Water Stress Research Articles

Trivariate risk assessment to unlock priorities in agriculture-dominated semi-arid region.

This study provides crucial insights into sustainable water resource management in an agriculture-dominated, water-scarce region. The long-term hydrologic potential of the Purna sub-catchment (in India) was simulated using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) under a multimetric calibration approach. A comprehensive evaluation of the SWAT-simulated streamflows, incorporating graphical and quantitative assessments (i.e., R2≥0.82 and NSE≥0.81), parametric sensitivity and uncertainty analyses, revealed the hydrological advantages of the multimetric calibration approach over single-site calibration. We introduce the hydrological efficacy index (HEI), representing the natural resiliency of the watersheds, to identify hydrologically efficient areas using long-term hydrological potential and principal component analysis (PCA). The PCA is used to deal with multicollinearity among hydrological variables. The overall vulnerability of the region to escalating water scarcity is determined using multiple hydrologic and socioeconomic indicators derived from observations, simulations, and census data to establish the vulnerability index (VI). Without watershed-based observations, the simulated water yield at 50% dependability and census-based population data are used to derive the areal water stress index (AWSI). The trivariate risk analysis of HEI-AWSI-VI indicated that 72.4% of the study region exhibits moderate to high AWSI and VI, with only 37.9% displaying high HEI. The top 16 priority-ranked watersheds, identified using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and modified technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) methods, would bring substantial benefits under sustainable water management practices, covering 60.8% of the area and 75.6% of the population. This study underscores the critical need for implementing comprehensive water conservation practices and strategic resource management to enhance resilience against escalating water scarcity.

Detection and Management of Water Stress at Plants by Deep Learning and Image processing Case-study of Tomato

Detection and Management of Water Stress at Plants by Deep Learning and Image processing Case-study of Tomato

Plant water stress sensing: osmosensors start to make sense.

Plant water stress sensing: osmosensors start to make sense.

Can spatial self-organization inhibit evolutionary adaptation?

Plants often respond to drier climates by slow evolutionary adaptations from fast-growing to stress-tolerant species. These evolutionary adaptations increase the plants' resilience to droughts but involve productivity losses that bear on agriculture and food security. Plants also respond by spatial self-organization, through fast vegetation patterning involving differential plant mortality and increased water availability to the surviving plants. The manners in which these two response forms intermingle and affect productivity and resilience have not been studied. Here we ask: can spatial patterning inhibit undesired evolutionary adaptation without compromising ecosystem resilience? To address this question, we integrate adaptive dynamics and vegetation pattern-formation theories and show that vegetation patterning can inhibit evolutionary adaptations to less productive, more stress-tolerant species over a wide precipitation range while increasing their resilience to water stress. This evolutionary homeostasis results from the high spatial plasticity of vegetation patterns, associated with patch thinning and patch dilution, which maintains steady local water availability despite decreasing precipitation. Spatial heterogeneity expedites the onset of vegetation patterning and induces evolutionary homeostasis at an earlier stage of evolutionary adaptation, thereby mitigating the productivity loss that occurs while the vegetation remains spatially uniform. We conclude by discussing our results in a broader context of evolutionary retardation.

Experimental & Modelling Studies on Novel Scraped Surface Falling Film Crystallizer for Freeze Desalination

Freeze Desalination (FD) is a low-temperature thermal desalination technique that uses freezing. FD requires seven times less energy than evaporation-based desalination processes in addition to reduced corrosion and scaling issues. However, commercial adoption is limited by issues like incomplete salt removal, scaling of heat transfer surfaces with ice. Recently, the availability of 'cold energy' at -162°C during LNG regasification has increased the potential application of FD at LNG terminals, particularly in coastal areas facing water stress. This paper introduces a new equipment called the Scraped Surface Falling Film Crystallizer (SSFFC), specifically designed for the FD process. The SSFFC uses falling film freeze crystallization and a mechanism for in-situ ice crystal harvesting through scraping and filtration. Experiments were conducted using brackish water to evaluate the performance of the SSFFC unit, focusing on ice production and salt rejection at various feed salinities and coolant temperatures. The unit achieved ice production rates of 2.7kg/h and 3.9kg/h with coolant temperatures of -9°C and -12°C, respectively, for a feed salinity of 10,000 ppm. A mathematical model of the SSFFC unit was developed, validated with experimental results and used in parametric studies to investigate the impact of different operating conditions on its performance.

