Excess Water Conditions Research Articles

Mineral effects on methane hydrate formation and distribution in sand sediments

Methane hydrate is a promising energy resource widely occurring in the world, but the formation and distribution of methane hydrate in marine sediments with complex minerals remains unclear. Due to the small pore space and fine-grained size of clay minerals, the contact relationship between methane hydrate and clay mineral surface under excess water has not been characterized fully, which is required to investigate the mineral effect on methane hydrate formation. In this study, cryo-SEM was applied to observe the distribution of methane hydrate synthesized in pure quartz sands and the quartz sands mixed with montmorillonite or illite separately. According to the results of the research, methane hydrate dispersedly forms in the pore space away from and on the surface of quartz under a local excess water condition. In addition, methane hydrate occurs away from montmorillonite in pores with excess water and contacts the edge of montmorillonite under a local excess-gas condition. Moreover, methane hydrate was only observed to form away from illite aggregates in the pore with residual water. Montmorillonite and illite influence the preferable distribution of methane hydrate to occur away from mineral surface in excess water condition. In the sediments composed of different minerals, methane hydrate forms stochastically in the pore space and grows up individually. As a result, the findings of this study significantly expand the understanding of the formation and distribution of methane hydrate in marine sediments and the prediction of physical properties of hydrate-bearing sediments, and provide insights into natural gas hydrate exploration and production.

Effects of depressions and drainage systems on soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merill) growth during the early growth stages under excess water stress conditions

ABSTRACT Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merill) productivity is severely compromised under conditions of excess water, particularly during the early growth stages. Depressions in converted paddy fields are believed to significantly contribute to excess water stress. Farmers typically use drainage systems, such as field ditches and pipe drains to improve field drainage. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the impacts of depressions and drainage systems on soybean growth during the early growth stages in farming fields. Using uncrewed aerial vehicles and imaging processing software, we observed the soybean coverage ratio at two and four weeks after sowing. We analyzed the relationship between the coverage ratio and depression depth, distance from field ditches, and distance from pipe drains. Depressions deeper than 2 cm were present in all study fields, and the coverage ratio increase from 2 to 4 weeks after sowing was negatively correlated with depression depth. Although the distance from pipe drains was negatively related to the coverage ratio increase, the distance from field ditches had a limited effect. The construction of pipe drains significantly improved the coverage ratio increase, particularly in areas with deep depressions and near pipe drains, by up to 23.0 times in this study. Therefore, constructing pipe drains near depressions is an effective way to mitigate the impact of depressions and excess water stress on soybean growth during the early stages. Our results will be useful for developing strategies to improve drainage and soybean growth during early growth stages.

Analysis of Surface Water Availability and Projection of Domestic Water Demand in The Logawa Sub-Watershed 2030

Water is a vital element that is used to meet human needs such as domestic and non-domestic activities (agriculture, fisheries, tourism, and industry). The more human activities carried out, the greater the amount of water needed. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the availability and demand for water to determine the conditions of shortage and excess water to meet future water needs. The method used in this research was the quantitative descriptive method with the study area unit covering all parts of the Logawa Sub-Watershed. The research sample was taken using the purposive sampling method with data collection techniques including secondary data in the form of literature studies and related institutions and primary data in the form of direct observations in the field. Data analysis was determined by the discharge duration curve formula to obtain a reliable discharge and calculate the water demand in each sector. The results of the study show that the availability of water in the Logawa Sub-Watershed can suffice the water needs of the domestic and non-domestic sectors (agriculture and livestock) in 2023 and domestic water needs in 2030.

