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Droughts significantly affect India's agricultural sector and overall economic growth in dry, arid, and semi-arid regions. Around 50% of crop areas depend on the south-west monsoon, making them vulnerable to deficient rainfall. Droughts redirect financial resources to relief efforts, impacting other sectors negatively. This study examines the relationship between droughts, relief finances, economic growth, and agricultural sector growth across 28 Indian states from 1991–92 to 2015–16. Findings show that droughts reduce state agricultural gross domestic product growth by approximately 1.53%, 17.67%, and 13.93% across all states, least irrigated states, and moderately irrigated states, respectively. The impact on overall economic growth is influenced by the availability of infrastructure, such as irrigation and is negatively but not significantly affected, as drought effects are localized. However, postdrought relief finances have a significant positive impact on moderately and least irrigated states, underscoring the need for appropriate drought risk management policies in these areas. Practical Applications: This study critically examines the repercussions of droughts on India's agricultural sector and overall economy across 28 states from 1991–92 to 2015–16. The findings underscore a substantial reduction in state agricultural gross domestic product (SAGDP) growth due to the adverse effects of droughts. The impacts vary across states, with differing degrees of severity observed. Importantly, the study sheds light on the localized nature of overall economic growth effects, contingent upon the presence and efficiency of irrigation infrastructure. Droughts necessitate the redirection of financial resources to relief efforts, consequently impacting sectors beyond agriculture. However, a noteworthy positive trend emerges postdrought, where relief finances showcase a significant impact, particularly in states with limited irrigation facilities. Practitioners and policymakers are strongly urged to prioritize targeted interventions and resource allocation, especially in regions lacking robust irrigation infrastructure. The research underscores the critical importance of proactive drought risk management policies, emphasizing the positive role that relief finances play in mitigating the economic consequences of droughts. Implementation of these practical insights holds the potential to fortify India's resilience to droughts, safeguarding both the agricultural sector and overall economic stability, thereby contributing to sustainable and adaptive policy frameworks for the nation's prosperity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ongoing investments in irrigation technologies highlight the need to accurately estimate the longevity and magnitude of water savings at the watershed level to avoid the paradox of irrigation efficiency. This paradox arises when irrigation pumping exceeds crop water demand, leading to excess water that is not recovered by the watershed. Comprehensive water accounting from farm to watershed scales is challenging due to spatial variability and inadequate socio-hydrological data. We hypothesize that water savings are short term, as prior studies show rapid recharge responses to surface changes. Precise estimation of these time scales and water savings can aid water managers making decisions. In this study, we examined water savings at three 65-hectare sites in Nebraska with diverse soil textures, management practices, and groundwater depths. Surface geophysics effectively identified in-field variability in soil water content and water flux. A one-dimensional model showed an average 80% agreement with chloride mass balance estimates of deep drainage. Our findings indicate that groundwater response times are short and water savings are modest (1–3 years; 50–900 mm over 10 years) following a 120 mm/year reduction in pumping. However, sandy soils with shallow groundwater show minimal potential for water savings, suggesting limited effectiveness of irrigation efficiency programs in such regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As water scarcity intensifies due to climate change, improving the efficiency of agricultural water use has become increasingly critical. Current irrigation systems often experience significant water losses, especially in paddy fields in South Korea that largely rely on open-channel water supply networks. However, previous studies have simulated irrigation improvement strategies by aggregating multiple paddy fields into larger unites rather than modeling them individually, which limits the accurate representation of field conditions. To address this limitation, we applied a granular simulation approach, collecting detailed input data through field surveys. Using this granular model, the study evaluated strategies to enhance irrigation efficiency in paddy fields serviced by the Baekma Agricultural Reservoir in South Korea. We assessed four scenarios: the current open-channel system, conversion of open channels to closed conduits, installation of farm ponds, and a combination of closed conduits and farm ponds. These scenarios were simulated using the Strom Water Management Model (SWMM), meticulously configured to represent individual paddy fields and channel networks. The results show that converting open channels to closed conduits increased irrigation efficiency by 5.4% compared to the current open-channel system. Combining closed conduits with farm ponds achieved the highest efficiency, although the independent effect of farm ponds was minimal. These findings suggested that converting open-channels to closed conduits was a highly effective solution for reducing water losses, while farm ponds played a limited role. This study provides valuable insights into the development of precise irrigation strategies, offering a detailed assessment of real-world conditions in paddy fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to enhance maize water demand calculation. We calculate crop evapotranspiration (ETc) through mobile phone photography and meteorological parameters. In terms of crop coefficient (Kc) calculation, we utilize the mobile phone camera image driver to establish a real-time monitoring model of Kc based on plant canopy coverage (PGC) changes. The calculation of PGC is achieved by constructing a PGC classification network and a Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM)-U2Net is implemented by the segment network. For the reference crop evapotranspiration (ETo) calculation, we constructed a simplified ETo estimation model based on SVR, LSTM, Optuna LSTM, and GWO-SVM using a public meteorological data-driven program, and evaluated its performance. The results demonstrate that our method achieves high classification accuracy for the PGC 98.9% and segmentation accuracy for the CBAM-U2net-based segmentation network 95.68%. The Kc calculation model exhibits a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.053. In terms of ETo estimation, the Optuna-LSTM model with four variables demonstrates the best estimation effect, with a correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.953. The final R2 between the estimated ETc value and the true value is 0.918, with an RMSE of 0.014. This method can effectively estimate the water demand of maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is a natural phenomenon that has adverse effects on agriculture, the economy, and human well-being. The primary objective of this research was to comprehensively understand the drought conditions in Sistan and Balouchestan Province from 2002 to 2017 from two perspectives: vegetation cover and hydrology. To achieve this goal, the study utilized MODIS satellite data in the first part to monitor vegetation cover as an indicator of agricultural drought. In the second part, GRACE satellite data were employed to analyze changes in groundwater resources as an indicator of hydrological drought. To assess vegetation drought, four indices were used: Vegetation Health Index (VHI), Vegetation Drought Index (VDI), Visible Infrared Drought Index (VSDI), and Temperature Vegetation Drought Index (TVDI). To validate vegetation drought indices, they were compared with Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) precipitation data. The vegetation indices showed a strong, statistically significant correlation with GLDAS precipitation data in most regions of the province. Among all indices, the VHI showed the highest correlation with precipitation (moderate (0.3–0.7) in 51.7% and strong (≥0.7) in 45.82% of lands). The output of vegetation indices revealed that the study province has experienced widespread drought in recent years. The results showed that the southern and central regions of the province have faced more severe drought classes. In the second part of this research, hydrological drought monitoring was conducted in fifty third-order sub-basins located within the study province using the Total Water Storage (TWS) deficit, Drought Severity, and Total Storage Deficit Index (TSDI Index). Annual average calculations of the TWS deficit over the period from April 2012 to 2016 indicated a substantial depletion of groundwater reserves in the province, amounting to a cumulative loss of 12.2 km3 Analysis results indicate that drought severity continuously increased in all study basins until the end of the study period. Studies have shown that all the studied basins are facing severe and prolonged water scarcity. Among the 50 studied basins, the Rahmatabad basin, located in the semi-arid northern regions of the province, has experienced the most severe drought. This basin has experienced five drought events, particularly one lasting 89 consecutive months and causing a reduction of more than 665.99 km3. of water in month 1, placing it in a critical condition. On the other hand, the Niskoofan Chabahar basin, located in the tropical southern part of the province near the Sea of Oman, has experienced the lowest reduction in water volume with 10 drought events and a decrease of approximately 111.214 km3. in month 1. However, even this basin has not been spared from prolonged droughts. Analysis of drought index graphs across different severity classes confirmed that all watersheds experienced drought conditions, particularly in the later years of this period. Data analysis revealed a severe water crisis in the province. Urgent and coordinated actions are needed to address this challenge. Transitioning to drought-resistant crops, enhancing irrigation efficiency, and securing water rights are essential steps towards a sustainable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water shortages in arid regions present challenges in administering water and requires robust water accounting. In southeast Idaho, the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer (ESPA) supports an important agricultural sector. Due to connectivity between surface and groundwater in the ESPA, quantifying aquifer recharge is also important. Historically, leaching from excess surface irrigation supported incidental recharge to the ESPA, but more efficient irrigation techniques reduced incidental recharge. This paper outlines a deep infiltration (DI) model developed to evaluate infiltration losses from different irrigation practices and soil types. Twelve scenarios were created to simulate an alfalfa growing season under varying climatic and soil conditions. Under some scenarios, modeled infiltration losses increased by 10%–20% coincident with increased application efficiency. The concept of consumptive use efficiency (CUE) is introduced to quantify the proportion of irrigation beneficially used by crops. The model results show that CUE decreased with increasing application efficiency and suggest CUE could be improved 8%–10% for well-drained loamy soils; clay loam soils showed little opportunity for improvement. The results indicate that more efficient irrigation application techniques may increase DI loss if irrigation schedules do not explicitly include soil water storage for the entire rooting zone. These results indicate that in conditions where losses from DI can be reduced, improving water use efficiency depends on precision irrigation scheduling linked to infiltration rates. This model provides a practical method by which infiltration losses from irrigated lands can be estimated. Considering site-specific infiltration would facilitate and prioritize investments meant to improve water use efficiency. Practical Applications: Irrigation in arid regions usually entails some degree of inefficiency, partly due to water lost through deep percolation. Although some drainage loss occurs under most real-world conditions, it is difficult to measure actual loss. A lack of real information hampers precise estimates and increases uncertainty about actual conveyance and irrigation efficiency. On the other hand, soil infiltration models can utilize existing soil survey maps and guide prioritization and incentives to encourage best practices. This study demonstrates a straightforward application of a soil water drainage model combined with regional soil maps, as could be implemented by water managers. The model was calibrated using observations of crop water use, irrigation application, and soil water content from an irrigated alfalfa field. The calibrated model was then used to describe potential drainage rates from common soil types and weather conditions in southeastern Idaho. The model results indicate that efficient irrigation practices may be best suited to well drained soils, and fewer benefits were observed in poorly drained soils. Even a relatively simple application of this model highlights conditions that are best suited to particular efficiency strategies and help prioritize limited resources for developing best practices for water conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Agricultural Science & Technology (1008-0864) is the property of Journal of Agricultural Science & Technology 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.)