Effect of Polyethylene glycol, temperature, and stratification in thirty plant species: Implications for conservation and management

Seed ecology is a fundamental view of a population's regenerative potential and under climate change needs investigation for proper management and conservation of plant populations. In the Mediterranean basin extreme rainfall variability is expected to prevail during the next decades. The aim of the study is to investigate the germination potential of thirty plant species by placing their seeds under gradients of water potentials with the use of polyethylene glycol, a polymer used to mimic water stress in seeds to assess their adaptive potential. We applied three different osmotic potentials (-0.03 MPa , -0.50 MPa, -1.56 MPa) using PEG6000 in seeds from thirty different plant species. Prior PEG treatment seeds grouped to non-stratified and stratified ones at +2°C for 1 month. Seeds were then germinated under either constant +21°C or alternate +25°C/+15°C temperature with 12-hours photoperiod. Germination was affected by PEG level, stratification and temperature which acted either independently or in combination, and the response to those factors was species specific. Most species that PEG had affected their germination, responded positively in water stress at -0.5 MPa and some of them further increased their seed germination under -1.56 MPa. However, in species where PEG had no effect, their germination response was driven by the other two factors either independently or in combination. Finally, there were also species that presented low germination, unaffected by the studied factors. The present study demonstrates the ability of several Mediterranean species to germinate under various levels of water stress and can be applied to species management and conservation strategies.

Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) Application Triggers Plant Dehydration but Does Not Accurately Simulate Drought.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG), especially at high molecular weights, is highly soluble in water, and these solutions have reduced water potential. It is convenient to use PEG in hydroponics (liquid nutrient solution) for experiments with plants. However, some authors have been found to describe the application of PEG to plants incorrectly, such as drought, dehydration, osmotic, or water stresses, which can mislead readers. The presented opinion paper shows our arguments for a terminology in such experiments that is strictly limited to 'PEG-induced' or 'simulated' or 'mimicked' dehydration, and osmotic or water stresses, with the best option being 'PEG-induced dehydration'. The most popular term, 'drought', is inappropriate to be used for hydroponics at all, with or without PEG. Traditionally, drought stress study was related to only plants in soil or other substrates mixed with soil. Based on 139 published papers, the examples presented in our opinion paper can demonstrate differences in gene expression between plants grown in containers with soil and under PEG-induced stress in hydroponics. Researchers can carry out any type of experiments suitable for the purposes of their study. However, clear and correct description of experiments and careful interpretation of the results are strongly required, especially with PEG, to avoid incorrect information. In all cases, at the final stage, results of experiments in controlled conditions have to be verified in field trials with naturally occurring drought.

Effect of water stress on vegetative growth and leaf concentration of flavonoids in mint (mentha x piperita) under protected cultivation conditions

Medicinal plants, such as mint, contain active ingredients, which, although they are responsible for the therapeutic properties attributed to them, are also responsible for poisoning and adverse reactions that can occur if they are used in inadequate doses, high doses, or for prolonged periods. Many of these plant species have survived for millions of years thanks to their ability to produce substances that protect them from predators or extreme conditions. Even though some of these compounds (condensed tannins, phenols, alkaloids, oligosaccharides, and saponins) can produce a violent and immediate reaction, in most cases, they have a subtle effect that manifests itself with prolonged ingestion. By applying computational chemistry, the structures of bioactive molecules were revealed, representing them three-dimensionally after virtual screening. Therefore, in the project's development, the effect of water stress on the production of flavonoids in the protected mint crop was studied, using the previously measured field capacity and ultimately controlling the irrigation. This was divided into four irrigation application treatments (each 3, 6, 9, and 12 days), evaluating different agronomic variables and through a foliar analysis of the content of flavonoids present in the four treatments under study. The findings of this study, with their significant implications for medicinal plant cultivation, underscore how water stress can affect the production of flavonoids in mint. This knowledge can be directly applied to optimize cultivation practices and enhance the quality of medicinal plants, thereby benefiting the agricultural and pharmaceutical industries.