Mechanical behaviour and microstructure of methane hydrate-bearing sandy sediment observed at various spatial scales

Methane hydrates (MHs) are considered an alternative energy resource but also a potential source of geo-hazards and climate change. The physical/mechanical properties of gas hydrate-bearing sandy sediments are strongly dependent on the distribution of hydrates within the pore space. The purpose of this study is to investigate morphologies and pore-habits of MHs formed in sandy sediments by means of experiments that probe a wide range of scales, from the pore scale – using Synchrotron X-Ray Computed Tomography (SXRCT) and optical microscopy – to the core scale, through mechanical property measurements. The same synthetic sands are used, in which MHs are generated successively under excess gas and excess water conditions. At the macroscopic (core) scale, MH pore habits are inferred by comparing the measured sonic wave velocities to velocities calculated from rock physics models and further assessed via triaxial compression tests. Furthermore, Magnetic Resonance Imaging is used to investigate the kinetics of MH formation and distribution along the core height. The pore habits and MH morphologies are directly visualized at the pore (grain) scale by SXRCT and, with still better spatial and temporal resolution, by transmission optical microscopy, revealing some more complex morphologies than in the hydrate pore habits commonly admitted.

Soil water components control plant water uptake along a subalpine elevation gradient on the Eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Soil water is crucial for maintaining forest health by providing plants with a dependable water source. However, the understanding of the impact of soil moisture on plant water uptake, particularly in conditions of excess soil water, is limited. In this study, we investigated root water uptake strategies of dominant species along an elevational gradient in the subalpine region of the eastern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Our results demonstrated divergent relationships between soil moisture and water uptake fractions in the shallow soil layer, where moisture generally exceeds field capacity (θfc) during the growing season, and in the deep soil layer, showing negative and positive associations, respectively. This disparity is linked to soil water components: when plants mainly used shallow soil water, the relative proportion of plant–available water (the part of water between wilting coefficient and θfc) in the shallow soil was smaller compared to instances where plants mainly used deep soil water. Conversely, the pattern for gravity water was the opposite. This phenomenon is attributed to precipitation replenishing shallow soil with gravity water and deep soil with plant–available water, leading to poor aeration in the shallow soil and an abundance of plant–available water in the deep soil, and plants tended to shift to deep soil water as a result. Furthermore, the decrease in the relative proportion of plant–available water in the shallow soil along the elevational gradient results in plants in the lowest-altitude broadleaf forest obtaining more shallow soil water and less deep soil water, which can also enhance our understanding of how soil moisture components influence plant water–use strategies. Additionally, no hydrological niche segregation was observed among species in this humid environment. These results can improve our comprehension of soil–plant interactions in subalpine areas.

Effective thermal conductivity for hydrate-bearing sediments under stress and local thermal stimulation conditions: A novel analytical model

The extraction of hydrates is accompanied by changes in the hydrate occurrence pattern, hydrate saturation, effective stress, temperature, and pore structure in porous sediment, making it difficult to predict the effective thermal conductivity (ETC) of hydrate-bearing sediments. Until now, accurately modeling the ETC of gas hydrate sediments during the exploitation process has remained a significant challenge. In this study, by combining pore compression theory, and particle thermal expansion theory, an analytical ETC model is derived to study the physical relations between the ETC of hydrate-bearing sediments under excess water or excess gas condition and various influencing parameters (e.g., hydrate occurrence pattern, effective stress, hydrate saturation, pore structure, and temperature). The proposed model is validated against test data. Furthermore, the effects of pore structures (e.g., initial porosity and radius fluctuation amplitude), effective stress, hydrate saturation, and hydrate occurrence pattern on ETC are revealed. Compared with the existing ETC models of hydrate-bearing sediments, our derived model takes more mechanisms into account, which makes our derived model more reasonable. In short, this model is of great significance to predict ETC and study the heat transfer in gas hydrate reservoirs, enabling engineers and scientists to have a better understanding of the hydrate exploitation process.

Water supply to lettuce by capillary rise of the water table

Brazil has significant potential for floodplain areas which are suitable for cultivation after the rainy season, with water supply from the water table. Short-cycle crops with shallow root systems are more suitable for these conditions. On this subject, the objective of this study was to determine the responses of the lettuce crop to rising damp rates and water table depth levels. The variables of production, gas exchange, and SEW30 values (sum of excess water above 0.30 m depth) were analyzed. A physical model of seven drainage lysimeters was used; in six, the only water supply occurred by capillary rise from the water table (0.10; 0.15; 0.20; 0.25; 0.30 and 0.35 m depth) and, in the remaining lysimeter, irrigation was performed with no water table. The water table level maintained at 0.20 m from the soil surface was able to supply the water demanded by a sandy soil. The factor-product ratio indicates this depth as the most viable option in terms of crop response. Among the analyzed cultivars and under conditions of excess water in the soil, preference should be given to the establishment of the Gloriosa cultivar, for higher yields.

