Irrigated Grain Research Articles

Análisis de varianza en modalidad hídrica para la producción de maíz grano en México: caso de Jalisco, Sinaloa y Nayarit

The cultivation and production of grain maize constitute an important opportunity to promote the socio-economic and agricultural development of the communities of Mexico. According to the National Agricultural Planning 2017-2030 related to corn grain proposed by the federal government through the Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER); pointed as a producing region with production potential to the states of Sinaloa, Nayarit, and Jalisco. Grouped by the territorial structure that produces corn grain that predominates in this region. Same that contributed 35% of the national production of this grain in 2021. In order to find significant differences in the yield of corn in water modalities (irrigation and temporal), the analysis of variances for the proposed case of the states that make up the Western Territorial Region is addressed. With a temporality from 2008 to 2018. According to the analysis of variance of a ten-year cohort, it is concluded that in the Western Territory Region it was observed that the average yield of irrigated grain maize production is 1.6 times greater than that of temporary. In the case of Sinaloa, it corresponds to 5.7, in Jalisco to 1.3, and in Nayarit to 1.6 times greater than the irrigation than the storm. This corresponds to and justifies a policy that supports the optimal use of water resources, through irrigation channels or hunting that includes benefits for small producers and not only in agroextractivism.

Whole farm planning raises profit despite burgeoning climate crisis

The climate crisis challenges farmer livelihoods as increasingly frequent extreme weather events impact the quantum and consistency of crop production. Here, we develop a novel paradigm to raise whole farm profit by optimising manifold variables that drive the profitability of irrigated grain farms. We build then invoke a new decision support tool—WaterCan Profit—to optimise crop type and areas that collectively maximise farm profit. We showcase four regions across a climate gradient in the Australian cropping zone. The principles developed can be applied to cropping regions or production systems anywhere in the world. We show that the number of profitable crop types fell from 35 to 10 under future climates, reflecting the interplay between commodity price, yield, crop water requirements and variable costs. Effects of climate change on profit were not related to long-term rainfall, with future climates depressing profit by 11–23% relative to historical climates. Impacts of future climates were closely related to crop type and maturity duration; indeed, many crop types that were traditionally profitable under historical climates were no longer profitable in future. We demonstrate that strategic whole farm planning of crop types and areas can yield significant economic benefits. We suggest that future work on drought adaptation consider genetic selection criteria more diverse than phenology and yield alone. Crop types with (1) higher value per unit grain weight, (2) lower water requirements and (3) higher water-use efficiency are more likely to ensure the sustainability and prosperity of irrigated grain production systems under future climates.

Morphophysiological and productive aspects of sprinkler and surface irrigated rice cultivars

The surface-irrigated rice crop in the continuous flooding system is characterized by increased water volume and low irrigation water productivity. In this sense, the present objective is to evaluate grain yield and irrigation water, in addition to physiological aspects and NPK accumulation in two rice cultivars irrigated by sprinkler and surface irrigation. The experiment was conducted under field conditions during the 2019/20 and 2020/21 agricultural crops, in Santa Maria, RS, Brazil, at the Department of Plant Science of the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (29°43’8.8” S and 53°43’18.6” W). The experimental design used was randomized blocks, with four replications. Sprinkler and surface irrigation systems (continuous and intermittent) were tested for factor A. For factor D, second ones were tested as rice cultivars IRGA 424 RI and IRGA 431 CL, in a 3 × 2 factorial. In the agricultural season, the soil scarification treatment with sprinkler irrigation was added, in a 4 × 2 factorial. Sprinkler irrigation reduces water use, however, with a reduction in morphophysiological parameters and grain yield. In the presence of physical roots from the soil to root growth, scarification provides an increase in irrigation grain yield parameters, when irrigated by rice sprinklers, when it increases in higher irrigation productivity. The IRGA 431 CL cultivar provides a reduction in water use and greater irrigation water productivity, without prejudice to the crop’s grain yield.

