using the well characterized ZymoBIOMICS mock microbial community and the number of reads for each identified species was present in the expected proportion. Rapid sequencing kit (LRK001 and RAD004) library preparation of DNA extracted from agricultural water resulted in poor nanopore sequencing reactions, with low output (0.3–1.7 M reads), a high proportion of failed reads (50–60%), and highly sheared DNA before and after a magnetic bead clean up. To improve performance, we prepared a DNA library with the ligation kit (LSK109), which includes multiple cleaning steps, reducing inherent inhibitors and producing a better outcome (2.2 M reads, 15% failed reads). No definitive presence of STEC could be confirmed in any of the sites. Approximately 100 reads from each site (0.02% of total reads) were identified as Escherichia coli, but the specific strain or their virulence genes could not be detected. Sites 9, 10, and 12 were found to be positive for STEC presence by microbiological techniques after enrichment. The rapid sequencing kits can be appropriate for genus or species level microbial identification, but we recommend the use of the ligation kit for increased sequencing depth and removal of contaminants in agricultural water. However, we were not able to identify any STEC strains in these nanopore microbiome samples, due to low initial concentrations. The results from this pilot study provide preliminary evidence that MinION sequencing of agricultural water using the ligation kit has the potential to be used for rapid microbiome determination in the field with optimal results for water quality surveillance.

Irrigating fresh produce with contaminated water contributes to the burden of foodborne illness. Identifying fecal contamination of irrigation waters and characterizing fecal sources and associated environmental factors can help inform fresh produce safety and health hazard management. Using two previously collected data sets, we developed and evaluated the performance of logistic regression and conditional random forest models for predicting general and human-specific fecal contamination of ponds in southwest Georgia used for fresh produce irrigation. Generic Escherichia coli served as a general fecal indicator, and human-associated Bacteroides (HF183), crAssphage, and F+ coliphage genogroup II were used as indicators of human fecal contamination. Increased rainfall in the previous 7 days and the presence of a building within 152 m (a proxy for proximity to septic systems) were associated with increased odds of human fecal contamination in the training data set. However, the models did not accurately predict the presence of human-associated fecal indicators in a second data set collected from nearby irrigation ponds in different years. Predictive statistical models should be used with caution to assess produce irrigation water quality as models may not reliably predict fecal contamination at other locations and times, even within the same growing region., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest.

To improve the effect of agricultural water management, this paper builds an agricultural water management system based on the Internet of Things and data analysis, and designs an intelligent analysis model of the system using the method of time series forecasting. Moreover, this paper designs the software and hardware of the ZigBee wireless sensor network monitoring node, including the hardware circuit design of the ZigBee network monitoring node and the software acquisition program design to realise the data acquisition and short-distance transmission of the farmland environment. In addition, this paper designs a farmland irrigation system based on the Internet of Things, which can also realise real-time monitoring of agricultural water quality. Finally, this paper designs an experiment to analyse the performance of the system constructed in this paper. Judging from the performance of the agricultural water management system, it can be seen that its performance can meet the actual needs of agricultural water management. [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.)

Public acceptance of treated sewage (TS) reuse in agriculture is a key element in successful implementation of TS reuse projects, but relevant research on the topic is limited. This study examined public willingness to accept (WTA) and willingness to pay (WTP) for agricultural products derived by irrigation with TS in Lorestan province, Iran, applying the contingent valuation (CV) method. The agricultural products determined for the study included corn, peaches, apricots, and plums, while TS was introduced in three qualities [Q1, complete TS treatment (i.e., physical treatment, aeration, and chemical treatment); Q2, partial TS treatment (i.e., physical treatment and aeration); and Q3, no TS treatment]. With reference to WTA, products irrigated with Q1 TS received 62.7% positive responses, while products irrigated with Q2 TS and Q3 TS received 21.3% and 17.0% positive responses, respectively. With reference to WTP, data showed that if the price of products derived by irrigation with TS was less than that of products irrigated with fresh water, some people would be willing to pay for these products (52.0% positive responses versus 48.0% negative responses). Awareness had a significantly positive impact on WTA1 and WTA2 (products irrigated with Q1 TS and Q2 TS, respectively) as well as on WTP1, WTP2, and WTP3 (products irrigated with Q1 TS, Q2 TS, and Q3 TS, respectively). Similarly, information sources had a significantly positive effect on WTP1, WTP2, and WTP3. Overall, individuals with high levels of health risk perception and high awareness showed high WTA, while non-processed corn and men were associated with low WTA. Concerning WTP, individuals with high awareness and those who had access to information sources showed high WTP, while men were associated with low WTP. Information about the importance of TS reuse, reduction of prices of products derived by irrigation with TS, and promotion of public confidence in TS are essential to increase public WTA and WTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irrigated agriculture has become a concern, given the scarcity of freshwater. To reduce its water consumption, new techniques and technologies have been proposed. Based on this, the objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of different soil water tensions at initiation of irrigation with magnetically treated water, on 'iceberg' lettuce Lucy Brown (Lactuca Sativa L.) development and production. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, using a completely randomized factorial design, to evaluate two water types (magnetically treated water - MW and ordinary water - OW) and four soil water tensions at initiation of irrigation (T1 - 15 kPa, T2 - 25 kPa, T3 - 40 kPa and T4 - 70 kPa), with three replicates. Tensiometers were used to estimate soil water tension. The evaluated parameters were: aerial part fresh and dry total mass; commercial head fresh and dry mass, root fresh and dry mass; stem fresh and dry mass; stem length and diameter; percentage of leaves with tip burn, total and commercial yield; water use efficiency related to total and commercial yield; plant exposed area; and dry matter content. Despite achieving greater water use efficiency, the magnetic treatment may have hindered the removal of water from the soil by the crop, especially at increased soil water tension at initiation of irrigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to delineate methods of sustainable agricultural water management. The study is based on a mixed methodology, namely both quantitative and qualitative. The statistical population included 130 water experts in Hamedan province. In the qualitative phase, 35 participants were purposefully selected, but, in the quantitative phase, there were 100 experts selected randomly according to Krejcie and Morgan’s sampling table. In order to identify the relationships between the independent variables (i.e. solutions to water management) and the dependent variable (i.e. sustainable agricultural water management), structural equation modeling was used through the PLS algorithm. The results showed that 55 % of the dependent variable variance was determined by 13 independent variables. Of these variables, the irrigation planning solution proved to be the main solution with the highest impact and a coefficient of 0.275. The next five factors with great effects on sustainable agricultural water management included applied and continuous training, water recycling, water transfer efficiency, information sharing, and reducing agricultural wastes with impact coefficients of 0.269, 0.247, 0.209, 0.197, and 0.172 respectively.