Adaptation des cultures au changement climatique : apport possible de l'édition génomique

Climate change means warmer conditions, with more frequent risks of drought, but also a wide variation in conditions, with extreme events, from one year to the next. To adapt crops to this change, we need varieties that combine several types of tolerance, particularly to high temperatures and water stress at different stages of the plant life, as well as resistance to different types of bio-aggressors associated to this change. Using various examples, we show that genome-editing techniques can be a tool to assist conventional plant breeding in obtaining such varieties more quickly. In the discussion, we compare the selection of varieties adapted to different conditions (called multi-adapted varieties), thanks to genome editing, with the mixture of varieties with adaptations to different climatic conditions, and we conclude that the two approaches can be complementary.

Soybean Water Monitoring and Water Demand Prediction in Arid Region Based on UAV Multispectral Data

Soil moisture content is a key factor influencing plant growth and agricultural productivity, directly impacting water uptake, nutrient absorption, and stress resistance. This study proposes a rapid, low-cost, non-destructive method for dynamically monitoring soil moisture at depths of 0–200 cm throughout the crop growth period under dryland conditions, with validation in soybean cultivation. During critical soybean growth stages, UAV multispectral data of the canopy were collected, and ground measurements were conducted for three GPS-referenced 50 cm × 50 cm plots to obtain canopy leaf water content, coverage, and soil volumetric moisture at 20 cm intervals. Ten vegetation indices were constructed from multispectral data to explore statistical relationships between vegetation indices, surface soil moisture, canopy leaf water content, and deeper soil moisture. Predictive models were developed and evaluated. Results showed that the NDVI-based nonlinear regression model achieved the best performance for leaf water content (R2 = 0.725), and a significant correlation was found between canopy leaf water content and 0–20 cm soil moisture (R2 = 0.705), enabling predictions of deeper soil moisture. Surface soil models accurately estimated 0–200 cm soil moisture distribution (R2 = 0.9995). Daily water dynamics simulations provided robust support for precision irrigation management. This study demonstrates that UAV multispectral remote sensing combined with ground sampling is a valuable tool for soybean water management, supporting precision agriculture and sustainable water resource utilization.

Impact of pulsed drip irrigation and organo-mineral N-fertilization on improving sandy soil properties and limon production

ABSTRACT The depletion of water resources has intensified with the evolving global climate change, leading to increased demands for water requirements in agricultural practices. In addressing these challenges, our consideration has centered on the implementation of environmentally friendly technologies. Lemon yields are diminishing due to the effects of severe climate change. To counter this decline, farmers resort to the application of nitrogen fertilizers in an attempt to boost yields. Nevertheless, the excessive use of nitrogen fertilizers has adverse effects on both plants and the environment. Therefore, two field experiments were carried out during the years 2021 and 2022 at the experimental farm (in the Nubaria region, Egypt) to examine the effects of two irrigation methods [conventional drip irrigation and pulse drip irrigation] and integrated nitrogen fertilization [five organo-mineral N fertilization rates OMN: OMN1 (100% mineral N + 0% organic N), OMN2 (75% MN + 25% ON), OMN3 (50% MN + 50% ON), OMN4 (25% MN + 75% ON), and OMN5 (0% MN + 100% ON)] on water productivity, lemon productivity, and fruit quality. In arid conditions, soil organic matter content, soil microorganisms activity, soil pH, water application efficiency, water stress inside the root zone, lemon productivity (LP), lemon water productivity (WPLemon), and lemon fruit quality were examined. The findings showed that the pulse drip irrigation approach improved LP, WPLemon, vitamin C, and lemon’s total soluble solids. The results also showed how integrated N-fertilization was important for increasing the proportion of organic component addition. Our findings suggested that applying pulsed drip irrigation coupled with integrating N-fertilization boosted water productivity, lemon productivity, and fruit quality. The highest outcomes were achieved when using pulse drip irrigation and 50% organic N + 50% mineral N-fertilizers.