Introduction: To examine the impacts of varied water and nitroge combinations on wheat yield and quality under drip irrigation in the Huang-Huai-Hai area, a field experiment was conducted over two growing seasons of winter wheat from 2019 to 2021. Methods: Traditional irrigation and fertilization methods served as the control (CK), with two nitrogen application rates set: N1 (180 kg/ha) and N2 (210 kg/ha). The irrigation schedules were differentiated by growth stages: jointing, anthesis (S2); jointing, anthesis, and filling (S3); and jointing, booting, anthesis, and filling (S4), at soil depths of 0-10 cm (M1) and 0-20 cm (M2). Results: Results indicated that compared toCK, the 3 and 4 times irrigation treatments comprehensively improved grain yield (GY) by 8.0% and 13.6% respectively, increased the average plant partial factor productivity of nitrogen fertilizer (PFPN) and irrigation use efficiency (IUE) by 57.5% and 38.2%, and 62.2% and 35.8%, respectively. The gluten content (GC) of 3 irrigationswas 1.6% higher than CK, and othermetrics such as dough tenacity (DT), softness (ST), water absorption (WAS), and gluten hardness (GH) also showed improvements. Furthermore, the contents of amylose, amylopectin, and total starch under 3 irrigations significantly increased by 9.4%, 11.4%, and 9.8%, respectively, with higher than 4 irrigations. The crude protein content and soluble sugar content in 3 irrigations rose by 6.5% and 9.8% respectively over two years. These irrigation treatments also optimized gelatinization characteristics of grains, such as breakdown viscosity (BDV), consistency peak viscosity (CPV), consistency setback viscosity (CSV), pasting temperature (PeT), and pasting time (PaT). Discussion: The study demonstrated that appropriate drip irrigation can effectively synchronize water and nitrogen supply during critical growth stages in winter wheat, ensuring robust late-stage development and efficient transfer of photosynthetic products into the grains, thus enhancing grain mass and yield. This also led to improved utilization of water and fertilizer and enhanced the nutritional and processing quality of the grain. However, excessive irrigation did not further improve grain quality. In conclusion, given the goals of saving water and fertilizer, achieving excellent yield, and ensuring high quality, the N1S3M1 treatment is recommended as an effective production management strategy in the Huang-Huai Hai area; N1S3M2 could be considered in years of water scarcity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflow conditions dominate the process of root canal irrigation, and the application of pulsating inflow in dentistry is necessary to be explored due to its mass transfer enhancement capability. A prepared root canal model with a 30G side-vented needle is numerically investigated under pulsating inflow with different frequencies and amplitudes. Root canal apical pressure, extending depth, and effective cleaning area are adopted to evaluate the safety, mass transfer capacity, and clean efficiency of the irrigation system. Time-averaged results show that the irrigation performance is improved with pulsating flow maintaining safety. Compared with steady cases, the extending depth and effective cleaning area are increased by up to 43.6% and 11.42%, respectively. Three typical cases with significant improvement are selected for transient analysis. Transient results show that the apical pressure and extending depth have instant response features, while the effective cleaning area has a time-lag response characteristic. It is convinced that the transient characteristic of the system results from the coupling effects of the pulsating effect, instantaneous flow rate, and Coanda effect. The internal flow distribution of root canal system is prompted under the optimal parameters combinations of pulsating conditions, in which mass transfer capacity and clean efficiency are enhanced with guaranteed safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than one-third of the global population relies on wheat as a staple food. To ultimately reduce inorganic nitrogen (N) usage through applying an organic fertilizer under drip irrigation and evaluate its effect on the yield, quality, and N utilization efficiency of winter wheat (variety Jimai 22) under various irrigation systems, an experiment was established and conducted in Yanghe Town, Jiaozhou City, from October 2020 to June 2022. The trial was designed with seven treatments, including a control (CK), to achieve a 25% total nitrogen reduction in all treatments except for CK. These treatments included drip irrigation with urea as CK, one-time application of urea through drip irrigation (FU1), one-time application of organic water-soluble fertilizer through furrow irrigation (FO1), one-time application of organic water-soluble fertilizer through drip irrigation (DO1), two-time application of organic water-soluble fertilizer through drip irrigation (DO2), one-time application of urea through drip irrigation (DU1), and two-time application of urea through drip irrigation (DU2). The results indicated that the application of a reduced N fertilizer plus an organic fertilizer significantly improved the dry matter accumulation (DMA) and the efficiency of N absorption and thus increased the grain yield. The DO2 treatment significantly exhibited a 15.5% and 16.9% increase in the DMA and the grain DMA in post-anthesis, respectively, compared to those of CK in the season of 2020–2021. Overall, the apparent nitrogen use efficiency with the drip irrigation topdressing treatments (DO1, DO2, DU1, DU2) increased significantly over two years in comparison with the urea fertilization through traditional furrow irrigation (CK), while the DO2 and DU2 treatments improved most significantly in the N use efficiency and N agronomic efficiency. Therefore, a reduced use of the inorganic N fertilizer with some organic fertilizers significantly increased the weight of thousand-grains and the yield of winter wheat, especially in the DO2 treatment, with an 11.7 t/ha and 10.9 t/ha increase, respectively, in both growing seasons of two years, while the DO2 treatment also improved the extensibility of wheat flour dough from grains harvested in both rainy (2020–2021) and less rainy (2021–2022) growing seasons. Therefore, we strongly recommend that two-time application of an organic water-soluble fertilizer through drip irrigation be the option to reduce the use of inorganic N fertilizers and increase the yield and quality of winter wheat under the conditions of this experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecuador is one of the world's leading banana exporters; however, low productivity resulting from inadequate agronomic management requires an analysis of banana production units. This study aimed to define the types of banana production units based on the different agronomic management practices adopted by producers in two Ecuadorian provinces. Data from the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC) for 2021 were used, with a sample of 319 production units. Principal component and cluster analyses were applied to identify the different types of production units, resulting in four types: high technology conventional (Cluster 1), balanced conventional (Cluster 2), intensive conventional (Cluster 3), and agroecological (Cluster 4). It is important to highlight that 58% of the production units are intensive conventional and use an average of 3.5 management practices, with 98% using fertilizers, 100% using fungicides and pesticides, and 45% using improved genotypes. In contrast, agroecological production is still incipient in Ecuador (4.7%). Regression analysis showed that waste is important in high-yield production units in the three clusters. In addition, Cluster 2 relied on regional factors, family labor, and irrigation efficiency, while in intensive conventional farms (Cluster 3), banana yield was related to fungicide application. Therefore, public policies should be customized according to cluster-specific characteristics to optimize agronomic management practices and facilitate their transfer among groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

In order to ensure national grain and oil security, it is imperative to expand the soybean planting area in the Xinjiang region. However, the scarcity of water resources in southern Xinjiang, the relatively backward soybean planting technology, and the lack of a supporting irrigation system have negatively impacted soybean planting and yield. In 2022 and 2023, we conducted an experiment which included three irrigation amounts of 27 mm, 36 mm, and 45 mm and analyzed the changes in dry mass and yield. Additionally, we simulated the potential yield using the corrected DSSAT-CROPGRO-Soybean model and biomass based on the meteorological data from 1994 to 2023. The results demonstrated that the model was capable of accurately predicting soybean emergence (the relative root mean square error (nRMSE) = 0, the absolute relative error (ARE) = 0), flowering (nRMSE = 0, ARE = 2.78%), maturity (nRMSE = 0, ARE = 3.21%). The model demonstrated high levels of accuracy in predicting soybean biomass (R2 = 0.98, nRMSE = 20.50%, ARE = 20.63%), 0–80 cm soil water storage (R2 = 0.64, nRMSE = 7.78%, ARE = 3.24%), and yield (R2 = 0.81, nRMSE = 10.83%, ARE = 8.79%). The biomass of soybean plants increases with the increase in irrigation amount. The highest biomass of 63 mm is 9379.19 kg·hm−2. When the irrigation yield is 36–45 mm (p < 0.05), the maximum yield can reach 4984.73 kg·hm−2; the maximum efficiency of soybean irrigation water was 33–36 mm. In light of the impact of soybean yield and irrigation water use efficiency, the optimal irrigation amount for soybean cultivation in southern Xinjiang is estimated to be between 36 and 42 mm. The simulation results provide a theoretical foundation for soybean cultivation in southern Xinjiang. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Menoufia Journal of Plant Production 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.)