Analysis of performance stability under conditions of high & low humidity of polymer electrolyte fuel cells with interdigitated gas flow channels formed on a gas diffusion layer: An X-ray imaging and modeling study

Recently, a new concept was developed for the design of polymer electrolyte fuel cells, based on a flat, solid separator and a porous GDL with interdigitated gas-flow channels. This newly designed cell has demonstrated the ability to overcome the principal issues of the conventional design, in which the interdigitated flow channels are formed on the separator; the latter can experience low performance under high and low humidity conditions. In the present study, we have sought to reveal the mechanism of the performance stability improvement. The temperature and gas flow distributions are calculated by numerical simulation, and the water distribution is visualized by X-ray imaging. From these results, the porous ribs in the newly designed cell are found to play several important roles as follows: under conditions of excess water, the porous ribs help to alleviate water accumulation in the GDL by acting as a reservoir for excess water and also by increasing the temperature in the GDL; and, under conditions of water shortage, the porous ribs alleviate the dry-out of the GDL by withdrawing water from the reservoir and also by decreasing the rate of gas flow forced through the GDL.

Morphology and physiology of kale plants under excess and deficient water conditions

ABSTRACT Kale (Brassica oleracea, var. Acephala) contains complete nutrients that are very useful for health. The cultivation of kale plant requires adequate water. However, climate change results in erratic soil water supply and decreases plant productivity. This study investigated the effect of soil water content on morphology and physiology of kale and to determine optimum soil water content level for kale cultivation (100, 80, 60, 40 or 20%). Soil water content affected growth, fresh weight, kale plant biomass, and water use efficiency, but did not affect transpiration rate and leaf relative water content. Optimum soil water content for kale was 60% field capacity or 21.50% actual water content on a dusty loam soil, with a biomass of 12.35 g and water use efficiency of 106.38%.

Changes in morpho-physiological and yield attributes of Sesamum indicum under waterlogging at different growth stages

To understand the responsive nature to excess water, a pot experiment was conducted at different growth stages of sesame (Sesamum indicum L. cv. BARI Til-4). The waterlogging stress at each stage was set to three durations, viz. 2, 4, and 6 days. Twelve different treatment combinations were replicated three times and arranged in a completely randomized design. Different morpho-physiological and yield parameters were measured after the completion of the longest stress duration (6 days). The data revealed that sesame is vulnerable to excess water conditions, and the sensitivity is positively correlated with the stress duration. Plant biomass, leaf area, SPAD value, and the yield attributes recorded are observed to be declined with the increment of stress duration. Another important finding is that among the three growth stages of sesame, the reproductive stage is the most sensitive stage, which hardly withstands waterlogging. the stress at the vegetative stage affect yield parameters minimally. J. Bangladesh Acad. Sci. 46(2); 165-173: December 2022

Wheat Crop under Waterlogging: Potential Soil and Plant Effects.

Inundation, excessive precipitation, or inadequate field drainage can cause waterlogging of cultivated land. It is anticipated that climate change will increase the frequency, intensity, and unpredictability of flooding events. This stress affects 10-15 million hectares of wheat every year, resulting in 20-50% yield losses. Since this crop greatly sustains a population's food demands, providing ca. 20% of the world's energy and protein diets requirements, it is crucial to understand changes in soil and plant physiology under excess water conditions. Variations in redox potential, pH, nutrient availability, and electrical conductivity of waterlogged soil will be addressed, as well as their impacts in major plant responses, such as root system and plant development. Waterlogging effects at the leaf level will also be addressed, with a particular focus on gas exchanges, photosynthetic pigments, soluble sugars, membrane integrity, lipids, and oxidative stress.

