Irrigated Plots Research Articles

In Situ Seedling Establishment and Performance of Cyperus esculentus Seedlings

Cyperus esculentus seeds are often considered irrelevant for C. esculentus spread as their fragile seedlings would not establish or survive in agricultural soils. However, the ever-increasing spread and upsurge of genetically different clonal populations in NW-Europe raises questions about the establishment of C. esculentus seeds and the reproductive performance of seedlings. Indeed, little is known about the potential of C. esculentus seedlings to grow and propagate under outdoor conditions relative to plants grown from tubers. Seeds from different clonal populations were sown outdoors in various soil types and under different irrigation levels (rainfed, irrigated) to assess seed germination and seedling establishment. Additionally, two pot experiments were conducted with three different plant types (plants originating from mother tubers and from seeds harvested on open- or self-pollinated plants) obtained from eight clonal populations. Plant performance was investigated by measuring vegetative and generative parameters. Germination under outdoor conditions was significantly affected by clonal population and was highest in irrigated sand (5.3%). Germination in sand was 4.1 times higher in irrigated plots than in rainfed plots. In irrigated plots, germination was 3.8 and 4.7 times higher in sand than in sandy loam and clay, respectively. Depending on the year, three out of five to five out of six clonal populations produced more tubers when grown from mother tubers than from seeds. Maximal tuber reproduction factors of 1:965, 1:752, and 1:618 were achieved for plants from mother tubers and seeds from open- and self-pollinated flowers, respectively. Plants originating from open-pollinated seedlings have the potential to equal or exceed the vegetative reproductive capacity of plants originating from mother tubers. As a result of their ability to establish in situ and their substantial vegetative reproductive capacity, C. esculentus seedlings are highly relevant for agriculture and merit appropriate attention in any integrated weed management system targeting C. esculentus.

Machine learning-based smart irrigation controller for runoff minimization in turfgrass irrigation

Inadequate turfgrass irrigation management poses a significant challenge, resulting in considerable water loss through runoff and the transport of contaminants, ultimately jeopardizing surface and groundwater quality. This study introduces a Machine Learning (ML)-based Decision Support System (DSS) designed to optimize turfgrass irrigation, concurrently minimizing runoff and preserving turfgrass quality. A robust ML classifier, specifically the Radial Basis Function - Support Vector Machine (RBF-SVM) was trained on synthetic data generated through the Monte-Carlo (MC) technique, which was then used to specify a set of irrigation rules implemented in the irrigation controller. The synthetic data were derived from observations collected from irrigation plots at the Texas A&M University Turfgrass Laboratory in Texas, United States, with Soil Wetting Efficiency Index (SWEI) serving as the target variable. When tested against a commercially available irrigation controller, the ML-based controller significantly reduced runoff by an average of 74 % while maintaining high Green Cover (GC) in turfgrass, achieving an accuracy of 87 %. These findings highlight the potential of ML-driven irrigation systems to improve water use efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and maintain turf quality. Such systems could be beneficial for urban landscapes, sports fields, and agriculture, helping users conserve water while achieving sustainable turf management.