About 90% of the Texas High Plains area depends on the water supply from the Ogallala aquifer. The decline of the Ogallala water table raises a concern for the sustainability of producing the traditional irrigated field crops due to their high water demand. Thus, diversifying cropping systems may be a solution. However, about 70% of the irrigated cropland uses center pivots that may negatively impact specialty crop quality. Thus, a 3-year experiment was conducted to assess the potential of using mobile drip irrigation (MDI) to produce fresh watermelon compared to center pivot sprinkler irrigation using low-elevation spray application (LESA), and surface drip irrigation with plastic mulch (DI). The study evaluated the effects of irrigation systems on crop yield, fruit quality, physiological responses, water use efficiency (WUE), and irrigation use efficiency (IUE). On average, plants under MDI had higher yields (106 Mg ha−1) than those under DI (70 Mg ha−1) and LESA (68 Mg ha−1). Plants under MDI and DI also had more fruits per plant (1.9) than those under LESA (1.4). The higher yield was associated with higher biomass and photosynthetic function. In general, fruit quality was not affected by irrigation system. In addition, plants under MDI system showed a higher WUE and IUE, and less water stress than those under LESA and DI systems. Results of this study suggest that irrigating under an MDI system is a good alternative for growers in the Texas High Plains that aim to diversify their cropping system with high-value vegetable crops such as watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Rural Water & Hydropower is the property of China Rural Water & Hydropower Editorial Office 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 aim of this work is to study the biological and economic effect of growing soybeans at high soil moisture. The experiment is two-year and was conducted in the experimental field of AU - Plovdiv in 2009 and 2010. The variants are: 1) No irrigation, 2) Irrigation at 80% FC (field capacity), 3) Irrigation at 90% FC. When maintaining higher pre-irrigation moisture, the number of irrigation applications increases by an average of 3, and irrigation rates decrease by between 22 and 53%. The duration of the irrigation period increases by ten days. According to the results, the maintenance of high soil moisture for soybean is unjustified from a biological point of view, since the increase in the productive potential of the plants is not realized in reality. It can be considered that regardless of the irrigation method, the pre-irrigation humidity should be no higher than 80% FC for the soil layer 0-60 cm. When maintaining high soil moisture (above 90% FC), production costs increase by an average of 11%, without increasing the cost price and hardly affecting the net income, and the results for this indicator are not unidirectional. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is dedicated to the development and research of the advanced IoT-based fuzzy control system of the irrigation process for smart farming complexes of various types. The proposed automatic control system makes it possible to attain sufficiently high quality indicators of the soil moisture and pH control, which significantly improve the overall efficiency of irrigation processes and, as a result, the processes of growing various plants. In particular, more accurate control of soil moisture and pH allows improving soil microbial activity, optimizing nutrient uptake, increasing water utilization efficiency within the cultivated plants, which directly contribute to increased crop yields and sustainable resource management in agriculture. The designed system is created based on the principles of (a) hierarchical two-level IoT-based control, (b) simple and reliable two-channel fuzzy logic control with high performance and accuracy, as well as (c) easy customization and adaptability for various smart farming complexes. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed advanced system, the simulation experiments for automatic control of an irrigation process using the developed fuzzy controllers are carried out in this study at given optimal parameters (soil moisture and pH level) of growing conditions for two different crops: tomato and beet. The analysis of the obtained results of computer simulation shows that the designed system has higher efficiency and quality indicators compared to existing analogs when used for two different crops with significantly different optimal parameters of growing conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives Replacing the pressurized irrigation system with surface irrigation is one of the proposed solutions to increase irrigation efficiency. The low-pressure network consists of pipes that receives water from main and/or secondary canals or pipes and usually delivers it to farm units or hydro-flume pipes for surface irrigation with a pressure of lower than 10m of water. Various parameters affect the feasibility and design of low-pressure irrigation, which determine the economic justification of the plan, energy consumption, and its social desirability. In recent years, there has been more interest in implementing low-pressure irrigation instead of open tertiary canals. The reason for this is the reduction of water losses in the distribution and delivery process, the possibility of better management of water distribution, the possibility of volume delivery of water to agricultural plots, and the possibility of irrigating more lands. But there are still ambiguities in its economic and technical issues, and no significant research has been done on its design issues and parameters affecting its economic aspect. In this research, the design of a low-pressure distribution system instead of the open canals and the simultaneous consideration of social and executive issues in an irrigation area are considered. In addition, network design based on different design options (pressure-energy consumption), evaluation and comparison of two types of sub-networks from an economic and operational view have been proposed as research objectives. Focusing on the correct selection of the pump (with a lower energy consumption approach) and estimating for the economic comparison of the two methods of irrigation have been done. Methodology The land of Keyzarin village (with an area of 144 hectares) is located on the right bank of the Tangab river in Fars province. The lands of the right bank use the springs of the region. Although these springs can reduce the withdrawal from underground aquifers as a suitable water source, but the low efficiency of water transfer and distribution in the traditional canals has caused a significant reduction in the delivered water to the farms. The characteristics of the irrigation network in the current situation are as follows: a canal with a length of 610 meters and a design flow of 360 L s-1, leads a part of the water of the "Qomp Atashkade" spring to the dividing point and divides it equally into two canals. In order to design low-pressure instead of the open canal, the layout of water conveyance and distribution lines is determined. The initial pipes' diameter is determined according to the optimal speed, and then, the appropriate pump is selected based on the design flow rate and the topography of the area. In this research, the pressure control system is selected according to the topography of the region and the slope of the land, the type of closed system. Socially, the available option for the layout of pipes is to follow the arrangement of the traditional canals. From a technical point of view, there are several options that, the main difference between them is in the hydraulic design and the type of pump used; So that, accordingly, the number of pumps, the commercial diameter of the pipes and the amount of energy consumed in each option are determined. Therefore, these options need to be compared technically and economically. In this research, 14 scenarios are defined based on 7 types of pump designs and two output pressures. The energy consumption of each scenario has been calculated according to the flow rate and cropping pattern in each irrigation season. Then, the comparison of costs in low-pressure and open canals network is calculated and compared. Findings The cost of constructing an open tertiary network per hectare of land is equal to 990 million Rials. The costs of earthworks with machines, which are related to the volume of cut and fill, and then the cost of in-situ concrete, respectively, constitute the largest percentage of the total costs of the canal networks. Based on the results of the quantity surveying and estimating of the low-pressure sub-network, the cost of constructing for each hectare is equal to 1654 million Rials. The costs of providing polyethylene pipes, purchasing valves and piping operations constitute the highest costs of constructing a low-pressure network, respectively. However, if the operation and maintenance costs are not met (by the government or farmers) and if the maintenance and operation of the low-pressure pipes is neglected, the resulting problems will disable the network completely. The construction of the low-pressure network in the studied area can make 3.6 hectares of land available to farmers due to the less space occupied by this network and also increase the cultivated area by 21.6 hectares (A total of 17.5% is added to the cultivated land in the irrigated area). Considering the quality of land in the region, the price of each hectare of irrigated land and rainfed land in the region is estimated to be one billion Rials and 300 million Rials, respectively. Therefore, as a result of the implementation of the low-pressure network, the profit from the increase in the price of agricultural land (conversion of rainfed to irrigated) will be equal to 18 billion Rials, which is equal to 83% of the total cost of the construction of the low-pressure network. Proper layout of lands in low pressure irrigation can reduce the costs of construction of the network. Also, the amount of more land that can be cultivated after the implementation of low-pressure irrigation and the amount of reduction of land waste compared to open canals can be effective in the economic justification and acceptability of the development of low-pressure irrigation. In low-pressure networks, repairs and maintenance, unlike open canals, are somehow mandatory, and if it is not done to a reasonable extent, water will not be distributed. From this point of view, the cost of maintenance and operation of low-pressure networks in developing countries is estimated to be more than that of open irrigation canals. Conclusion Low-pressure networks were chosen as the superior option for tertiary canals due to various technical advantages and also to compensate for the initial implementation costs by increasing the water transmission efficiency and increasing the cultivated area. Based on the results obtained, it can be said that despite the acceptability of low-pressure irrigation, comprehensive studies should be done in each region for its implementation, and the specific topographical, agricultural, operation, and economic-social conditions in a region may not be consistent with its implementation. Also, for the design, special attention should be paid to the final output pressure, the precise design of the pumps based on different options and the type of lowpressure irrigation network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives Water shortage and the need for its optimal use in arid and semi-arid regions, including Iran, has led water officials and farmers to use modern irrigation systems, such as drip irrigation with the aim of making optimal use of water resources. Drip irrigation has been welcomed in most parts of the world due to its high efficiency and the possibility of irrigation in different environmental conditions. The most important reason for the superiority of drip irrigation over other irrigation methods is the controllable amount of water for each plant. Drip irrigation is a method in which