Effect of Irrigation Intervals and Plastic Mulching On Flower Production of Carnation

Calyx splitting is a physiological disorder that results in poor flower production and vase life in carnation. Several scientific reports and literature suggests that this physiological die back and curly tip of carnation flowers might be due to the water stress and potassium deficiency. Keeping in view these facts a field experiment was carried out to study the effect of irrigation intervals and plastic mulching on flower production and control of calyx split in carnation at Ornamental Horticulture Nursery, The University of Agriculture Peshawar, in 2020. Randomized Complete Block Design with a split plot arrangement having two factors was used. Treatments were repeated three times. The plants of carnation were irrigated at different interval (3, 6, 9 and 12 days) allotted to main plots and plastic mulches (transparent, black and green and control / no mulching) were assigned to subplots. Data pertaining to irrigation intervals revealed that least days to flowering (89.7), least calyx splitting (6.1%) and maximum vase life (11.33 days) were recorded in plants irrigated with 12 days’ interval that were statistically similar to the effect of irrigation at 9 days of interval. Findings regarding plastic mulches showed that maximum chlorophyll content (62.8 SPAD), days to flowering (100.5), dry flower weight (2.4g) and vase life (10.95 days) with minimum calyx splitting (7.4%) were recorded in carnation plants of plots covered with green plastic mulch that were statistically similar to the effect of black and transparent plastic mulches. It is concluded that irrigation intervals of 9 and 12 days resulted in early flowering, least calyx splitting and extended vase life. While use of plastic (Transparent, black or green) as mulching material proved superior as compared to control/ no mulching.

Condensate Water as Alternate Resource for Mitigating Water Stress: A Case Study

Condensate Water as Alternate Resource for Mitigating Water Stress: A Case Study

Biochar‐Amended Soils: A Water‐Saving Strategy for Quinoa Cultivation in the Andes

ABSTRACTIntroductionPrevious studies showed that biochar amended soils significantly enhanced the growth and yield of quinoa under water limitations. So it becomes an emerging agronomic strategy to consider for sustainable quinoa production. Biochar can specifically be considered for the area particularly receiving low annual rainfall and more vulnerable to current climate change conditions.Materials and MethodsA field experiment was conducted using the quinoa variety INIA 415 Pasankalla, employing a factorial design to assess the effects of different application rates of biochar made of municipal pruning waste and agricultural waste (0, 1, 2, and 3 t·ha⁻¹), and three irrigation intervals (irrigation every 5 days, irrigation every 10 days, and irrigation every 15 days). The volumetric soil moisture content, the soil hydraulic properties, and quinoa's biometric characteristics and yield components were evaluated.ResultsThe results indicated that the longest irrigation intervals (10 and 15 days) resulted in soil moisture levels between 19% and 40% below the wilting point (soil matric potential: −1.5 MPa), creating water stress conditions. However, biochar application increased the field capacity from 0.31 to 0.38 g H₂O g⁻¹ soil, raised soil air content from 22% to 29% at irrigation, and promoted the quinoa's soil water absorption below the wilting point. Furthermore, the application of 3 t·ha⁻¹ of biochar significantly enhanced quinoa yield, increasing it from 3.18 to 4.22 t·ha⁻¹, along with improvements in leaf area, total biomass, root length, and panicle length by 70.74%, 76.54%, 14.34%, and 16.55%, respectively.ConclusionsIt was concluded that a 3 t·ha⁻¹ biochar application mitigated the negative effects of water stress caused by prolonged irrigation intervals. This biochar treatment improved the soil's physical properties and enabled the quinoa variety INIA 415 Pasankalla to achieve yields close to its theoretical productive potential.