ТРАНСФОРМАЦИЯ ЧЕРНОЗЕМА ОБЫКНОВЕННОГО ПРИ ДЛИТЕЛЬНОМ ОРОШЕНИИ СЛАБОМИНЕРАЛИЗОВАННОЙ ВОДОЙ СУЛЬФАТНО-НАТРИЕВОГО СОСТАВА

Purpose: to determine the impact of low-mineralized sulfate-sodium water on ordinary chernozem properties in the Miusskaya irrigation system under various conditions of land reclamation. Materials and methods. The studies were carried out in Neklinovsky district Rostov region on ordinary chernozems. Three plots have been selected: non-irrigated, irrigated grain fodder crop rotation with annual irrigation rates of 1500–2500 m³/ha and irrigated vegetable crop rotation with annual irrigation rates of 3000–4000 m³/ha. Irrigation of these crop rotations has been carried out for more than 20 years. Irrigation source is the Miussky liman. Soil samples were taken in autumn, and the composition of water-soluble salts, pH of water extract, absorbed bases, aggregate water resistance, and humus were determined in them. The selection of soil samples, their analysis and evaluation were carried out according to generally accepted methods. Results. Long-term irrigation with low-mineralized (1.3–1.7 g/dm³) sulfate-sodium water adversely affects the ordinary chernozem properties (the chemistry of salinity from sulfate transforms into chloride-sulfate). According to the degree of salinity, chernozems remain non-saline, but the amount of salts increases by almost 2 times over the entire soil profile due to their washing deep into the autumn-winter precipitation. Non salt soils are transformed into solonetsous ones with varying degrees of absorbed sodium content in the 0–60 cm layer: 5 % (grain forage crop rotation) and 7–12 % of the total soil absorption complex (vegetable crop rotation). Calcium loss in the 0–60 cm layer is from 14 to 18–22 %, respectively. Conclusions. The alkalinity of chernozem, which occurs during long-term irrigation with low-mineralized sulfate-sodium water, generally affects soil fertility. This is evidenced by the close relationship between humus and the amount of exchangeable sodium in soil (R² = 0.84), between the aggregate water resistance and the amount of exchangeable sodium in soil (R² = 0.89).

Long-Term Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Fertilization of Irrigated Grain Sorghum

Long-Term Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Fertilization of Irrigated Grain Sorghum

Peak grain forecasts for the US High Plains amid withering waters

Irrigated agriculture contributes 40% of total global food production. In the US High Plains, which produces more than 50 million tons per year of grain, as much as 90% of irrigation originates from groundwater resources, including the Ogallala aquifer. In parts of the High Plains, groundwater resources are being depleted so rapidly that they are considered nonrenewable, compromising food security. When groundwater becomes scarce, groundwater withdrawals peak, causing a subsequent peak in crop production. Previous descriptions of finite natural resource depletion have utilized the Hubbert curve. By coupling the dynamics of groundwater pumping, recharge, and crop production, Hubbert-like curves emerge, responding to the linked variations in groundwater pumping and grain production. On a state level, this approach predicted when groundwater withdrawal and grain production peaked and the lag between them. The lags increased with the adoption of efficient irrigation practices and higher recharge rates. Results indicate that, in Texas, withdrawals peaked in 1966, followed by a peak in grain production 9 y later. After better irrigation technologies were adopted, the lag increased to 15 y from 1997 to 2012. In Kansas, where these technologies were employed concurrently with the rise of irrigated grain production, this lag was predicted to be 24 y starting in 1994. In Nebraska, grain production is projected to continue rising through 2050 because of high recharge rates. While Texas and Nebraska had equal irrigated output in 1975, by 2050, it is projected that Nebraska will have almost 10 times the groundwater-based production of Texas.

Combined Application of Potassium and Zinc Improves Water Relations, Stay Green, Irrigation Water Use Efficiency, and Grain Quality of Maize under Drought Stress