water is poured out of the net at low pressure through an orifice or device called an emitter and dripped into the bottom of the plant. This irrigation system, like other methods, requires accurate knowledge of the parameters affecting it to achieve the desired efficiency. One of the most important parameters for the irrigation system is the distribution of moisture in the soil and in fact the shape of the moist bulb. Therefore, knowledge of how to distribute water in the soil is essential for the proper design and management of subsurface drip irrigation systems. Since testing is very difficult and time consuming to detect the shape of moisture distribution in the soil, the use of numerical and analytical simulation can be an effective and efficient way to design these systems. Methodology In order to determine the progress of the moisture front in drip irrigation, first the soil texture type and physical properties of the soil were determined. It should be noted that the emitter flow rate was measured and adjusted in volume at the beginning of the test to minimize the difference between the emitter flows along the three side tubes. Evaluation experiments were performed with three outflows of 2, 4 and 6 liters per hour. With the start of the system, the progress of the moisture front at different times was measured by digging a trench using a scale. Numerical simulation of moisture front progress was performed using HYDRUS model based on Richard equation and analytical simulation was performed using Moment Analysis. HYDRUS software was used to numerically simulate the progress of the moisture front. The simulation range was considered to be 100 cm by 100 cm on the two-dimensional plane. In these simulations, 3956 nodes are used to represent the entire simulation range and also, relevant equations were used to calculate the two-dimensional spatial Moment of the wetting pattern . Findings The simulations show that the initial volumetric moisture content is 0.11 and the saturation volumetric moisture content is 0.380 and the water dispersion rate increases over time on the x and z axes. With increasing flow, the maximum dispersion is in the x-axis, which occurs in flow of 6 liters per hour. The result for flow of 6 liters per hour based on the data used is slightly higher than the desired value. The reason why the value of M00 in the flow rate of 6 liters per hour is higher than expected, is that in the simulation flow rate of 6 liters per hour change in the size of the inlet diameter and the amount of flux changes the amount of water entering the soil and moistens a large volume of soil. Due to the different amount of moisture applied to the area at different times, the value of 𝑧𝑐, 𝜎𝑥 2, 𝜎𝑧 2 is different and has caused a change in the size of the oval in different flows. The increase in the size of the ovals indicates the high dispersion of water in that area. The results showed that the Moment analysis was able to express the position of the center of mass of water distributed in the soil with correlation coefficient of 0.986 in linear mode and 0.982 in logarithmic mode. By comparing the values of diameter and depth obtained from the HYDRUS and the drawn ovals, it can be concluded that both methods provide close results. The accuracy of the Moment analysis method in simulating different types of moisture patterns resulting from drip irrigation under different flows with the use of different volumes of water is similar to the HYDRUS model and therefore it is possible to use this feature to predict the pattern of moisture from a certain flow using a specific volume of water . Conclusion In this study, the accuracy of Moment analysis in simulating various moisture patterns resulting from drip irrigation under different flows with the use of different volumes of water was investigated and the possibility of using this feature to predict the pattern of moisture from a given flow using a specific volume of water checked. In order to investigate the Moment of the amount of water distributed in the soil by subsurface drip irrigation, simulation was performed by two-dimensional HYDRUS software for three discharges of 2, 4 and 6 liters per hour with an inlet water volume of 12 liters. Then, using the results of simulation of moisture distribution range by a programming language including MATLAB software, and by calculating the Moments, it was determined that the Moments are able to express the position of the center of mass of water distributed in the soil and how it is distributed relative to x and z axes. The increase in the size of the ovals indicates that more water is distributed in that area. Comparing the diameters and depths of the moisture front between the simulated HYDRUS model and the Moment analysis model, it was found that the Moment analysis is an efficient way to study the distribution of water moisture by drip irrigation and this method can be used as an alternative input to estimate parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives Given the global shortage of renewable water resources and the agricultural sector's high share of water consumption, increasing water productivity is very important. Corn is an important type of fodder that is harvested for consumption as silage of the whole plant (Coors et al., 1997). Despite having one harvest stage, this plant has a high dry matter yield. Its silage is easily prepared and it is a tasty fodder with stable quality for livestock and has higher energy than other fodder (Curran and Posch, 2000). Research results in Hamedan province in two traditional and modern irrigation systems showed that the average physical water productivity for fodder corn in traditional and modern irrigation systems was 5.11 and 6.67 kg per cubic meter of water, respectively. The average economic water productivity for fodder corn in traditional and modern irrigation system was 7678 and 10068 rials per cubic meter of water, respectively (Seyedan and Mottaghi, 2019). The main purpose of this article was to measure the water received in the field of fodder corn fields in Behbahan city and to investigate their physical and economic water productivity. To do this, the applied irrigation water, physical and economic water productivity under different agricultural management and in irrigation networks and systems can be compared and evaluated. Methodology This research was carried out in the field and in order to investigate the effects of independent variables on applied irrigation water, physical and economic water productivity in the cultivation of fodder corn in irrigation methods and networks under the management of farmers in the cropping season of 2016-2017 in Behbahan city. In 12 farms, the applied fodder corn irrigation water was measured (without interfering in their irrigation program). The effective rainfall of the 2016-2017 crop year in Behbahan city was calculated using the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) method. To determine the applied irrigation water, first, the inflow rate from the selected water source was measured with a suitable device (WSC flume, water meter and ultrasonic flow meter). The SPSS16 software was used for step-by-step linear multivariate regression analysis. Linear multivariate regression analysis was used to investigate the effects of independent variables on dependent parameters. One-way analysis of variance was performed with SPSS16 software. The purpose of using one-way analysis of variance was to statistically show a significant difference between the averages of two or more "independent "groups. In order to compare the indicators of physical and economic water productivity, there was a need to resolve the difference. Therefore, to solve the scale difference, the common method of Z-Score standardization was used. Findings The results of the analysis of variance in the regression model showed that the growth period of the plant had the most significant positive effect on the amount of irrigation water with the t-statistic of 5.288. Performance with a t-statistic of 5.919 had the most significant positive effect on economic water productivity. Among the independent variables, yield and applied irrigation water had the most significant positive and negative effect on the physical productivity of water with the values of 6.419 and -6.381, respectively. The applied irrigation water varied from 4826 to 14733 cubic meters per hectare. The results of the analysis of variance and the descriptive results of the mean of the traits showed that the highest value of physical water productivity was equal to 10.128 kg/m3 in sprinkler irrigation and the lowest value was 4.818 kg/m3 in surface irrigation in the traditional network. So, they had a significant difference. Moreover, the calculated Z-Score values showed that 50 and 33% of the sprinkler and surface irrigation farms (modern network) had acceptable economic productivity, but 100% of the surface irrigation farms in the traditional network did not provide acceptable economic productivity. Conclusion The amount of irrigation water used in the fields with sprinkler irrigation method was 46 and 33% lower than traditional and modern network fields that were irrigated by surface irrigation method. Also, the consumption of irrigation water in the surface irrigation method in the traditional network was 20% more than the surface irrigation in the modern irrigation network. This increase in water consumption was effective in reducing the irrigation efficiency of traditional networks compared to modern networks that irrigated with surface irrigation. The reason for the higher consumption of irrigation water in the surface irrigation method in the modern network compared to sprinkler irrigation can be attributed to the following factors: 1- The lack of irrigation management during the change of the irrigation shift of the fields, which sometimes happens due to the absence of the irrigation worker during the shift change. 2- Lack of control of the incoming water of the fields due to the lack of meters or devices to measure the incoming flow. 3- Improper leveling of lands under the modern irrigation network, which increases the irrigation time of these fields. By covering the traditional irrigation canals with concrete or other coverings suitable for the climate of the region, water losses can be reduced. Also, the necessary training for the correct use and management of irrigation water according to the different stages of fodder corn growth will be effective in reducing water consumption. Water according to the stages of growth and development of the plant prevented the occurrence of under-irrigation stress in the stages of flowering and seed filling, which is the most important stage sensitive to water stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examines factors affecting sprinkler irrigation system distribution uniformity, including sprinkler type, operating pressure and computer software design. The pressures used were 1.5, 2.1, and 2.5 bar for spray nozzles 4A and 17A, and 1.7, 2, 2.5, and 3 bar for rotor nozzles 1 and 3. The results showed a strong correlation, with (R2) values of 0.996 and 0.973, between SIDUL-Program (Sprinkler Irrigation Distribution Uniformity for Landscape–Program) and Excel program with respect to coefficient of uniformity (CU) and distribution uniformity (DU) respectively, suggesting a strong correlation between the two programs. The HEDIA program validated the SIDUL–Program, revealing a 0.42% difference in CU values between the two programs for rotor nozzle 3, indicating also a strong correlation (R2 = 0.953) between the two programs. The results showed that DU for spray 4A at a pressure of 2.1 bar was 7.4%, higher than DU at a pressure of 1.5 bar; the CU for spray 17A was 11.9% higher, as supported by manufacturer specifications. The study concluded that calculating CU and DU using the SIDUL–Program is critical for assessing sprinkler performance in irrigation systems since it considers factors such as soil type, irrigation 1methods and location; in addition to being easy to use and accurate com-pared to other programs.