Листовые подкормки при возделывании козлятника восточного на орошении

To strengthen the fodder base of animal husbandry in the Lower Volga region, first of all, it is necessary to expand the range of fodder crops and varieties, to optimize their nutritional regime, to create optimal conditions for their cultivation, in other words, to ensure the production of a large amount of valuable fodder in a relatively limited area, in this regard, the improvement of cultivation technology of eastern goatgrass is relevant. The purpose of the research was to increase the efficiency of cultivation of oriental goatgrass in the Lower Volga region through the use of mineral fertilizers and growth stimulants. Experiments to study the dependence of productivity of oriental goatgrass in the form of green mass on leaf fertilization with water-soluble mineral fertilizers were conducted from 2016 to 2023 on an irrigated plot with irrigation regime of 70...85...70 % NV by sprinkler machine “Valey”. In the experiment in 2017, varieties of oriental goatgrass Krivich, Yubilyar, Kazbek were sown. The general background before sowing was applied mineral fertilizers in the form of azofosk at a dose of N24P24K24. In each cutting in the phase of active growth of plants were fertilized with potassium monophosphate with and without a sticking agent at the rate of 0.5 kg/ha for one fertilizer. On average for seven years, the largest leaf area - 43.7 thousand m2/ha and photosynthetic potential - 7.87 million m2 x dn./ha of oriental goatgrass in the experiment were in the variety Jubilar in the variant of potassium monophosphate with a sticking agent. On average for seven years, the largest leaf area - 43.7 thousand m2/ha and photosynthetic potential - 7.87 million m2 x dn/ha of oriental goatgrass in the experiment were in the variety Jubilar in the variant of potassium monophosphate with a sticking agent. Also on this variant the maximum yield of green mass - 92.7 t/ha, dry matter content - 23.2 t/ha, fodder units - 20.4 t/ha and exchangeable energy - 1.62 GJ/ha were observed.

Differential responses of community‐level functional traits to mid‐ and late‐season experimental drought in a temperate grassland

Abstract Extreme precipitation events are becoming more intense and frequent due to climate change. This climatic shift is impacting the structure and dynamics of natural communities and the key ecosystem services they provide. Changes in species abundance under these conditions are thought to be mediated by functional traits, morpho‐physiological characteristics of an organism that impact its fitness. Future environmental conditions may, therefore, favour different traits to those in present‐day communities. After 6 years of manipulated precipitation levels, including drought (−50% of ambient precipitation), irrigation (+50% of ambient precipitation), and control (ambient precipitation), we measured five key functional traits (plant height, leaf dry matter content [LDMC], leaf thickness, specific leaf area [SLA], and leaf phosphorus concentration) in 586 individual vascular plants to study the effects of precipitation changes on community‐weighted functional traits. Additionally, we tested whether the precipitation change effects on the traits depend on the time of the growing season. As expected, reduced precipitation impacted community composition only for the late‐season timing, after the seasonal field mowing, but led to a significant change in all community‐level plant traits between season timings. Under drought, communities shifted towards shorter individuals with thicker but small leaves and lower phosphorous content. Overall, a combination of community reassembly and intraspecific variation contributed to community‐weighted differences between control and drought plots for plant height, SLA, and LDMC traits. Species turnover was the main driver of community‐weighted means (CWMs) shifts in all traits in the late‐season but SLA. Whereas all traits showed variations at the community level with drought, SLA and LDMC were the most responsive traits at the species level. Nevertheless, our results suggest underestimation of intraspecific variation due to sensitive species lower abundance under stress. No differences in CWMs of functional traits were observed between control and irrigated plots. Synthesis: Our findings suggest that functional trait composition of grassland communities may shift under climate change‐induced drought, depending on the growing season timings. Trait‐based attempts to predict ecosystem functioning must account for such temporal variation in community trait values.

Assessing the Early Establishment and Adaptability of Italian Ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) in Irrigated and Rainfed Conditions of Punjab, Pakistan

In Punjab, Pakistan, more than 60% expenditure incurred on the feeding of livestock and offered low quality forage thus affecting the productivity of milk and meat. The less production of livestock oriented products often results malnutrition in the society. An effort was made to evaluate the Italian Ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) early growth and its adaptation to rainfed and irrigated environments. The main objective of this study is to provide important new information for sustainable fodder production systems. The experiment used a Randomized Complete Block Design with seeds obtained from Korea and was carried out in the winter of 2023 in both rainfed Chakwal and irrigated Sargodha zone of Punjab. The plant's response to varying soil conditions and water availability was evaluated by measuring a range of growth parameters, such as plant height, population density, root and shoot biomass, root length, and the root-shoot ratio. The results show that there are significant differences between rainfed and irrigated locations as established by the statistical analysis. Italian Ryegrass in irrigated plots showed higher mean plant height (43.75 cm), higher plant population (317.50 plants/m²), higher shoot biomass (7.425 g/plant), greater length of roots (5.950 cm), and a lower root-shoot ratio (0.1135) than in rainfed areas. Additionally, the study provides data on soil profiles that show differences between the two locations in terms of pH, electrical conductivity, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The findings provide important information for enhancing Italian Ryegrass cultivation in Punjab's various agro-ecological zones, given the critical role fodder feed plays in supporting livestock and agriculture. The study provides the basis for well-informed farming practices by highlighting the importance of water management strategies to improve fodder production during scarcity period and, by consequently, animal nutrition in the area.

