Conventional Irrigation Water Research Articles

Hydrogeochemical investigation of irrigation water in the vicinity of metallic ore deposits in Kiraz‐İzmir, Turkey: Understanding the crucial nexus between “geology and food safety”

AbstractThe increasing drought due to climate change poses a threat to issues such as safe and accessible drinking water, food safety, and protection from diseases. The provision of water supply is vital for agricultural and livestock activities, which are commonly practiced around natural ore deposits. Examining traditional “irrigation water quality” methods alone is insufficient; investigating potentially toxic metal content in the region's waters is vital, especially around metallic ore deposits. This study focused on the Kiraz district in Turkey, known for its agricultural activities, to assess the impact of geogenic water pollution on irrigation water quality and its implications for food safety and human health. Geology determines nutrient availability, water resources, and land suitability for agriculture. Conventional irrigation water quality parameters indicate groundwater suitability for irrigation in the study area, considering Na%, sodium adsorption ratio, residual sodium carbonate, permeability index, Kelly ratio, magnesium hazard, and potential salinity. However, when examining the potential toxic metal content in the region, it was determined that the values of Al ranged from 96 to 8676 ppb, Ni values ranged from 27 to 360 ppb, and Sb concentrations varied between 9 and 53 432 ppb. Utilizing geogenically contaminated water for irrigation and its indiscriminate use in livestock, dairy, and food industries can lead to foodborne illnesses (cancer, endocrine disruptors, tuberculosis, antimony spots, thyroid tumors, goiter, neurologic and cardiovascular diseases) that endanger human health. The use of low‐quality water throughout the agricultural sector and food production chain increases food safety risks.

Effect of Irrigation with Treated Wastewater on Squash Yields, Soil Chemical and Microbial Properties

n this study, the effects of irrigation with treated wastewater (TWW) on soil chemical, microbiological, and yield of squash were investigated. Squash seedlings (Cucurbita pepo) were irrigated using conventional irrigation water (CIW), treated wastewater (TWW), and blended irrigation water (BIW). The drip irrigation system was used to irrigate Squash with CIW, TWW, and BIW. The concentration of all chemical and microbial irrigation water characteristics was falling within the limits of Jordanian standards (JS893/2021), except for turbidity and boron. Pathogens indicators such as Salmonella, and Helminth eggs were not found in TWW. TWW-irrigated plots had significant differences in electrical conductivity, organic carbon, total nitrogen, and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR). Total coliform and Escherichia coli (E. coli) contents increased significantly within TWW-irrigated plots. Squash’s fresh yield weight irrigated with TWW showed no significant difference compared with CIW. TWW and BIW treatments had a tendency toward lower fruit numbers than CIW. E. coli was not significantly different on the surface of squash fruits, while Total coliform increased significantly for fruits within the TWW-irrigated plots.

Metagenomic analysis of viruses, bacteria and protozoa in irrigation water.

Viruses (e.g., noroviruses and hepatitis A and E virus), bacteria (e.g., Salmonella spp. and pathogenic Escherichia coli) and protozoa (e.g., Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia intestinalis) are well-known contributors to food-borne illnesses linked to contaminated fresh produce. As agricultural irrigation increases the total amount of water used annually, reclaimed water is a good alternative to reduce dependency on conventional irrigation water sources. European guidelines have established acceptable concentrations of certain pathogens and/or indicators in irrigation water, depending on the irrigation system used and the irrigated crop. However, the incidences of food-borne infections are known to be underestimated and all the different pathogens contributing to these infections are not known. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) enables the determination of the viral, bacterial and protozoan populations present in a water sample, providing an opportunity to detect emerging pathogens and develop improved tools for monitoring the quality of irrigation water. This is a descriptive study of the virome, bacteriome and parasitome present in different irrigation water sources. We applied the same concentration method for all the studied samples and specific metagenomic approaches to characterize both DNA and RNA viruses, bacteria and protozoa. In general, most of the known viral species corresponded to plant viruses and bacteriophages. Viral diversity in river water varied over the year, with higher bacteriophage prevalences during the autumn and winter. Reservoir water contained Enterobacter cloacae, an opportunistic human pathogen and an indicator of fecal contamination, as well as Naegleria australiensis and Naegleria clarki. Hepatitis E virus and Naegleria fowleri, emerging human pathogens, were detected in groundwater. Reclaimed water produced in a constructed wetland system presented a virome and bacteriome that resembled those of freshwater samples (river and reservoir water). Viral, bacterial and protozoan pathogens were occasionally detected in the different irrigation water sources included in this study, justifying the use of improved NGS techniques to get a comprehensive evaluation of microbial species and potential environmental health hazards associated to irrigation water.