Maize (Zea mays L.) plays an important role in the global food security, but its production is threatened by climate change, especially drought stress. Potassium (K) and zinc (Zn) are considered useful to mitigate the negative consequences of drought stress in plants. Therefore, the objective of this two-year study was to identify the best combination of K and Zn application to improve the water relations, photosynthetic pigments, yield, irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) and grain quality of maize sown under mild and severe drought stress conditions. The consisted of three drought stress levels viz. 1) well-watered as control (WW), 2) mild drought (MD) with 25 mm of potential soil moisture deficit (PSMD), 3) severe drought (SD) with 50 mm of PSMD and six K-Zn treatments: i.e. 125, 100 and 150 kg ha−1 K with 0 and 12 kg ha−1 Zn. The results indicated that K-Zn application improved the water relations and chlorophyll contents, biological yield and grain quality, irrespective of water stress treatment. The combined application of K-Zn under mild drought stress produced statistically same biological yield and grain quality as under well-irrigated without K-Zn fertilization and also produced compratively higher IWUE, biological yield and grain quality under sverer drought stress. Hence, the application of K at 150 kg ha−1 in combination with Zn at 12 kg ha−1 might be useful to improve the maize production and grain quality under drought stress. As IWUE was low in WW conditions, therefore, irrigation scheduling must be re-evaluated for optimum water use efficiency.

Potential benefits of genotype-based adaptation strategies for grain sorghum production in the Texas High Plains under climate change

Adaptation measures are required to enhance climate change resilience of agricultural systems and reduce risks associated with climate change at both regional and global scales. The Texas High Plains is a semi-arid region that faces major challenges from climate change risks and dwindling groundwater supply from the exhaustible Ogallala Aquifer for sustaining irrigated agriculture. The overall goal of this study was to assess the impacts of climate change on yield and water use of grain sorghum and identify optimum climate change adaptation strategies for three study sites in the Texas High Plains. Future climate data projected by nine Global Circulation Models (GCMs) under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) of greenhouse gas emissions (RCPs 4.5 and 8.5) were used as input for the DSSAT CSM-CERES-Sorghum model. The climate change adaptation strategies were designed by modifying crop genotype parameters to incorporate drought tolerance, heat tolerance, high yield potential, and long maturity traits. Irrigated and dryland grain sorghum yield and irrigation water use were projected to decrease at varying percentages at the study sites in the future. On an average (of 9 GCMs), irrigated grain sorghum yield is expected to decrease by 5–13 % and 16–27 % by mid-century (2036–2065) and late-century (2066–2095), respectively under RCP 8.5 compared to the baseline (1976–2005). The irrigation water use is expected to decrease by 7–9% and 14–16 % by the mid-century and late-century, respectively. Among the adaptation strategies, an ideotype with high yield potential trait (10 % higher partitioning to the panicle, radiation use efficiency, and relative leaf size than the reference cultivar) resulted in maximum grain sorghum yield gains in the future under both irrigated (6.9 %–17.1 %) and dryland (7.5 %–17.1 %) conditions, when compared to the reference cultivar. Enhancing drought tolerance by increasing root density at different soil depths also resulted in a significantly higher irrigated grain sorghum yield than the reference cultivar. A longer maturity cultivar will likely increase irrigation water use and, therefore, is not recommended for water limited conditions.

Long-Term Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Fertilization of Irrigated Grain Sorghum

Long-Term Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Fertilization of Irrigated Grain Sorghum

Long-Term Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Fertilization of Irrigated Grain Sorghum

Long-Term Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Fertilization of Irrigated Grain Sorghum

Investigation of the influence of various chemical substances on the field of natural damage to the cold disease of the autumn wheat.

It is reported that yellow rust in the winter wheat is the most dangerous disease in the Ferghana Valley and is widespread in high humidity conditions. In recent years, the disease has spread to the irrigated grain fields of the Republic, which has significantly affected the quality and quantity of grain grown and its effective fungicidal effect.

Investigation of the influence of various chemical substances on the field of natural damage to the cold disease of the autumn wheat.

It is reported that yellow rust in the winter wheat is the most dangerous disease in the Ferghana Valley and is widespread in high humidity conditions. In recent years, the disease has spread to the irrigated grain fields of the Republic, which has significantly affected the quality and quantity of grain grown and its effective fungicidal effect.