One of the main challenges in super high-density olive is maintaining hedgerow structure suitable for mechanical harvesting. Deficit irrigation strategies (DI) can contribute to this maintenance. In this study, three DI treatments at 50% of the Control (DI-1: budbreak to pre-bloom, DI-2: fruit set to pit hardening, and DI-3: pit hardening to harvest) were applied to 6-year-old Arbequina hedgerows in a semi-arid environment of Argentina over three consecutive seasons. The mean applied water reduction was 12% for DI-1 and 16% for DI-2 and DI-3, compared to Control (100% of ETc throughout the cycle). DI-3 achieved the narrowest hedgerows at harvest, where canopy height was responsive to irrigation and canopy width was affected by fruit load but not by the irrigation regime. DI-1 demonstrated similar fruit and oil yields to Control throughout the experiment, while DI-2 only had comparable yields to Control in Off-season. DI-3 had the lowest oil yields, averaging – 27% in Off and On-seasons. The fruit number was similar among treatments in all seasons, indicating that differences in final yield were related to fruit size and oil concentration. Further studies are needed to determine the optimal duration and intensity of the water deficit for DI-3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) fertilization plays a pivotal role in the nitrogen transport process and yield formation of field-grown Tibetan barley (Hordeum vulgare L., qingke in Chinese); however, little is known about its interaction with irrigation regimes. Here, we performed a control experiment to investigate the effects of irrigation regimes (primary irrigation and double irrigation, mentioned as W1 and W2) and N levels (0, 90, 120, and 150 kg ha−1, mentioned as N0, N9, N12, and N15) on the nitrogen accumulation, translocation, and utilization of Tibetan barley in the Tibetan Plateau during the spring barley seasons in 2022. The results showed that the highest yield (6242.28 kg ha−1) and aboveground biomass (12,354.13 kg ha−1 for anthesis; 15,827.9 kg ha−1 for maturity) were achieved in W2N15 as compared to other treatments. The maximum grain N accumulation (117.66 kg ha−1), the N translocation (54.16 kg ha−1), and the post-anthesis N accumulation (63.5 kg ha−1) were achieved in the W1N15 treatment. The N utilization efficiency increased with irrigation frequency and decreased with N application; however, the conclusion given by the N agronomic efficiency is contrary to this trend. The grain yield had significant positive correlations with the grain N accumulation (W1: r = 0.98; W2: r = 0.97) and N translocation (W1: r = 0.84; W2: r = 0.94), but significant negative correlations with the N harvest index (W1: r = −0.95; W2: r = −0.95) and N utilization efficiency (W1: r = −0.9; W2: r = −0.85). The path analysis revealed that the factors related to N utilization (β = 0.875) and the factors related to N translocation (β = −1.426) were the significant direct contributors towards grain yield. The influence of N application (total effect = 0.922) on the grain yield was much stronger than that of the irrigation regime (total effect = 0.324). Our findings can guide future efforts in designing sustainable water and N fertilizer management strategies for Tibetan barley in the Tibetan Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the era of smart agriculture, efficient irrigation management is crucial for optimizing crop yield and resource use. Traditional methods of plant disease detection often rely on manual inspection, which is time-consuming and prone to errors. Smart agriculture leverages technology to improve agricultural practices. Accurate and timely plant disease detection is vital for effective irrigation management and overall crop health. Current methods are limited by their manual nature and inability to process large volumes of data quickly. Manual plant disease detection is labor-intensive and may not provide timely information, leading to inefficient irrigation practices. This inefficiency can result in reduced crop yield and wasted resources. LeNet integrates advanced image processing techniques with a deep learning architecture tailored for plant disease detection. The model utilizes convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to analyze plant leaf images, identifying disease patterns with high precision. LeNet incorporates preprocessing steps such as image normalization and augmentation to enhance model robustness. The network is trained on a comprehensive dataset of plant disease images, employing transfer learning to leverage pre-trained weights for improved accuracy. Evaluation of LeNet on a test dataset comprising 10,000 images demonstrated an impressive accuracy of 92.5%, with a precision of 90.3% and recall of 94.1%. The model significantly outperforms traditional methods, reducing disease detection time by 60% and enhancing irrigation efficiency by 30%. The reduction in water usage and increased crop yield were observed in practical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising population strains food resources; reusing wastewater increases but brings microbial and heavy metal pollution, impacting nature and human health. Among environmental pollutants, heavy metals in wastewater are a major concern. Using magnetized water is a method to improve water and soil quality. The aim of this research is to investigate the effect of using treated magnetized wastewater on the chemical properties and tracking of heavy metals in the soil, performance and yield components, water efficiency, and absorption of heavy metals by maize plant. Irrigation treatments consisted of various water and wastewater blending ratios under both magnetic and non-magnetic field application conditions. The results showed that the effect of irrigation water and mixing of water and wastewater on electrical conductivity, soil salts and heavy metals in different depths were significant at 1% probability level. On average, irrigation with magnetized wastewater caused a significant increase in grain yield (9.8%) and biological yield of maize (10.63%) compared to non-magnetized wastewater treatment. Irrigation with magnetized wastewater caused a significant increase in biological (10.92%) and physical (10.13%) productivities compared to non-magnetized wastewater treatment. With applying a magnetic field resulted in a reduction of 17.99%, 23.25%, 17.86%, and 17.12% in the concentration of lead, cadmium, zinc, and nickel in the aerial parts of the plant, respectively, compared to the non-magnetized water treatment. Magnetized water increases the water use efficiency of maize and irrigation management with this technology can be useful in more effective and economical use of limited water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater return flow to streams is important for maintaining aquatic habitat and providing water to downstream users, particularly in irrigated watersheds experiencing water scarcity. However, in many agricultural regions, increased irrigation efficiency has reduced return flows and their subsequent in‐stream benefits. Agricultural managed aquifer recharge (Ag‐MAR)—where artificial recharge is conducted via irrigation canals and agricultural fields—may be a tool to recover these return flows, but implementation is challenged by water supply and water management. Using climate‐driven streamflow simulations, an integrated operations‐hydrology model, and a regional groundwater model, we investigated the potential for Ag‐MAR to recover return flows in the Henrys Fork Snake River, Idaho (USA). We simulated potential Ag‐MAR operations for water years 2023–2052, accounting for both future water supply conditions and local water management rules. We determined that Ag‐MAR operations reduced springtime peak flow at the watershed outlet by 10%–14% after accounting for return flows. Recharge contribution to streamflow peaked in July and November, increasing July–August streamflow by 6%–14% and November–March streamflow by 9%–14%. Furthermore, sites where Ag‐MAR was conducted incidental to flood irrigation had more water available for recharge, compared to sites requiring recharge rights, which are junior in priority to agricultural rights. Mean annual recharge volume for the incidental recharge sites averaged 12% of annual natural streamflow, ranged from 269 to 335 Mm3, and was largely available in April and October. We demonstrate Ag‐MAR can effectively recover groundwater return flows when applied as flood irrigation on agricultural land with senior‐priority water rights. Plain Language Summary: Some water that seeps into the ground follows underground pathways and flows into rivers. This water is called groundwater return flow and is important in water‐scarce regions. Groundwater return flow increases streamflow and provides more water to farms and fish downstream but is decreasing in many agricultural regions. Agricultural managed aquifer recharge (Ag‐MAR) may be a tool to save these return flows. Ag‐MAR uses canals and agricultural fields to artificially increase the amount of water that seeps into the ground, but conducting Ag‐MAR can be difficult during water shortages and/or due to water management rules. We investigated the possibility of using Ag‐MAR to recover return flows in the Henrys Fork Snake River, Idaho (USA), accounting for both future water supply conditions and rules that limit access to water supply. We simulated 30 years of future conditions and found that water for Ag‐MAR is largely available at sites with senior‐priority water rights. We also found that conducting Ag‐MAR reduced peak springtime streamflows by 10%–14% but increased summer streamflow by 6%–14% and winter streamflow by 9%–14%. Thus, Ag‐MAR can effectively recover groundwater return flows in our study area. Key Points: Water was reliably available to conduct agricultural managed aquifer recharge (Ag‐MAR) via flood irrigation with senior‐priority water