The importance of selecting the right messenger: A framed field experiment on recycled water products

This study tests how different messengers—scientists, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and newspapers—influence individual behavior. We conducted framed field experiments to compare the effects of these messengers on consumers' monetary bids on different items produced with recycled and conventional irrigation water. Using recycled wastewater for agricultural irrigation has the potential to conserve substantial amounts of fresh water. Although using recycled water for irrigating of both edible and inedible crops can be safe for human consumption, people may stigmatize these products since the origin of the waste water is still too apparent. Providing consumers with information about recycled water can help ameliorate their negative perceptions, and the effectiveness of such information can depend on the origin, i.e. the messenger. Our results suggest that participants respond least favourably when the message is attributed to a scientist and most favourably when the message is attributed to a newspaper. Further analysis shows that consumer responses to the scientist messenger fall into two general categories: (1) individuals who place zero bids and (2) individuals who place relatively larger bids in response to information from scientists.

Ignorance Is Bliss? Experimental Evidence on Wine Produced from Grapes Irrigated with Recycled Water

Agricultural industries are heavy users of water, which can be especially concerning in times of drought. One way to address agriculture's impact during droughts is to use recycled water for irrigation, but little is known about how consumers will respond to information disclosing that a food product was produced with recycled water. On the positive side, irrigation with recycled water is environmentally friendly. On the negative side, there is an “ick” factor that might repel consumers. We conducted a framed field experiment to evaluate consumers' responses to California and French wines made from grapes produced with recycled, conventional, and an unspecified type of water for irrigation. We find that consumers prefer not to know; their willingness to pay is greatest when the wine is made from grapes irrigated with an unspecified type of water. There is a discount for conventional irrigation water for both California and French wines, but it is statistically significant only for the California wines.

Scarce water resources and priority irrigation schemes from agronomic crops

Global environmental change places unavoidable pressure on water resources and agronomic crop production systems. Irrigation development is a credible measure to alleviate the challenge of food safety under water shortages, but it needs sufficient basis. The aim of this study is to address the problem of balancing water scarcity with food requirements, which are the key components of water security in regions with population growth. Marginal water productivity (MWP) indices for irrigation water performance and productivity evaluation were established in the current study. Based on the analysis of the regional water-crop relationship and spatial differences of MWP in China, the priorities for developing irrigation areas in different types of regions are discussed in this study. The results show that high MWPs are mainly in semi-arid regions with precipitation (P) between 500 and 1000 mm, while low MWPs mostly occur in areas with P more than 1000 and less than 500 mm. The significance and spatial distribution patterns of MWP are different than those of conventional irrigation water use efficiency evaluation indices, so its role cannot be replaced for the real production capacity of irrigation water evaluation. The strategies for global environmental change adaptation suggested in this study are taking MWP for irrigation water productivity evaluation and the priority irrigation schemes for agronomic crop determination; increasing MWP by means of irrigation efficiency and crop variety improvement worldwide; and raising global food production through the expansion of irrigation area in the regions hold high MWP and abundant water resources.

Agricultural reuse of municipal wastewater through an integral water reclamation management

The DESERT-prototype, a state-of-the-art compact combination of water treatment technologies based on filtration and solar-based renewable energy, was employed to reclaim water for agricultural irrigation. Water reclaimed through the DESERT-prototype (PW) from a secondary effluent of a wastewater treatment plant, as well as conventional irrigation water (CW) and the secondary effluent (SW) itself, were employed to cultivate baby romaine lettuces in a greenhouse in Murcia (Spain), by means of drip and sprinkler irrigation methods, thus establishing six treatments. Assessments of physicochemical and microbiological quality of irrigation water, as well as agronomic and microbiological quality of crops from all treatments, showed that results associated to PW complied in all cases with relevant standards and guidelines. In contrast, results linked to SW and CW presented certain non-compliance cases of water and crop microbiological quality. These assessments lead to conclude that the DESERT-prototype is an appropriate technology for safe water reclamation oriented to agricultural production, that can be complemented by a proper irrigation method in reaching safety targets.

Calculation nitrogen and sodium budget from lysimeter-grown short-rotation willow coppice experiment

Alternative water resources utilization should take priority over the conventional irrigation water resources (surface and subsurface waters) in the future in Hungary as well, similarly to the global trends because of the climate change impacts. However because of the environmental risks (e.g. nitrate leaching and soil salinization) the reuse of the wastewater require sustainable practices hence the farmers and researchers are responsible for development soil management practices and irrigation principles. Aim of our study was to determine the impact of a wastewater originated from an African intensive catfish farm on the nitrogen budget of the soil-water-plant system in order to evaluate the nitrogen substitution effect and the risk of the nitrate leaching. On the other hand, the aim of the study was to calculate also sodium budget to assess the risk of the sodicity regard to the high sodium concentration of the wastewater. The experiment was conducted at the National Agricultural Research and Innovation Centre (NAIK), Research Institute of Irrigation and Water Management (OVKI) in Szarvas, Hungary. The experiment was set up in the NAIK ÖVKI Lysimeter Station in 2014 with energy willow. During the study (between 03.07.2015 and 21.04.2017) irrigation water quality, rainwater quality, willow N and Na uptake by stems and N and Na leaching was measured. Nitrogen and sodium budget were calculated for two years (2015, 2016) from these data. According to our results the wastewater had high nitrogen content what was able to increase the nitrogen amount in the examined budget however without supplementary fertilizer it could not able to balance the budget only just at W60 treatment (irrigation with wastewater: N concentration 22,7 mg/l). The wastewater had high environmental risk as soil sodicity according to results of the sodium budget.