Effects of enriched CO2, temperature, and irrigation on soil properties in greenhouse apple tree cultivation

The significant contributions of anthropogenic activity to global warming are evidenced by the increasing average atmospheric temperatures and CO2 concentration. To date, data on the impact of global warming on crops, particularly field-scale fruit growth and the soil environment, remain lacking. Therefore, we conducted a 4-year monitoring experiment on semi-closed apple tree populations cultivated under the present or near-future climate to assess the effects of atmospheric temperature and CO2 concentrations on soil moisture, temperature, and inorganic ion concentration. Apple saplings were grown in three independent environment-controlled greenhouses, namely greenhouses A (GH_A; control), B (GH_B; high-temperature), and C (GH_C; high-temperature and high CO2), representing climate modification experiments. The pH increased by 0.02, 0.20, and 0.12/year for GH_A, GH_B, and GH_C, respectively. In particular, GH_B (standard irrigation plot; STD) showed a significant pH increase of 0.25/year. The EC increased by 0.014 mS/cm/year for GH_A, decreased by -0.010 mS/cm/year for GH_B, and increased by 0.006 mS/cm/year for GH_C, showing no clear overall increasing or decreasing trend. The NO3 concentration increased by 1.2 mg/L/year for GH_A, decreased by 10.2 mg/L/year for GH_B and decreased by 0.7 mg/L/year for GH_C. The apparent activation energy (Ea) ranged from 85.3 to 214.4 (kJ/mol NH4+) and, regardless of watering treatment, GH_A > GH_B > GH_C. The values in STD plots were 1.4 to 1.7 times those in abundant irrigation plots. Using GH_A (STD) as a standard, the soil temperature dependence of the nitrification rate did not change overall at high or low air temperatures with increasing watering (Ea = 150.5 kJ/mol) or heating (Ea = 154.1 kJ/mol). The soil temperature dependence of the nitrification rate did not vary under heating and increased watering (Ea = 89.5 kJ/mol) or under heating, increased watering, and increased CO2 (Ea = 85.3 kJ/mol). This study provides novel insights into determining the environmental impacts of apple tree community soils under near-future climatic conditions.

Simulation of Onion Response to Soil Moisture Stress at Different Growth Stages on Yield and Water Productivity Using Aquacrop

The objective of this study is to select the most effective water-saving techniques and improve the water productivity of irrigated onion. The phenological growth of onion, the crop was subjected to moisture stress during one, two, or three of the growth stages. The highest yield attained was 21.157 tons/ha and the lowest was 7.177 tons/ha. Treatments T3 & T4 were water stressed during second and last growth stages produce yields that weren’t significantly different from the yield achieved under completely irrigated (T1). Compared to the maximum yield, 22.3% to 48.4% lower yields were recorded under treatments subjected to water deficiency during two growth stages. Treatments that were stressed during one growth stage had a 2.6 to 42.7% yield reduction relative to the maximum yield. The highest yield reduction was observed under treatment irrigated during the first growth stage (T8), followed by irrigated during first and second growth stages (T7), first and late stages (T5) and then treatment not irrigated during midseason (T2). This shows that a prolonged deficiency over three growing stages has more yield reduction (T8). Plots stressed during both third and fourth growth stages were producing lower yields indicating the severe effects of water stress during flowering and early bulb filling stages on yield. Water savings achieved under different treatments with no significant differences in yield from full irrigated plots range 11.8% to 21.7% (T4 & T3) respectively.