Effect of water stress on the nutrient uptake of cocoa genotypes in Southwest of Nigeria

SCA 6, SCA 9, NA 32, ICS 96, N 38, PA 7 and PA 150 were either self or cross pollinated to form six cocoa genotypes namely: SCA 9 * SCA 12, NA 32 * NA 32, ICS 95 * ICS 95, N 38 * N 38, PA 7 * PA 150 and SCA 12 * SCA 9. The selection of the parent cocoa clones were based on their reported varied genotypic and traits to water stress conditions. The seeds of the six cocoa genotypes were pre-germinated for two weeks before their seedlings were transplanted into 4 kg topsoil inside each of the plastic pots in a greenhouse where they were examined for their responses to three different watering regimes at 25, 50 and 100 field capacity (fc) for 30 weeks. Data were collected on the physico-chemical properties of the experimental soil as the leaf contents for N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Fe nutrients. The leaf N, P, Ca and Fe contents showed higher concentrations at lower fc while K and Mg contents increased at higher water regimes. The results showed genotypic differences in the nutrient uptake performances of the cocoa seedlings.

Resiliência de plantas de cobertura à seca

Straw production from cover crops and the sustainability of no-tillage farming systems can be compromised by low rainfall during the dry off-season in Central Brazil. This study investigated the drought resilience of five cover crop species under drought stress conditions. Three irrigation levels [100% pot capacity – CV (well-watered conditions), 60% CV (moderate drought stress) and 25% CV (severe drought stress)] and five grass cover crop species [Urochloa brizantha cv. BRS Piatã, U. brizantha cv. Marandu, U. brizantha cv. Xaraés, U. ruziziensis cv. Comum and Pennisetum glaucum cv. ADR 300] were tested using a randomized block design with a 3 × 5 factorial arrangement and three replications. Canonical variable analysis (CVA) and a correlation network were established with the variables evaluated. The CVA showed that 88.6% of the total variation of the data was retained in the first two canonical variables. The plants were exposed to water stress for 25 days during the tillering and stem elongation phases. Plants of the genus Urochloa (U. ruziziensis, U. brizantha cv. Marandu, and U. brizantha cv. Xaraés) showed higher total dry matter production under normal irrigation conditions. However, under moderate water stress conditions, U. ruziziensis was the cover crop with greater resilience, since these conditions culminated in higher dry matter production.

Resilience of C4 Crops to Climate Vagaries

Climate change poses significant challenges to agriculture worldwide, affecting productivity and threatening food security. Key drivers of climate change like altered water availability, temperature fluctuations and increased carbon dioxide concentrations, influence crop performance and ecosystem stability. The World has committed to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger by 2030. But climate change is undermining the livelihoods and food security of the rural poor, who constitute almost 80% of the world’s poor. If plant genotypes that can withhold climate extremes are insufficient, food scarcity occurs, and the price of existing food resources would increase enormously, making it practically hard for the rural poor to obtain enough food. To avoid this happening, we need to develop plant genotypes that are climate resilient. Photosynthetic pathways in plants C3, C4, and CAM play a critical role in determining their adaptability to changing climatic conditions. Understanding the physiological responses of C4 crops to various environmental stresses like water and temperature stress, highlights their potential for future climate resilience. Due to the efficient carbon concentrating mechanism, low stomatal conductance and high water use efficiency in C4 plants, they are expected to show higher drought tolerance relative to C3 plants. Studying the responses of C4 crops to climate change is essential as they play a vital role in global food production, especially in tropical and subtropical regions prone to climate extremes. While C4 crops are more resilient to heat and drought than their C3 counterparts, their yield potential is still constrained by the increasing severity of abiotic stresses, such as prolonged droughts, heatwaves, and soil salinity. Understanding how C4 crops respond to these challenges can provide insights into optimizing their growth and productivity in future climate scenarios. These insights are important for breeding stress-resilient varieties and improving crop management practices, to ensure global food security amidst escalating climate challenges.