rights, even in dry yearsWater was available in <30% of years to conduct Ag‐MAR at designated recharge basins with junior‐priority water rightsAg‐MAR generated return flows that increased July–August streamflow by 6%–14% and November–March streamflow by 9%–14% [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring the soil water content (SWC) is a fundamental component of the sustainable management of water resources, soil preservation, and high irrigation efficiency. Non-destructive SWC measurements using soil moisture sensors (SMSs) enables timely irrigation and reduces overirrigation and water stress. Within this context, the performance of four commercial single-point soil moisture sensors (Watermark and tensiometer (Irrometer Company, Inc., Riverside, CA, USA), SM150 (Delta-T Devices, Cambridge, UK)), FieldScout TDR300 (Spectrum Technologies, Aurora, IL, USA) and one soil profile PR2 probe (Delta-T Devices, Cambridge, UK) were tested under anthropogenic eutric cambisol with a silty clay loamy texture (20, 30, and 40 cm) to evaluate accuracy and sensitivity to changes in the SWC in an irrigated apple orchard. The Watermark and tensiometer were additionally tested in the laboratory to convert soil water tension (kPa) to the volumetric soil water content (%vol.). In general, all tested SMSs responded to changes in the SWC, with sensor-to-sensor differences. The Watermark and tensiometer underestimated the SWC, while the TDR overestimated the SWC. The SM150 and PR2 showed high accuracy, i.e., SM150—RMSE-2.24 (20 cm), 2.18 (30 cm) and 2.34 (40 cm), MSE—5.02 (20 cm), 2.93 (30 cm) and 1.89 (40 cm), and PR2—RMSE-1.8 (20 cm), 1.3 (30 cm) and 1.55 (40 cm), MSE-3.23 (20 cm), 1.7 (30 cm) and 2.39 (40 cm) at all observed soil depths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater resources serve as the primary source of water in the agro-pastoral ecotone of northern China, where scarcity of water resources constrains the development of agriculture and animal husbandry. As a typical rainfed agricultural area, the agro-pastoral ecotone in Inner Mongolia is entirely dependent on groundwater for agricultural irrigation. Due to the substantial groundwater consumption of irrigated farmland, groundwater levels have been progressively declining. To obtain a sustainable irrigation pattern that significantly conserves water, this study faces the challenge of unclear water transport relationships among water, soil, and crops, undefined water cycle mechanism in typical irrigation units, and water use efficiency, which was not assessed. Therefore, this paper, based on in situ experimental observations and daily meteorological data in 2022–2023, utilized the DSSAT model to explore the growth processes of potato, oat, alfalfa, and sunflower, the soil water dynamics, the water balance, and water use efficiency, analyzed over a typical irrigation area. The results indicated that the simulation accuracy of the DSSAT model was ARE < 10%, nRMSE/% < 10%, and R2 ≥ 0.85. The consumption of the soil moisture during the rapid growth stage for the potatoes, oats, alfalfa, and sunflower was 7–13% more than that during the other periods, and the yield was 67,170, 3345, 6529, and 4020 kg/ha, respectively. The soil evaporation of oat, potato, alfalfa, and sunflower accounted for 18–22%, 78–82%; 57–68%, and 32–43%, and transpiration accounted for 40–44%, 56–60%, 45–47%, and 53–55% of ETa (333.8 mm–369.2 mm, 375.2 mm–414.2 mm, 415.7 mm–453.7 mm, and 355.0 mm–385.6 mm), respectively. It was advised that irrigation water could be appropriately reduced to decrease ineffective water consumption. The water use efficiency and irrigation water use efficiency for potatoes was at the maximum amount, ranging from 16.22 to 16.62 kg/m3 and 8.61 to 10.81 kg/m3, respectively, followed by alfalfa, sunflowers, and oats. For the perspective of water productivity, it was recommended that potatoes could be extensively cultivated, alfalfa planted appropriately, and oats and sunflowers planted less. The findings of this study provided a theoretical basis for efficient water resource use in the agro-pastoral ecotone of Northern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, the world population has grown rapidly, having surpassed the 7 billion mark in 2017. Projections indicate that in 2050, this number will rise to more than 9 billion. This increase will imply greater consumption of resources, namely water and food, on a planetary scale. It is the task of the agricultural sector, especially irrigated agriculture, to respond to this need and produce enough food to meet the growing food demand. It is necessary, however, to ensure that water consumption by the agricultural sector is balanced. The objective of the present investigation was to evaluate the performance of irrigation systems by determining uniformity coefficients of water distribution on the plot considering the water needs of the cultural occupation. To this end, water was collected in two plots: citrus, whose size is 3 x 6 m, and banana, whose size is 2 x 2 m. To do this, the containers were placed at the beginning of the line, at one third, at two thirds and at the end, as per Keller and Karmeli (1975). The uniformity coefficients were classified as fair for the citrus fruit portion (81,6%) and poor for the banana portion (69,4%). The evaluation of the performance of the irrigation systems, carried out through the determination of uniformity coefficients of water distribution on the plot, made it possible to verify that the performance of the systems is far from what was desired, namely, taking into account the values reported in much of the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface irrigation is one of the most common irrigation methods. Due to the low efficiency of surface irrigation, water loss is significant in this system. It is necessary to know the characteristics and coefficients of water infiltration rate in the soil for accurate and adequate planning of surface irrigation. One of the equations used in this field is Phillip's infiltration equation. In this study, the infiltration coefficients of Phillip's equation and Manning's roughness coefficient in border irrigation are determined based on the comparison of the actual advance curve with the advance curve calculated with the dynamic wave model, and the results were compared with the double cylinder method and the two-point method of Ebrahimian et al. (5). The actual infiltration volume was obtained from the difference between the inlet and outlet volumes. The error of the mentioned method in calculating the infiltration volume was 5.53%. Meanwhile, the errors in the double cylinder and two-point Ebrahimian (5) method were 59.62% and 19.08%, respectively. In heavy soils, the longer the length of the border increases, the method is more accurate in estimating Philip's coefficients, while in light soils, the advancing time, which in addition to length is a function of permeability, input discharge, and the slope of the bottom of the bed is increased, the accuracy of the method in estimating Philip's penetration coefficients is increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prolonged drought exacerbated by climate change in the Mesilla Valley, one of the major agricultural areas of New Mexico, USA, is causing a shortage of surface water from the Rio Grande for irrigation. Farmers in the Valley are using groundwater for irrigation and complementing it with limited surface water from the river (Rio Grande). Managing irrigation water better is vital to sustaining agriculture in the Valley. Remote sensing (RS)-based crop evapotranspiration (ETa) models offer significant advantages over traditional methods. The ET maps generated by these RS models provide valuable information that can be used to manage irrigation water and crops in water-scarce areas. This study used METRIC and SSEBop RS models to map the ET of alfalfa on a private farm that is managed as commonly practiced in the Valley. The integrated ET values of the two models are compared to those of the ETa measured using the eddy covariance method. The comparison showed that 91.55% of the variability in SSEBop ETa estimates can be explained by the variability in the METRIC ETa estimates, and the variability in eddy covariance ETa can explain 93.07% of the variability in METRIC ETa and 86.01% in the SSEBop Eta estimates. Both METRIC and SSEBop reflected the ETa of alfalfa during full growth and harvesting periods. However, the absolute percent mean relative difference (MRD) of ET was higher for two out of three cuttings by SSEBop (>32%) compared to those for METRIC and eddy covariance. The spatiotemporal variabilities in crop ET estimates using METRIC and SSEBop showed a need to improve on-farm irrigation conveyance and on-the-field irrigation efficiency. Overall, RS models can provide spatiotemporal maps of ET that can be used for decision-making to manage irrigation water better and improve crop yield on a field, farm, and regional scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irrigation efficiency is important for the environment and the economy. SIMDualKc has been effectively used to calculate evaporation and transpiration separately in vineyards for different irrigation strategies, but not to analyze the impact of irrigation frequency. This study was conducted for the in-field adjustment of the soil wetted fraction (wf) with a time domain reflectometry (TDR) sensor as a function of different irrigation frequency treatments (T03, T07, and T15 with irrigation every 3, 7, and 15 days, respectively). Evaporation and transpiration values were estimated separately with the SIMDualKc model for different irrigation frequencies with the adjusted wf, comparing them with vineyard field measurements and analyzing the effect of different irrigation frequencies on vineyard yield. The wf in T15 was higher than that in T07, which in turn was higher than that in T03. SIMDualKc