Effects of Winery Wastewater to Soils on Mineral Properties and Soil Carbon

Winery wastewater (WW) is a high-volume biowaste and, in the context of Marlborough and New Zealand wineries, there is a growing recognition of the need to improve current WW disposal systems to mitigate negative environmental impacts. The application of WW to land is a low-cost method of disposal, that could significantly reduce the environmental risk associated with WW directly entering surface and groundwater bodies. This study analysed elemental concentrations in WW and soils from three Marlborough vineyards across their annual vintage to determine the loading rates of nutrients into WW and the subsequent accumulation effects of WW irrigation on receiving soils. The findings showed loading rates of approximately 1.8 t ha−1 yr−1 of sodium within WW and a significant increase in soil sodium concentration and pH, attributed to sodium-based cleaning products. A loading rate of approximately 4 t ha−1 yr−1 of total organic carbon was also identified within WW, however, significant losses in soil carbon, nitrogen, magnesium and calcium concentrations were identified. Focusing efforts to retain key nutrients from WW within soils could provide benefits to New Zealand’s wine industry, facilitating increased biomass production in irrigation plots, thereby increasing biodiversity and potentially generating incentives for vineyard owners to contribute to increasing biomass carbon stocks and offset agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.

Irrigation Targeted to Provoke Ejection of Ascospores of Venturia inaequalis Shortens the Season for Ascospore Release and Results in Less Apple Scab.

Trials were carried out in apple orchards of Emilia-Romagna and Trentino-Alto Adige in northern Italy to investigate the effects of sprinkler irrigation on possible reduction in inoculum and subsequent disease pressure of Venturia inaequalis, the ascomycete causing apple scab. In spring, volumetric spore traps were placed above apple leaf litter containing pseudothecia with ascospores of the fungus. Pseudothecia matured more rapidly in irrigated plots, and 95% of the total number of spores trapped in a season was reached on average 164 degree days (base temperature 0°C) earlier in irrigated compared with nonirrigated plots. On average for seven location/year combinations, more than 50% of the ascospores were trapped following irrigations carried out for 2 h on sunny days before a forecasted rainfall. Subsequently, a much lower number of spores were trapped on rainy days following irrigation. Field trials with scab-susceptible apple cultivars were carried out in the two regions to evaluate the efficacy of sprinkler irrigation on disease. Irrigated and nonirrigated plots were either treated with different fungicide control strategies or not treated. Irrigation significantly reduced the incidence of apple scab at both sites, and the overall number of infected leaves and fruit was reduced by more than 50%. Midday sprinkler irrigation can significantly reduce the inoculum pressure of V. inaequalis in apple orchards. This may be a sustainable management strategy, especially in areas with extended dry periods.

Improving Irrigation Management of Cotton with Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in Texas High Plains

The rapid decline in water availability for irrigation on the Texas High Plains (THP) is a significant problem affecting crop production and the viability of a large regional economy worth approximately USD 7 billion annually. This region is the largest continuous cotton-producing area in the United States, and the timely delivery and efficient use of irrigation water are critical to the sustainability and profitability of cotton production in this region. Current irrigation scheduling must be improved to reduce water consumption without compromising crop production. Presently, irrigation scheduling based on reference evapotranspiration (ETo) is limited due to the lack of reliable and readily available in-field weather data and updated crop coefficients. Additionally, in-field variability in crop water demand is often overlooked, leading to lower irrigation efficiency. To address these challenges, we explored the potential use of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based crop monitoring system to support irrigation management decisions. This study was conducted in Lubbock, Texas, in 2022, where high temporal and spatial resolution images were acquired using a UAV from a cotton field experiment with four irrigation levels. Soil moisture and canopy temperature sensors were deployed to monitor crop response to irrigation and rainfall. The results indicated a significant effect of water stress on crop growth (revealed by UAV-based canopy cover (CC) measurements), yield, and fiber quality. Strong correlations between multi-temporal CC and lint yield (R2 = 0.68 to 0.88) emphasized a clear trend: rainfed treatments with lower yields exhibited reduced CC, while irrigated plots with higher CC displayed increased yields. Furthermore, irrigated plots produced more mature and uniform fibers. This study also explored various evapotranspiration calculation approaches indicating that site-specific CC measurements obtained from a UAV could significantly reduce irrigation application. A regression model linking evapotranspiration to canopy cover demonstrated promising potential for estimating water demand in crops with an R2 as high as 0.68. The findings highlight the efficacy of UAV-based canopy features in assessing drought effects and managing irrigation water in water-limited production regions like the THP.