Simulating Soil Water Content, Evapotranspiration, and Yield of Variably Irrigated Grain Sorghum Using AquaCrop

AbstractUse of models to simulate crop production has become important in optimizing irrigation management in arid and semiarid regions. However, applicability and performance of these models differ across regions, due to differences in environmental and management factors. The AquaCrop model was used to simulate soil water content (SWC), evapotranspiration (ET), and yield for grain sorghum under different irrigation regimes and dryland conditions at two sites in Central and Southern High Plains. Prediction error (Pe), estimated as the difference between simulated and measured divided by measured, for SWC ranged from −17% to 4% in fully irrigated, −3% to −10% in limited irrigated, and −16% to 25% in dryland treatments. The Pe within ±4%, −5%, and −17% to 24% were attained for seasonal ET under fully irrigated, limited irrigated, and dryland conditions, respectively. Pe values for grain yield were within those previously reported and ranged from −10% to 12%, −12% to 7%, and 9% to 17% for fully irrigated, limited irrigated and dryland conditions, respectively. Overall performance of the AquaCrop model showed it could be used as an effective tool for evaluating the impacts of variable crop and irrigation managements on the production of grain sorghum in the study area. Finally, the application of the model in the study area revealed planting date has a significant impact on sorghum yield and irrigation requirements, but the impact of planting density was negligible. Editor's note: This paper is part of the featured series on Optimizing Ogallala Aquifer Water Use to Sustain Food Systems. See the February 2019 issue for the introduction and background to the series.

Simulation of efficient irrigation management strategies for grain sorghum production over different climate variability classes

The Texas High Plains (THP) is a productive agricultural region, and it relies heavily on the exhaustible Ogallala Aquifer for irrigation water for crop production. Efficient use of irrigation water is critical for the sustainability of agriculture in the THP. Grain sorghum is one of the major crops grown in the region, and it is known for its drought tolerance and lower water requirement compared to other cereal crops such as corn. In this study, the CERES-Sorghum and CROPGRO-Cotton modules of the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) were evaluated using data from cotton-sorghum rotation experiments at Halfway, Texas over a period of nine years (2006–2014). The evaluated CERES-Sorghum model was then used to identify the optimum (i) initial soil moisture at planting (ISM); (ii) threshold to start irrigation (ITH); (iii) threshold to terminate irrigation; and iv) deficit/excess (DFI) irrigation strategy for grain sorghum production based on simulated sorghum yield, irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE), and grain water use efficiency (WUE). In addition, the effect of weather conditions on simulated strategies was elucidated by dividing the long-term (1977–2016) weather data into cold, warm, wet, dry, and normal climate variability classes based on the 33rd and 66th percentiles of growing season temperature and precipitation. The DSSAT model adequately simulated the grain sorghum and seed cotton yields during calibration (average Percent Error (PE) of 1.3% (sorghum) and 3.4% (cotton)) and evaluation (average PE of −2.2% (sorghum) and −10.5% (cotton)). The results from long-term simulations indicated that weather conditions played a key role in selecting appropriate irrigation management strategies. Under normal/cold/wet weather, ISM of 75% available water holding capacity (AWC), ITH of 50%, and DFI 85% were found to be adequate for irrigated grain sorghum production. However, in warm/dry weather, ISM of 75%, ITH 60%, and DFI at 100% reduced sorghum yield loss.

Long-Term Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Fertilization of Irrigated Grain Sorghum

Long-Term Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Fertilization of Irrigated Grain Sorghum

Long-Term Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Fertilization of Irrigated Grain Sorghum

Long-Term Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Fertilization of Irrigated Grain Sorghum

Technical and Economic Viability of Wheat with Forms of Application and Doses of Boron

Boron is one of the most limiting micronutrients in grains production system in Brazil. In this way, the objective was to evaluate the effect of forms of application and doses of boron in irrigated wheat grain yield evaluating the economic terms in Cerrado region. The experiment was conducted in no-tillage system in an Oxisol with clay texture in Selvíria, MS, Brazil. The experimental design was a randomized block design with four replicates, arranged in a 4 × 3 factorial scheme: four doses of boron (0, 1, 2 and 4 kg ha-1) with boric acid source (B = 17%); and three apllication forms: a) in desiccation of the predecessor straw, together with herbicide; b) at the time of sowing, in soil along with the formulated fertilization seeding and c) via leaf tissue with the application of post emergent herbicide. The application of 2 kg ha-1 provides greater grain yields, but the highest economic return was obtained at the dose of 1 kg ha-1, with application in soil, ensuring profitability from production of irrigated wheat in the Cerrado.