indicates the most unfavorable treatment to be the T07, with higher evaporation and lower transpiration than T15 and T03, while T15 had higher evaporation and lower transpiration than T03. Although stomatic conductance also indicates the most unfavorable case to be T07, no clear differences were found between T03 and T15. No statistically significant differences were obtained in yield. The results indicate that the differences observed between irrigation frequencies are not reflected in yield but do show up in water use efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water balance (WB) of three irrigated and isolated rice fields (1, 2, and 3) was examined during the dry season of rice cultivation in Makurdi from April 5 to May 6, 2023. Rice is mostly cultivated in the wet season, while dry season rice cultivation is limited by high irrigation costs, funding, and technical knowledge amidst vast water resources around the floodplains. Limited or no research estimates the water balance of a rice field in dry season Makurdi. WB took account of water inputs, outputs, and changes in soil water content (ΔW) in each water balance period. In Field 1, the WB showed a negative ΔW (–42.94 mm), which suggests that adequate water inputs are required to balance the water lost (outputs). The WB showed a positive ΔW of (89.36 mm and 464.75 mm) in Fields 2 and 3, suggesting that the water inputs be minimized to avoid wastage. The total irrigation in Fields 1, 2, and 3 was 499.28 mm, 1,186.95 mm, and 1,400.27 mm, respectively. The irrigation efficiency in Fields 1, 2, and 3 was 39.8%, 29.9%, and 20.9% respectively. The result indicates that Field 1’s rice cultivation can be improved by providing adequate irrigation and enhancing the soil water retention capacity, while proper irrigation scheduling can improve Fields 2 and 3 rice productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The FAO WaPOR (Water Productivity Open Access Portal) is a significant initiative developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). It provides extensive datasets derived from remote sensing, specifically aimed at monitoring water productivity in agriculture. The primary goal of WaPOR is to enhance water use efficiency and promote sustainable agricultural practices globally. Given the importance of this datasets and with the objective to streamline access to the datasets for users, we have developed WaPLUGIN. WaPLUGIN is a QGIS plugin designed to help users easily retrieve WaPOR datasets directly into QGIS environment and enables the computation of various performance metrics that are useful to assess efficiency of the irrigation schemes. This plugin is a useful tool which helps users and stakeholders to focus on the interpretation of the datasets and make subsequent decisions. The plugin also helps to download and process the WaPOR data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainability of agricultural commodities produced in the Southern U.S. under irrigation is increasingly at risk due to erratic rainfall patterns, inadequate water supplies and compromised water quality. This study assessed the needs of crop growers in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Southern Region. The purpose was to identify growers' critical water resource management concerns to identify research priorities from the perspective of growers in this region. To obtain this information, a questionnaire was developed and distributed to growers throughout the Southern Region in 2020. The final sample included 111 crop (row and specialty) production growers from the Southern Region. Overall, respondents named the water available to irrigate as the greatest water resource management priority. Within all the water availability priorities asked, respondents' first choice was declining water supply in the future. Declining water supply and the cost of irrigating presently were the next most frequently named water availability priorities. Growers named both increasing the efficiency of irrigation and development of farming practices to improve soil moisture retention as the primary and secondary focus of future irrigation research, respectively. These results will aid in strengthening existing and developing new initiatives for water research and Extension in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This field experiment aimed to evaluate the impact of two distinct levels of irrigation, specifically drip irrigation, on a pear orchard to conserve water without compromising production. Kosovo boasts conducive conditions for tree cultivation; however, water scarcity, particularly during the vegetation period, necessitates supplementary irrigation. The study was carried out in the Dukagjini plain on a 10-hectare pear orchard, using a nested experimental design.. Per two levels of irrigation, for 13 rows with tress were used with 100% of evapotranspiration as control and 13 rows with 50% of deficit irrigation. One row were length 90 m and width 40 cm, in total area where applied irrigation were 936 m². Using ANOVA, we detected significant fluctuations in total yield, the number of fruits, and fruit weight. With this technology in 100% irrigation have been achieved a total 7497 kg/900 trees or an average of 8.33 kg/tree while in 50% irrigation have been achieved 4590 kg/900 trees or 5.10 kg/tree. In classification of fruits 85.41% (100% irrigation) were extra class while 92.30% in 50% of irrigation. Our results confirmed that drip irrigation combined with a moderate water stress increase all productive parameters especiallity in total yield, too with significant water saving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural irrigation is a significant contributor to freshwater consumption. However, the current irrigation systems used in the field are not efficient. They rely mainly on soil moisture sensors and the experience of growers but do not account for future soil moisture loss. Predicting soil moisture loss is challenging because it is influenced by numerous factors, including soil texture, weather conditions, and plant characteristics. This article proposes a solution to improve irrigation efficiency, which is called DRLIC (deep reinforcement learning for irrigation control). DRLIC is a sophisticated irrigation system that uses deep reinforcement learning (DRL) to optimize its performance. The system employs a neural network, known as the DRL control agent, which learns an optimal control policy that considers both the current soil moisture measurement and the future soil moisture loss. We introduce an irrigation reward function that enables our control agent to learn from previous experiences. However, there may be instances in which the output of our DRL control agent is unsafe, such as irrigating too much or too little. To avoid damaging the health of the plants, we implement a safety mechanism that employs a soil moisture predictor to estimate the performance of each action. If the predicted outcome is deemed unsafe, we perform a relatively conservative action instead. To demonstrate the real-world application of our approach, we develop an irrigation system that comprises sprinklers, sensing and control nodes, and a wireless network. We evaluate the performance of DRLIC by deploying it in a testbed consisting of six almond trees. During a 15-day in-field experiment, we compare the water consumption of DRLIC with a widely used irrigation scheme. Our results indicate that DRLIC outperforms the traditional irrigation method by achieving water savings of up to 9.52%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of water in the cross-border region of Hirmand has affected the relations between Iran and Afghanistan as a challenge, considering the wide-ranging effects on food, water, economic and environmental security. Using a proper management and policy in water diplomacy, in order to achieve security to security resources. Close to water, energy, food and the mutual influence that their combination has caused the formation of a conceptual concept called interrelated, which play an important role in achieving sustainable development. The purpose of this research is to investigate the dynamics of water, energy, and food correlation in the Hirmand watershed with water diplomacy studies under management scenarios that are not considered in other previous researches. In this research, using the dynamic system method, various relationships and feedbacks in subsystems have been defined using storages and flows. In the next step, after reviewing and evaluating the presented model, simulation has been done using statistical tests and historical scenarios related to the years 1379-1400. According to the results obtained from the ten-year simulation, by applying the scenario of increasing irrigation efficiency from 35% to 70% without increasing the cultivation area, agricultural production in Sistan region has increased compared to the base model. This increase in the production of agricultural products from 77.65 to 92.69 thousand tons shows an increase in the efficiency of water consumption. The implementation of the simulation and development of the cultivated area of Sanafeq 1404, in Hirmand catchment area, increases the security of agricultural products in 1410 compared to 1379 by the amount of 227,900 tons. Based on the results of the current research, improving water efficiency is one of the most important tools in the combined analysis of the scenario of increasing irrigation efficiency and the development of cultivated area in the horizon of 1404. Therefore, according to the obtained results, the use of water diplomacy along with the dynamic modeling of resources is related to the management of water issues and conflicts in the Hirmand watershed. Due to the Sistan region to the Hirmand Trans boundary River, the connection of water, energy and food with the strengthening of water diplomacy in order to reduce tension and sustainable