Conjunctive use of floodwater harvesting for managed aquifer recharge and irrigation on a date farm in Morocco

AbstractIn arid regions, harvesting floodwater can mitigate irrigation‐induced groundwater depletion by providing additional surface water and recharging aquifers. We designed an experimental protocol to quantify these fluxes on a date farm located along the Wadi Satt, whose flow originates from the Anti‐Atlas Mountains in south‐eastern Morocco. Automatic barometric sensors were used to monitor the water level in a 6500 m3 floodwater harvesting pond and in surrounding boreholes. Six flood events occurred from 2021 to 2023. The pond water balance indicated that most stored water is pumped for irrigation (56% of harvested floodwater). More than 40% infiltrates at a rate of approximately 90 mm day−1, and the remainder evaporated. Analytical modelling of the pond water table system showed that the radius of the piezometric mound resulting from pond infiltration is less than 360 m. Groundwater recharge from the irrigated plot could be observed after two close floods that enabled continuous pumping for several weeks, suggesting that in this specific context, over‐irrigation using surface water allows the aquifer to be recharged. The hydrological effects of possible future expansion of these ponds at the watershed scale should be analysed to assess possible negative impacts on downstream water resources.

Enhancing drought tolerance in Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) through microbial inoculants under varying irrigation regimes

A field experiment was conducted during the winter (rabi) seasons of 2020–21, 2021–22 and 2022–23 at College of Agriculture, Sri Karan Narendra Agriculture University, Jobner, Rajasthan to identify the appropriate bacterial strains and irrigation levels to enhance drought tolerance and productivity in Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.]. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design assigning irrigation treatments (no irrigation, 50% deficit irrigation and normal level of irrigation) in main plots and microbes (MRD-17, MKS-6, Biophos and Biophos+, CRIDAMI-I, CRIDA MI-II and control) in sub plots. Results demonstrated that normal level of irrigation (2 irrigations) yielded superior outcomes in terms of plant height, dry matter accumulation, yield attributes, viz. seed yield (1542 kg/ha), stover yield (3677 kg/ha), relative water content (70.72%), protein content (18.1%), oil content (38.7%), water use efficiency (7.50 kg/ha-mm), net returns (₹52529/ha) and B:C ratio (2.07). This was significantly higher compared to 50% deficit irrigation and no irrigation treatments. Among microbial inoculants, CRIDA MI-II exhibited the highest impact on growth and yield attributes, viz. seed yield (1312 kg/ha), stover yield (3262 kg/ha), protein content (17.2%), water use efficiency (5.88 kg/ha-mm), net returns (₹42294/ha) and B:C ratio (1.72). Notably, it was statistically comparable to the effects of CRIDA MI-I and Biophos and Biophos+ across most parameters. The comprehensive results of this study advocated the strategic implementation of both optimal irrigation practices and microbial inoculants as a sustainable approach to enhance productivity and drought tolerance in Indian mustard, particularly in the arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan.

Enhancing drought tolerance in Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) through microbial inoculants under varying irrigation regimes