Watering the farm: Comparing organic and conventional irrigation water use in the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia

This study investigates the role that certified-organic farming systems play in irrigation water-use in the Murray–Darling Basin, where large-scale government policy has focussed on returning water from irrigation to key ecological sites. Information from Australia's agricultural census in 2011, as well as a specialized irrigation farm survey sample of 1499 observations, compared certified-organic and conventional irrigation water-use. Census and survey results found some evidence for some industries that organic irrigation farms are less water-use efficient (i.e. water use divided by tonne of output), but little significant difference in water-used per irrigated hectare was found overall (although for some industry sectors—notably horticulture—organic farms use less water on a per-hectare basis). After controlling for self-selection, regression model results also indicated that organic irrigation farms use less absolute water than conventional farms; use a smaller percentage of water received; and are more water-use productive (i.e. water use divided by net farm income). A lack of significance for the importance of irrigation infrastructure adoption, plus the importance of water-use charges in reducing water demand, suggests a need for governments to reorientate irrigation policy towards more multi-layered and inclusive practices that promote better soil conditions and water management, rather than focussing on providing subsidies for technology adoption.

Assessing nitrogen fertilizer rates and split applications using the DSSAT model for rice irrigated with urban wastewater

When reclaimed wastewater containing more nutrients than conventional irrigation water is used for irrigation, alternative fertilization practices are required for agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of the nitrogen (N) fertilizer rates and split N fertilizer application on rice yields grown in paddy fields irrigated with reclaimed wastewater using the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) v4.5 model. The experimental plots employed a randomized complete block design with three treatments and four replications. The three treatments included ground water irrigation plots (GW), untreated wastewater irrigation plots (WW), and reclaimed wastewater irrigation plots (RWW). The input data for the DSSAT model, including weather data, irrigation amount, irrigation water quality, soil data, cropping practice data, and rice yields, were monitored and collected between 2006 and 2009. The DSSAT model was calibrated and validated with observed yield data using the root mean square error (RMSE), normalized RMSE (nRMSE), and the index of agreement (d) for the statistical indices. The values of RMSE, nRMSE, and d were 269–645kgha−1, 4.1–11.7%, and 0.94–0.95, respectively, for the calibration period. The calibrated model showed good agreement with the observed rice yields, and the values of RMSE, nRMSE, and d were 155–538kgha−1, 2.6–10.4%, and 0.95–0.98, respectively, for the validation period. The simulation results showed that the optimal N fertilizer rate for paddy field rice irrigated with reclaimed wastewater was considered to be 20–50% less than the standard fertilizer rate (SFR). Adjusting the split N fertilizer application rate was demonstrated as being enough to satisfy the target rice yield and resulted in an additional 10–20kgha−1 reduction in the amount of N fertilizer used.

하수처리수의 논 관개용수 재이용을 위한 미생물 위해성 평가

The reuse of wastewater for agricultural irrigation may cause human health risk as a result of exposure to pathogens. This study conducted the quantitative microbial risk assessment in paddy field irrigated with treated wastewater. Six treatments were used to irrigate the paddy field from Year 2003 to Year 2005: biofilter-effluent, UV-disinfected water (6, 16, 40, 68 <TEX>$mW s cm^{-2}$</TEX>), pond-treated water, wetland-treated water, conventional irrigation water and tap water. Total coliforms, fecal coliforms and E. coli were monitored during rice growing period. Beta - Poisson model was employed to calculate the microbial risk of pathogens ingestion that may occur to farmers and neighbor children. Uncertainty of risk was estimated using Monte Carlo simulation. In this study, the microbial risk was higher during initial cultivation (end of May<TEX>$\sim$</TEX>June), and it decreased with time. Biofilter effluent (secondary effluent) irrigation showed higher risk values than others (><TEX>$10^{-4}$</TEX>) and irrigation with UV-disinfected water has the lowest risk range (<TEX>$10^{-6}{\sim}10^{-5}$</TEX>). The risk value estimated in 2005 was lower than risk value in 2003 and 2004, it is likely due to clean tap water irrigation in initial transplanting stage. It is suggested that irrigation with UV-disinfected water and pond-treated water would reduce the microbial risk associated with wastewater irrigation in paddy field. In addition, the first irrigation water quality significantly affected the subsequent microbial risk.