The effect of excess water on the hydrothermal carbonization of anise waste from ouzo production on Lesvos island

Beverage and food production industries are playing a major role in the local economy of Lesvos Island, with ouzo production being - by far-the most prominent one. In the framework of this present study, anise waste from ouzo production were sampled and valorized by means of hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) for the production of hydrochars. The novelty of this study is the examination of the products quality for different excess water percentages in the hydrothermal reactor. In addition, the hydrothermal treatment of anise waste is a novel and unique application. On the one hand, the analysis included the assessment of the chemical oxygen demand (COD), the total phenolic content (TPC), the pH and the conductivity of the HTC liquors. On the other hand, the higher heating value (HHV), the mass yield and the phytotoxicity were assessed for the produced hydrochars. The COD and TPC fluctuated for moderating conditions of temperature and excess water. On the one hand, reduced excess of water increased the mass yield and the HHV, while it reduced the pH values of hydrochars. On the other hand, all hydrochars had low germination index values, which is an indicator that the use of hydrochar as soil amendment is problematic and should be further investigated.

Soil Drenching with Silicon Improves the Adaptive Response of Tobacco Cultivation under Excess Water Condition

Tobacco variety H382 was a cigar type tobacco that has a high economic value and potential as export trade commodity in Indonesia. The development stage of tobacco was very sensitive to water stress, like the water excess. Silicon was one of the most abundant elements in earth crust and has a role in water stress reduction to the plant. The objective of this study was to determine the response of tobacco crop variety H382 with the application of silicon fertilizer to adapt in waterlogging stress condition. This study used a factorial randomized block design with first factor was silicon fertilizer (0, 0.15, 0.30 and 0.45 ml) and second factor was excess water stress treatments (50% to 70%, 70% to 90%, 90% to 110% and 110% to 130% of field capacity). All treatments were replicated three times. The results showed that the addition of 0.45 ml silicon fertilizer to waterlogged tobacco crop could escalate the adaptive response of plant to cope with stress; seen from the increasing of the opened stomata, aerenchyma formation and the chlorophyll content of tobacco crop under excess water stress compared to control. Silicon supplementation improves the water availability in root surroundings and repairs the root architecture; thus, lead to a better hydraulic conductivity of the root for water and nutrient intake. Furthermore, authors found that the application of silicon fertilizer helped tobacco crop variety H382 improve plant adaptability to deal with excess water stress.

Climate nutrient management for various sources and levels of fertilizers on soil nutrients, growth and yield of maize (Zea mays l.) in Madurai district, Tamil Nadu, India

Global climate change is expected to soil processes and properties, which are important for restoring soil fertility and low productivity. The field experiment was conducted at Research Farm, Agricultural College, and Research Institute, Madurai district, Tamil Nadu, during Kharif season 2021 to study of various sources and fertilizers' levels to influence under deficit and excess water conditions on soil fertility, growth, and yield of maize (Zea mays). The study revealed that excess and deficit water condition in moisture regime irrigations at Irrigation water / Cumulative Pan Evaporation (IW/CPE) ratio of 1.0 along with nutrient management practices (N8) 125 % Soil Test Crop Response (STCR) - NPK soil application by 1 % foliar spray of micronutrient mixture. Significantly higher of mean values available nitrogen (225 kg ha-1), available phosphorous (20.81 kg ha-1), available potassium (351 kg ha-1), dry matter production (DMP) (16,404 kg ha-1), plant height (250 cm) and yield (9,030 kg ha-1) and was comparable with IW/CPE ratio of 0.8, 0.6 along with others nutrient management practices at 100 % and 75 % STCR - NPK followed by foliar sprays 2 % NPK (19:19:19) and Pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophs (PPFM) 1 %. Hence, under a normal water availability situation, irrigation at an IW/CPE ratio of 0.8 was good enough to produce a higher yield, while under deficit and excess water conditions IW/CPE ratio of 1.0 along with125 % STCR-NPK by foliar spray of micronutrient mixture of 1 % was suitable for obtaining optimum nutrient management for enhancing soil fertility, growth and yield of maize.