management, the attention of policy makers and planners should be focused on the Hirmand watershed to protect the Sistan plain from serious damage from the future water crisis and disasters. Looked environmentally safe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study aims to model the uncertainty and reliability quantification of estimating the planning irrigation water demands in the multi-canal irrigation zone, named the RA_IWD_Canal model. The proposed RA_IWD_Canal could estimate the zone-based and branch-based water demands and quantify their uncertainties and reliabilities via the weighted frequency quantile curves. The historical planning irrigation water demands and measured surface runoff from 2019 to 2024 in the Zhudong irrigation zone are utilized in the model development and application. Using the proposed RA_IWD_Canal model, the estimated branch-based irrigation water demands exhibit a significant variation (on average, from 0.02 m3/s to 1.7 m3/s) in time and space attributed to uncertainties in the historical gauged surface runoff. Also, the Zhudong Canal zone is demonstrated to be sufficiently supplied irrigation water subject to existing introduced water demands with a high reliability of 0.85; instead, the associated branches have considerable difficulty achieving the expected irrigation efficiency based on the desired water requirements with low reliability (nearly 0.25). To keep all branches in the irrigation zone consistent in irrigation efficiency, the probabilistic-based water demands could be introduced via the proposed RA_IWD_Canal model with the desired reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Straw strip burial in saline soil is an effective method for tideland reclamation in China, but optimal forms of straw strips for regulating soil water and salinity remain unclear. An indoor soil column test investigated the water and salt distribution in soil treated with four different straw forms under freshwater irrigation. The treatments included no straw layer (CK), straw stalks arranged longitudinally (T5), horizontally (T25), longitudinally combined horizontally in layers (T25+2.5), and randomly (T2.5). The results showed that compared to CK, T25, T5, and T25+2.5 significantly reduced the infiltration rate of irrigation water, leading to prolonged infiltration times. Wetting front curves under T5, T25+2.5, and T25 exhibited similar inverted "V" shapes, while CK and T2.5 showed fluctuating parallel lines. Water retention in the soil was higher under straw strip treatments (T5, T25, T25+2.5) and straw layer treatment (T2.5) compared to CK after 24 h of the first irrigation. T5 demonstrated the most effective salt removal, surpassing other treatments, with a desalination rate of 97.71%. Additionally, T5 had the highest salt leaching efficiency (SLE) in the 0–20 cm soil layer, recommending it as the optimal form for managing saline soils in crop production due to its simplicity and higher SLE. We found that buried straw strips reduced soil water infiltration rate and wetting front propulsion speed, increased soil water content and enhanced salt leaching efficiency in the saline soil. Our findings provide a basis for developing strategies that improve soil quality and irrigation efficiency, mitigate the effects of salinity on crop production, and ensure food security for a rapidly growing global population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The service life and irrigation efficiency of drip irrigation systems are largely determined by the anti-clogging performance of the emitters. The degree and speed of clogging of the emitters are governed by the motion state of the particles in the flow channel. Computational fluid dynamics coupled discrete element method (CFD-DEM) and experiments were used to analyse anti-clogging performance and particles transport characteristics of a stellate irrigation emitter. With the angle of repose of sediment particles as the optimization objective, the key parameters of physical properties of sediment particles and container were obtained in the discrete phase model using a Plackett-Burman test, steepest climb test and Box-Behnken test. A novel evaluation method for assessing anti-clogging performance based on particles mass passing rate is proposed and its accuracy experimentally verified. Using three particles groups with different particle size distributions, the anti-clogging performance of stellate emitter was found to better than the widely used toothed emitter. In particular, the anti-clogging performance of the stellate emitter was found to be superior with the sensitive particle size of 0.03 mm. It was shown that sediment particles demonstrated retention, bonding and deposition in the inlet far away from the flow channel, the backwater area at the vertical vertex of the stellate structure and the backwater area at the joint of the stellate emitter flow channel structure units. • The parameters of physical properties of sediment particles and emitter are obtained. • A novel evaluation method for anti-clogging performance is proposed. • Anti-clogging performance of the stellate emitter is better than toothed emitter. • The transport characteristics of particle groups are analysed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water is a finite resource but an essential one. The continuously increasing demand leads to competition and conflict over limited resources. Syria, Jordan, and Israel compete over the water resources in the transboundary Yarmouk River basin where two water agreements dictate the allocation of water. The two arrangements are far from being efficient and fair while little cooperation is being made over sharing the resources that are being over-exploited. In this study, water sustainability was investigated under projected developments and trends based on the current use and allocation regime in the watershed using several scenarios. A one bucket soil moisture model was adopted and optimized in order to fully represent the ever-changing hydrology of the basin using the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) tool. Demands along with the existing water infrastructure and their operation were modelled despite the lack of many data and the huge uncertainty in some. Simulation of business as usual scenario showed that continuing with the current use cannot be sustainable in the short and long term. The growth of both agriculture and population produced huge water shortages in all demand sectors. Under climate change scenarios RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5, surface water availability and the retention of dams reduced significantly. The share of Jordan from the Yarmouk River was the most vulnerable to climate change impacts. Enhancing irrigation efficiency and a more stable population growth based on the UN medium variant population projection showed improvements in water coverage within all demand sectors. Analysis of future scenarios suggests that water shortage is expected in all riparian states of the basin but can be mitigated by reducing demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examines factors affecting sprinkler irrigation system distribution uniformity, including sprinkler type, operating pressure and computer software design. The pressures used were 1.5, 2.1, and 2.5 bar for spray nozzles 4A and 17A, and 1.7, 2, 2.5, and 3 bar for rotor nozzles 1 and 3. The results showed a strong correlation, with (R² ) values of 0.996 and 0.973, between SIDUL-Program (Sprinkler Irrigation Distribution Uniformity for Landscape–Program) and Excel program with respect to coefficient of uniformity (CU) and distribution uniformity (DU) respectively, suggesting a strong correlation between the two programs. The HEDIA program validated the SIDUL–Program, revealing a 0.42% difference in CU values between the two programs for rotor nozzle 3, indicating also a strong correlation (R2 = 0.953) between the two programs. The results showed that DU for spray 4A at a pressure of 2.1 bar was 7.4%, higher than DU at a pressure of 1.5 bar; the CU for spray 17A was 11.9% higher, as supported by manufacturer specifications. The study concluded that calculating CU and DU using the SIDUL–Program is critical for assessing sprinkler performance in irrigation systems since it considers factors such as soil type, irrigation 1methods and location; in addition to being easy to use and accurate compared to other programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Three support programs for agricultural irrigation in 8 municipalities in the State of Tabasco were evaluated for a total area of 972.4 ha with 7 crops per municipality. One production cycle was used for the evaluation of the irrigation units in the State of Tabasco. Design/methodology/approach: The software "System for the Evaluation of Irrigation Units" SISEVUR 3.0 was used for the integration and evaluation of a) general operation of infrastructure; b) producer satisfaction with the infrastructure; c) aspects of improvement in the quantity and quality of production; d) benefits of irrigation on agricultural production and suggestions and opinions of producers regarding hydro-agricultural programs e). The economic/financial evaluation. Results: The crops that responded best to the application of irrigation were: 1) forage corn, with an increase in production of 140.7%; 2) lemon with 97.98%; 3. banana with 58.6%, and 4 sugar cane with 41%. Limitations on study/implications: Data collection required several visits to the producer to improve the collection of reliable data. However, there is a margin of error that could not be quantified due to the particularities of the producers and the work. Findings/conclusions: Bananas and citrus improved production quality and product maintenance throughout the year, favoring supply and demand commitments in the domestic and international markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]