A field experiment was conducted during the winter (rabi) seasons of 2020–21, 2021–22 and 2022–23 at College of Agriculture, Sri Karan Narendra Agriculture University, Jobner, Rajasthan to identify the appropriate bacterial strains and irrigation levels to enhance drought tolerance and productivity in Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.]. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design assigning irrigation treatments (no irrigation, 50% deficit irrigation and normal level of irrigation) in main plots and microbes (MRD-17, MKS-6, Biophos and Biophos+, CRIDAMI-I, CRIDA MI-II and control) in sub plots. Results demonstrated that normal level of irrigation (2 irrigations) yielded superior outcomes in terms of plant height, dry matter accumulation, yield attributes, viz. seed yield (1542 kg/ha), stover yield (3677 kg/ha), relative water content (70.72%), protein content (18.1%), oil content (38.7%), water use efficiency (7.50 kg/ha-mm), net returns (₹52529/ha) and B:C ratio (2.07). This was significantly higher compared to 50% deficit irrigation and no irrigation treatments. Among microbial inoculants, CRIDA MI-II exhibited the highest impact on growth and yield attributes, viz. seed yield (1312 kg/ha), stover yield (3262 kg/ha), protein content (17.2%), water use efficiency (5.88 kg/ha-mm), net returns (₹42294/ha) and B:C ratio (1.72). Notably, it was statistically comparable to the effects of CRIDA MI-I and Biophos and Biophos+ across most parameters. The comprehensive results of this study advocated the strategic implementation of both optimal irrigation practices and microbial inoculants as a sustainable approach to enhance productivity and drought tolerance in Indian mustard, particularly in the arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan.

Comparison of toxicity of some synthetic insecticides against thrips (Thrips tabaci) on cotton crop under different irrigation regimes

Cotton is the main cash crop and back bone of agriculture. However, its yield is decreasing due to insect pests attack. Among them, sucking insect pests are serious problem in cotton and various agricultural crops. Hence, present research work was executed to assess the toxicity of some synthetic insecticides against Thrips tabaci in cotton crop. The research trial was executed with varied planting geometry under different irrigation regimes. Sowing of the cotton crop was done with plant to plant distance of 30 and 60 cm while row to row distance was 4 ft. apart. The plants were irrigated under single lateral and double lateral arrangements of drip irrigation while control plot was irrigated through conventional surface irrigation method. Results of relative incidence of thrips population on different irrigation plots showed that highest thrips population (19.43/plant) was noted in case of flood irrigated plot having plant to plant distance of 30 cm followed by in double lateral drip irrigation plot (15/plant) and single lateral plot (13.10 thrips/plant). Comparatively lower mean thrips population values; 16.30, 12.40 and 10.56 thrips/plant, respectively were recorded in experimental plot under 60 cm plant to plant distance. Toxicity bioassays revealed that highest reduction (75.27%) was recorded in spinetoram while lowest thrips population reduction (28.18%) was recorded in case of spinosad. It can be concluded that spinetoram can be effective tool for efficient control of thrips leading to augmentation in cotton crop yield.

СОРТОИЗУЧЕНИЕ ОБРАЗЦОВ КУНЖУТА В УСЛОВИЯХ АСТРАХАНСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ

The research was carried out in 2020–2022 in the south of Chernoyarsk district of Astrakhan region in order to identify promising and adaptive sesame breeding material to the conditions of the region for its further involvement in the creation of new varieties of this crop. The work was carried out on an irrigated plot, the soil of the experimental plot in terms of granulometric composition was heavy loamy, the soil type was light chestnut. The meteorological conditions that developed during the study period were typical for the cultivation zone. The material for the study was 70 collection samples of sesame from All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources named after N.I.Vavilov (VIR). The Solnechny variety was chosen as the standard. During the work, the following samples were identified: K-188 (Turkey), K-1060 (India), K-239 (Greece), K-1506 (Venezuela), K-594 (Tajikistan). Their yield varied over the years as follows: in 2020 – 2.2…3.1 t/ha, while the value of this indicator for the standard was 1.7 t/ha; in 2021 – 1.3…2.5 t/ha and 2.7 t/ha; in 2022 – 1.3…2.8 t/ha and 2.4 t/ha, respectively. For these samples, environmental plasticity and stability were calculated according to Eberhart and Russell. The high-intensity group (bi>1, σ2d→0) includes samples K-239 (Greece, bi=2.05 and σ2d=0.08); K-1506 (Venezuela, bi=2.18 and σ2d=0.10); K-594 (Tajikistan, bi=1.91 and σ2d=0.09). The standard indicators of environmental adaptability were as follows: bi=-2.39 and σ2d=0.09. Considering that in addition to adaptability, the samples K-1506 (Venezuela) and K-594 (Tajikistan) had an average yield of 2.0 t/ha in the conditions of Astrakhan region for 2020-2022, and the sample K-188 (Turkey) for the study period exceeded the value of this indicator for the standard by an average of 0.53 t/ha, they can be recommended as a promising breeding material for creating sesame varieties.