Long-Term Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilization of Irrigated Grain Sorghum

Long-term research shows that phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) fertilizer must be applied to optimize production of irrigated grain sorghum in western Kansas. In 2015, N applied alone increased yields 66 bu/a, whereas N and P applied together increased yields up to 92 bu/a. Averaged across the past 10 years, N and P fertilization increased sorghum yields up to 76 bu/a. Application of 40 lb/a N (with P) was sufficient to produce 88% of maximum yield in 2015 which is slightly above the 10-year average. Application of potassium (K) has had no effect on sorghum yield throughout the study period. Average grain N content reached a maximum of ~0.7 lb/bu while grain P content reached a maximum of 0.15 lb/bu (0.34 lb P2O5/bu) and grain K content reached a maximum of 0.19 lb/bu (0.23 lb K2O/bu).

H-383, híbrido de maíz blanco intermedio para grano y forraje para el norte centro y occidente de México

En México la demanda de grano de maíz para consumo humano y pecuario es de alrededor de 38 millones de toneladas; sin embargo, solo se producen entre 25 y 28 millones, el resto se importa de Estados Unidos. El déficit en la producción de maíz se debe principalmente al uso de variedades no apropiadas, manejo deficiente del cultivo y a problemas bióticos y abióticos que ocurren regularmente durante el ciclo del cultivo. Ante la necesidad de contar con híbridos más productivos, el Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP) en 2000, inició un programa de mejoramiento genético orientado a obtener híbridos de alto rendimiento de grano y forraje, del cual se derivó el híbrido de cruza simple H-383 de grano blanco formado por la combinación de las líneas PAB7 y PAB8. La línea PAB7 se derivó de la población PGB y su genealogía es PGB-2-1-3-1-1-N1-3-b-b-b. La línea PAB8, corresponde con la línea pública subtropical CML312 del Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maíz y Trigo (CIMMYT) con tres generaciones más de endogamia para selección de mayor sanidad de mazorca. El híbrido tiene un potencial de rendimiento superior a la 15 t ha-1 de grano en riego, y hasta 12 t ha-1 en áreas de buen temporal; produce entre 24.7 y 26 t ha-1 de materia seca, con valores entre 71 y 74% en digestibilidad y entre 40 y 48% en digestibilidad de la fibra. Tiene adaptación en áreas de riego de la región Norte Centro de México y El Bajío; así como, en áreas de buen temporal del Centro y Occidente de México, localizadas entre los 1 600 y 2 000 msnm. Es de ciclo intermedio, hojas color verde oscuro y altura entre 3 y 3.2 m. El híbrido se registró en el Servicio Nacional de Inspección y Certificación de Semillas (SNICS) con la clave: MAZ-1352-190712.
 

Evaluation of Sensible Heat Flux and Evapotranspiration Estimates Using a Surface Layer Scintillometer and a Large Weighing Lysimeter.

Accurate estimates of actual crop evapotranspiration (ET) are important for optimal irrigation water management, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Common ET sensing methods include Bowen Ratio, Eddy Covariance (EC), and scintillometers. Large weighing lysimeters are considered the ultimate standard for measurement of ET, however, they are expensive to install and maintain. Although EC and scintillometers are less costly and relatively portable, EC has known energy balance closure discrepancies. Previous scintillometer studies used EC for ground-truthing, but no studies considered weighing lysimeters. In this study, a Surface Layer Scintillometer (SLS) was evaluated for accuracy in determining ET as well as sensible and latent heat fluxes, as compared to a large weighing lysimeter in Bushland, TX. The SLS was installed over irrigated grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) for the period 29 July–17 August 2015 and over grain corn (Zea mays L.) for the period 23 June–2 October 2016. Results showed poor correlation for sensible heat flux, but much better correlation with ET, with r2 values of 0.83 and 0.87 for hourly and daily ET, respectively. The accuracy of the SLS was comparable to other ET sensing instruments with an RMSE of 0.13 mm·h−1 (31%) for hourly ET; however, summing hourly values to a daily time step reduced the ET error to 14% (0.75 mm·d−1). This level of accuracy indicates that potential exists for the SLS to be used in some water management applications. As few studies have been conducted to evaluate the SLS for ET estimation, or in combination with lysimetric data, further evaluations would be beneficial to investigate the applicability of the SLS in water resources management.