Effect of Tillage and Mulching on Growth, Yield and Economics of Maize Crops

The field experiments were conducted during July to October, 2017, 2018 and 2019 in split plot design was laid out at Zonal Research Station farm, Chianki, Palamu, Jharkhand, India. The cultural practices included two factors i.e. the first factor included conventional tillage (CT), minimum tillage (MT), raised bed sowing (RBS), the second factor included without mulch (WM), farm waste mulch (FWM), polythene mulch (PM), soil mulch (SM). The rain water use efficiency was higher in raised bed sowing+polythene mulch (5.71 kg ha-1 mm-1) than the other treatments but it was lowest in MT+WM (2.96 kg ha-1 mm-1) over the three years. The high water use efficiency in the year 2019 (5.71 kg ha-1 mm-1) influences the maximum growth and yield (5,169 kg ha-1)of the crop followed by 2018 (4.74 kg ha-1 mm-1) but the minimum yield was found under minimum tillage without mulch in every year. This higher growth leads to higher stover yield and plastic mulch prevents the weeding cost which finally improved the B:C ratio (1.97) by reducing cost of cultivation and improving net return. In conclusion, minimum tillage without mulch is not recommended under dryland condition but raise bed sowing with plastic mulch is a suitable practice among all practices. This shows that raised bed practice prevent the maize crop from excess water condition and plastic mulching is helpful in increasing water use efficiency, controlling weed and maintaining temperature near root zone but no mulch condition degrade the fertile layer of soil by erosion.

Curcumin loaded core-shell biopolymers colloid and its incorporation in Indian Basmati rice: An enhanced stability, anti-oxidant activity and sensory attributes of fortified rice

Curcumin, a major bioactive in curcuminoids and food colorant, possess therapeutic properties, however, its low water solubility, instability during processing limit its industrial applications. The nanoencapsulated curcumin (NEC) in sodium caseinate (SC) and Maillard conjugate (MC) showed >90% water solubility. Encapsulation in MC reduced particle size (150 to 120 nm) zeta potential (−34 to −45 mV) and improved encapsulation efficiency (74 to 94%) compared to SC under optimized Tween20 and salt-ions. The in-vitro bioaccessibility of NEC was 300% more than curcumin (pH 7.4). The curcumin (0.092 mmol) and spray-dried NEC (0–0.092 mmol) were incorporated in Indian Basmati rice. The UV–VIS revealed 14, 10% higher stability of NEC (0.069 mmol) incorporated rice under dark and light at 27 ± 2 °C and 43, 39% more in thermally processed limited and excess water conditions, respectively, than curcumin. The high visual appeal and anti-oxidant activity (60%) of NEC Basmati rice demonstrated application in fortified product development.

Subsurface drainage and subirrigation for increased corn production in riverbottom soils

AbstractSubsurface (tile) drained agricultural landscapes within the U.S. Midwest are challenged with addressing both deficit and excess water conditions while minimizing negative impacts on water quality. Drainage water recycling (DWR) provides an opportunity to improve water quality along with potential increased crop yield resiliency. This research evaluated the effect of drainage water recycling (DWR) using drainage plus subirrigation and free drainage (FD) on grain yield production and crop nutrient removal compared to nondrained (ND) soil under a continuous corn (Zea mays L.) cropping system in upstate Missouri. A 26 and 20% increase in corn grain yield with DWR (9.3 Mg ha−1) and FD (8.6 Mg ha−1) was observed over the 6‐yr study compared to ND (6.9 Mg ha−1). A significant (P = .04) year × treatment interaction showed the substantial effect of variable precipitation on yields within a growing season and over the study period. No significant effect of treatment was found on grain nutrient concentration or grain quality (oil, protein, or starch concentrations). Plant biomass (P = .85), nutrient concentrations, and plant nutrient uptake (P > .05) were similar among drainage water management treatments; however, grain nutrient (total nitrogen [TN], total carbon [TC], P, and K) removal with DWR and FD was greater than ND. As farmers experience more extreme weather conditions, such as drought and more intense rainfall events, improved drainage and DWR can increase corn grain yield resiliency.