Nutrient content in olive leaves through sustained irrigation with treated wastewater

Water scarcity is posing a major challenge to sustainable development. This issue will become more pressing as the global population grows, living standards rise, food habits evolve, and the effects of climate change intensify, resulting in rising temperatures globally. Reusing treated wastewater reduces effluent discharge into natural water bodies while also providing a reliable water source for applications that do not require high-quality water. A field trial was conducted on plots where olive trees grow. Two water treatment scenarios were investigated: one with a conventional water source as the control and one with treated wastewater as an alternative.Soil and irrigation water were characterized in the study regions, and chlorophyll, macro and micronutrients in olive leaves were analyzed. Soils treated to long-term wastewater irrigation had considerably higher electrical conductivity, total nitrogen, potassium, sodium, magnesium, zinc, and cation exchange capacity values than control. Notably, control soils had much greater levels of zinc and phosphorus than treated wastewater-irrigated soils. Except for phosphorous content (greater in plants from treated wastewater irrigated plots) and zinc content (lower in plants from treated wastewater irrigated plots), no significant variations in nutrients evaluated occurred for crops. In general, when comparing irrigation with reclaimed wastewater to irrigation with fresh water, no negative influence on tree performance was detected over time. Nevertheless, it's crucial to consider the potential risk of soil salinization associated with the consistent use of this water for irrigation.

Karık ve Damla Sulama Yöntemleriyle Kırmızı Biberde Farklı Sulama Stratejilerinin Yaprak Osmotik Potansiyeli ile K ve Ca İyon Konsantrasyonları Üzerine Etkilerinin Belirlenmesi

A study was managed to identify the water stress effect on marketable yield, osmatic potential, and potassium (K) and calcium (Ca) ions for drip and furrow irrigated processing red pepper in the 2010 and 2011 growing seasons in Tarsus, Turkey. The treatments for drip irrigation; comprise full irrigation (DFI1.0), deficit irrigation DDI0.75, DPRD0.5, DFPRD0.5, and DDI0.5; for furrow irrigation; full irrigation (FFI1.0), fix alternative furrow (FAF0.5) and PRD furrow (FPRD0.5). FAF0.5 and FPRD0.5 received 50 % of the water applied to FFI1.0. In FAF0.5 the same furrows were irrigated while in FPRD0.5 irrigated alternately. Irrigation methods and irrigation levels had a remarkable effect on the total yield of red pepper in both experimental years. Drip irrigation treatments manufactured higher red pepper yields than the furrow irrigation treatments. The maximum yield in the drip irrigation system was acquired from the DFI1.0 treatment followed by DDI0.75, DDI0.5, and DFPRD0.5 treatments. Though DPRD0.5, DFPRD0.5, and DDI0.5 applied the same amount of water, DPRD0.5 resulted in a higher yield. In furrow treatments, FFI1.0 resulted in the highest yield followed by FPRD0.5 and FAF0.5. Water use efficiency (WUE) diminished with increasing the water amount for drip and furrow irrigation methods. While lower osmotic potential values were measured in full irrigation treatments in furrow and drip irrigation plots, higher osmotic potential values were determined in treatments where water stress was determined in both years. In both drip and furrow irrigation, the lowest Ca (%) values were obtained in full irrigation, while the highest Ca values were obtained in limited irrigation with water stress in the 2010 and 2011 years. K ion values were generally similar in the first and fourth pepper harvests in drip and furrow irrigation.