Prunus dulcis – A MINI REVIEW OF THE SPECIES IN RELATION TO ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

The present study focuses on identifying irrigation and frost protection methods on the Prunus dulcis species, maintaining the profitability of the crop but also the integration of sustainability. The Prunus dulcis species is susceptible to frosts present in spring, which can seriously affect productions. Methods such as smoking, the use of sprinkler systems or the latest ones based on photovoltaic systems are recognized for minimizing the negative effect and protecting the crop from frost. Methods based on the administration of biostimulants or cryoprotectants by spraying can increase the resistance of plants to frost. Irrigation is important in preventing water stress that strongly reduces the yield and quality of almonds. Techniques such as controlled deficit irrigation, drip irrigation (aerated, underground and surface) are discussed along with modern methods of programmed irrigation and the use of ground-level sensors. These methods combined with microclimate monitoring help to identify critical moments in real time and intervene through automated systems in these moments. The study highlighted the need for continuous research and innovative approaches to reduce environmental impact, manage resources and preserve productivity in the Prunus dulcis species.

A precision agriculture solution for water stress estimation in Hass avocado farms in Colombia

Agriculture 4.0 technologies continue to see low adoption among small and medium-sized farmers, primarily because these solutions often fail to account for the specific challenges of rural areas. In this work, we propose and implement a design methodology to develop a Precision Agriculture solution aimed at assisting farmers in managing water stress in Hass avocado crops. This methodology provides a structured approach for development, enabling the identification of key issues and appropriate solutions. The resulting device measures essential weather variables for calculating crop evapotranspiration and effective precipitation, operates without requiring internet or electricity connections, and transmits data globally via satellite connectivity, overcoming the limitations of existing solutions for this crop. As a result, it can detect water stress and provide crucial information for irrigation scheduling. The proposed solution was tested at a working Hass avocado farm for over a year, collecting weather data and undergoing both major and minor revisions during the iterative testing process. The collected data—covering air temperature, relative humidity, sunshine duration, and rainfall—has been made freely available to support further research and development.

Impacts of Climate Change on Forest Resources in Mexico: Regional Projections and Vulnerabilities

Anthropogenic climate change can affect forest ecosystems and is one of the causes of deforestation, which leads to desertification. Deforestation is one of the main drivers of climate change due to the release of large amounts of CO2 stored in forests and jungles. Rising temperatures, decreased rainfall and drought have negative impacts on the diversity of forest species, as well as on forest ecosystem goods and services. Thus, this research focuses on climate change and its impact on Mexico's forests, evaluating deforestation and its effects on climate change and, subsequently, the effects of that climate change on forests; and the role of forests in carbon sequestration. Aims: The objective of this study is to present a set of regional temperature, precipitation, and drought projections for Mexico under the IPCC's AR6 climate change scenarios, and to estimate the potential impacts on Mexico's forest resources. Methodology: The methodology consists of obtaining a set of regional projections of temperature, precipitation, vegetation, drought and soil moisture under the conditions of the IPCC AR6 climate change scenarios for Mexico, with the changes of the aforementioned variables the vulnerability of the forestry sector in Mexico will be evaluated through models of the influence of these factors. Results: Regional models for Mexico show temperature increases ranging from 0.5 to 5 °C, while the percentage change in precipitation will range from -20.3% to 13.5% depending on the scenario and period of analysis. The low soil moisture (mm), the negative changes of the NDVI and the SPEI12 show that the North, West and Bajío zones will present reductions in precipitation and temperature increase that will cause a severe deficit of soil moisture and water stress in the plants, considering these areas with scarce vegetation and the presence of semi-permanent meteorological drought. Under these scenarios, it is expected that practically the entire country will be subject to moderate droughts (Central and South) to extremely severe droughts (North) that will last and worsen between now and the end of the century. These conditions have already been recorded in Mexico's main forest areas and if adaptation and mitigation measures are not adopted, the country's forest resources are at risk. Likewise, in addition to the decrease in rainfall, it is estimated that it will be more intense with the presence of extreme events, which will increase the vulnerability of some basins throughout the country, in the Central and Northern areas with extreme drought events, while in the Southeast with floods. Conclusion: Temperate and cloud forests, xerophilous scrub and grasslands will be the most affected forest ecosystems in Mexico, to reduce the effects of climate change on forest resources, it is necessary to design and prioritize adaptation actions and implement mitigation measures that prevent the effects of climate change from intensifying in the most vulnerable regions of the country.