Characterization of Amylose Lipid Complexes and Their Effect on the Dry Grind Ethanol Process

AbstractAmylose lipid complexes (AMLs) are likely to form during liquefaction of ground corn in the dry grind process. AML will form under high temperature (≥ 85 °C) and excess water conditions, due to interaction of gelatinized starch with corn lipids. AMLs are resistant to α‐amylase action, resulting in a decrease in starch available for enzymatic hydrolysis. This affects sugar available for fermentation and the final ethanol yield. In this study, the effects of liquefaction temperature, corn particle size, slurry solids content, and different commercial α‐amylases on AML formation are evaluated.AML content in post liquefaction solids (liquefact) is found to decrease from 3.46 to 1.00% as corn grind size is increased from 0.5 to 2.5 mm. Across all slurry solids contents tested (25, 32, and 34%), the mean difference in AML content for all three solids contents is 0.61% when liquefaction temperature is increased to 105 from 85 °C. At 85 °C, liquefact from all three α‐amylases used, had similar AML content. However, when liquefaction temperature is increased to 105 °C, enzyme AA2 had lower AML production compared to other amylases.Overall, increasing liquefaction temperature to above 100 °C had the most predominant effect on reducing AML formation. Optimizing liquefaction parameters can help reduce AML formation and may improve profitability of the dry grind ethanol process.

The ecological roles of seed mucilage on germination of Lepidium perfoliatum, a desert herb with typical myxospermy in Xinjiang

Myxospermy is considered as an adaptation to unideal habitats, which is characterized as a gelatinous layer of mucilage around the seed upon contact with water. Studies on the ecological roles of seed mucilage should provide valuable information on seed germination strategy. In the present study, the germination properties of Lepidium perfoliatum L., an early spring ephemeral plant with typical myxospermy in desert of northwestern China, were investigated with the intact seeds and demucilaged seeds under different conditions. Results revealed that, firstly, the seed mucilage was essential for intact seeds to germinate quickly and efficiently under abundant or excess water condition, while had no effect on relief of seed germination at low water potential or other stressful conditions; secondly, the presence of mucilage layer stimulated intact seed germination under relatively higher temperature, appropriate light, permeable soil matrix, which helps seed germinate efficiently under favorable conditions; thirdly, the existence of mucilage may limit air diffusion into seed and subsequently reduce germination, which might be a strategy to ensure a proportion of seeds staying in soil seed bank to wait for next favourable conditions. Our results suggest that the seed mucilage of L. perfoliatum applies multiple ecological roles in protection of seed germination to avoid unfavourable conditions, which should be an adaptation strategy for population survival and succession in a harsh desert environment.

Moisture stress and nitrogen availability modulate the secondary metabolite profiles, enzymatic activity, and physiological and agronomic traits of Stevia rebaudiana

Performances of crops are mainly influenced by frost, heat and availability of soil-water and nitrogen (N). However, little is known about the interaction between soil-water and N on Stevia rebaudiana. Thus, a field experiment was conducted with fifteen treatment combinations comprising three levels of soil-moisture (irrigation at 20, 50 and 75 kPa soil-water-potential) and five N levels (0–140 kg ha−1) to understand how soil-moisture and N influence growth, physiological and biochemical activities of stevia. Plants irrigated at 50 kPa registered 6.3–18.9% and 20.7–21.2% higher dry leaf yield compared with 20 and 75 kPa, respectively. No significant (P ≥ 0.05) differences in concentrations of total steviol glycosides (TSGs) in leaf were found due to moisture regimes. Total soluble sugars (TSS), proline, total phenols were decreased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) with plants irrigated at 20 kPa whereas SOD, CAT, and POX were decreased at both excessive and deficit water conditions. Photosynthetic rate (PN) and stomatal conductance (gs) decreased with plant irrigated at 75 kPa. Anatomical changes in leaf were also observed due to different moisture regimes. Among the N levels, 105 kg ha−1 registered approximately 50–53% higher dry leaf yield compared with control (0 kg N ha−1), irrespective of irrigation level. Excess (140 kg ha−1) and shortage of N significantly decreased the PN, gs, and enzyme activities. Concentrations of TSS and TSGs were higher with N at 105 and 70 kg ha−1, respectively. Our results emphasize that irrigation at 50 kPa and application of N 105 kg ha−1 is the suitable combination for sustainable cultivation of stevia.