Irrigation and Thermal Buffering Using Mathematical Modeling

Two methods of irrigation, drip, and sprinkler were studied to determine the response of the Javits green roof to irrigation. The control study was dry unirrigated plots. Drip irrigation consisted of irrigation tubes running through the green roof that would water the soil throughout and sprinkler irrigation used a sprinkler system to irrigate the green roof from above. In all cases, the irrigated roofs had increased the soil moisture, reduced temperatures of both the upper and lower surfaces, reduced growing medium temperatures and reduced air temperatures above the green roof relative to the unirrigated roof. The buffered temperature fluctuations were also studied via air conditioner energy consumption. There was a 28% reduction in air conditioner energy consumption and a 33% reduction in overall energy consumption between dry and irrigated plots. Values of thermal resistance or S were determined for accuracy and for this study, there was little change which is ideal. A series of infra-red and thermal probe measurements were used to determine temperatures in the air and sedum. It was determined that the sprinkler irrigation did a better job than the drip irrigation in keeping cooler temperatures within the green roof. A Mann-Whitney U test was performed to verify the variation in moisture temperatures buffering energy consumption. By getting a p-value < 0.05, it indicates that the model is accurate for prediction and medium temperatures were statistically different.

Irrigation Detection Using Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 Time Series on Fruit Tree Orchards

In arid and semi-arid regions, irrigation is crucial to mitigate water stress and yield loss. However, the overexploitation of water resources by the agricultural sector together with the climate change effects can lead to water scarcity. Effective regional water management depends on estimating irrigation demand using maps of irrigable areas or national and regional statistics of irrigated areas. These statistical data are not always of reliable quality because they generally do not reflect the updated spatial distribution of irrigated and rainfed fields. In this context, remote sensing provides reliable methods for gathering useful agricultural information from derived records. The combined use of optical and radar Earth Observation data enhances the probability of detecting irrigation events, which can improve the accuracy of irrigation mapping. Hence, we aimed to utilize Sentinel-1 (VV and VH) and Sentinel-2 (NDVI) data to classify irrigated fruit trees and rainfed ones in a study area located in the Castilla La-Mancha region in Spain. To obtain these time-series data from Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2, which constitute the input data for the classification algorithms, a tool has been developed for automating the download from the Sentinel Hub. This tool downloads products organized by tiles for the region of interest and for the entire required time-series, ensuring the spatial repeatability of each pixel across all products and dates. The classification of irrigated plots was carried out by SVM Support Vector Machine. The employed methodology displayed promising results, with an overall accuracy of 88.4%, indicating the methodology’s ability to detect irrigation over orchards that were declared as non-irrigated. These results were evaluated by applying the change detection method of the σp0 backscattering coefficient at plot scale.

Evaluation of water productivity of smallholder irrigation along a Sand River, in the Maigobo watershed of northern Ethiopia

Sand dams are a type of rainwater harvesting technology that can increase groundwater recharge in dry land environments. They are constructed across seasonal sandy rivers and trap sand and water during floods. The sand acts as a natural filter and storage medium for the water, which can be extracted by the local communities through wells, pumps, or scoop holes. This research aims to evaluate agricultural water productivity based on water consumption (ETa) and biomass production of smallholder irrigation schemes along a sand river with a sand dam in the riverbeds of northern Ethiopia. Remotely sensed satellite data, WaPOR (Water Productivity through Open access of Remotely sensed derived data) database was used to estimate water productivity in the arid and semi-arid area. Following the installation of the sand dam at the irrigated parts of the Mai Gobo watershed, both the annual and seasonal values increased over a number of years, according to the spatial analysis of ETa and biomass production. For instance, the maximum seasonal ETa before the dam was about 70 mm/season, whereas after the dam the spatially analysed ETa reached 174 mm/season. Likewise, maximum seasonal biomass production of 1117 kg/ha and 4433 kg/ha were obtained before and after the construction of the sand dam, respectively. Agricultural water productivity at the irrigated plots of the Mai Gobo watershed was also improved from 1.4 kg/m3 to 2.9 kg/m3 before and after the sand dam respectively. Generally, the output of the study can be used as an input for the concerned stakeholder to take measures against the water scarcity problem in the study area. The study also contributes to the scientific knowledge and understanding of the hydrological and agronomical impacts of the sand dam in the arid and semi-arid regions.