Water use efficiencies, economic tradeoffs, and portfolio optimizations of diversification farm systems in a desert oasis of Northwest China

Introducing alternative cultivars with enhanced water use efficiencies can help alleviate pressure on groundwater for crop irrigations in Mississippi (MS) Delta. A two-year field study was conducted in 2019–2020 to compare the water use efficiencies (WUE) of recently released and pre-released soybean {Glycine max (L.) Merr.} cultivars in maturity group (MG) III (‘P37A78’, ‘LG03-4561-14’), IV (‘Dyna-gro 4516x’, ‘DS25-1, DT97-4290’), and V (‘S12-1362’, ‘S14-16306’) in the MS Delta. The experimental design was a split-plot with cultivar as the first factor and the second factor was water variant irrigation (IR) and no irrigation (RF, rainfed), replicated three times. The MG IV cultivar Dyna-gro 4516x recorded the highest grain yield and WUE: grain yields were 4.58 Mg ha−1 and 3.89 Mg ha−1 under IR and RF, respectively in 2019, and 4.74 Mg ha−1 and 4.35 Mg ha−1 in 2020. The WUE were 7.2 and 6.9 kg ha−1 mm−1, respectively, in 2019 under IR and RF, and 13.4 and 16.9 kg ha−1 mm−1 in 2020. The data reveals that ‘Dyna-gro 4516x’ (MG IV), ‘LG03-4561-14’ (MG III), and ‘P37A78’ (MG III) are best adapted to the early soybean production system (ESPS) in MS Delta region for sustainable production for conserving water resources.

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Spatial–Temporal Evolution Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Agricultural Water Use Efficiency in Northwest China—Based on a Super-DEA Model and a Spatial Panel Econometric Model

Water ◽

10.3390/w13050632 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 632

Author(s):

Weinan Lu ◽

Wenxin Liu ◽

Mengyang Hou ◽

Yuanjie Deng ◽

Yue Deng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Use Efficiency ◽

Water Use ◽

Water Resource ◽

Arid Regions ◽

Econometric Model ◽

Northwest China ◽

Agricultural Water ◽

Agricultural Water Use ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Semi Arid

Improving agricultural water use efficiency (AWUE) is an important way to solve the shortage of water resources in arid and semi-arid regions. This study used the Super-DEA (data envelopment analysis) to measure the AWUE of 52 cities in Northwest China from 2000 to 2018. Based on spatial and temporal perspectives, it applied Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA) to explore the dynamic evolution and regional differences of AWUE. A spatial econometric model was then used to analyze the main factors that influence the AWUE in Northwest China. The results showed firstly that the overall AWUE in Northwest China from 2000 to 2018 presented a steady upward trend. However, only a few cities achieved effective agricultural water usage by 2018, and the differences among cities were obvious. Secondly, AWUE showed an obvious spatial autocorrelation in Northwest China and showed significant high–high and low–low agglomeration characteristics. Thirdly, economic growth, urbanization development, and effective irrigation have significant, positive effects on AWUE, while per capita water resource has a significant, negative influence. Finally, when improving the AWUE in arid and semi-arid regions, plans should be formulated according to local conditions. The results of this study can provide new ideas on the study of AWUE in arid and semi-arid regions and provide references for the formulation of regional agricultural water resource utilization policies as well.

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The effect of nitrogen and sulphur on the agronomical and water use efficiencies of canola (Brassica napusL.) grown in selected localities of the Western Cape province, South Africa

South African Journal of Plant and Soil ◽

10.1080/02571862.2014.988302 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 32 (2) ◽

pp. 71-76

Author(s):

Wonder Ngezimana ◽

Gert A Agenbag

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Water Use ◽

Western Cape ◽

Western Cape Province ◽

Water Use Efficiencies

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Exploring Northwest China's agricultural water-saving strategy: analysis of water use efficiency based on an SE-DEA model conducted in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2016.286 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 74 (5) ◽

pp. 1106-1115 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

L. Mu ◽

L. Fang ◽

H. Wang ◽

L. Chen ◽

Y. Yang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Resources ◽

Water Use Efficiency ◽

Water Use ◽

Water Demand ◽

Water Governance ◽

Northwest China ◽

Water Saving ◽

Shaanxi Province ◽

Agricultural Water ◽

Use Efficiency

Worldwide, water scarcity threatens delivery of water to urban centers. Increasing water use efficiency (WUE) is often recommended to reduce water demand, especially in water-scarce areas. In this paper, agricultural water use efficiency (AWUE) is examined using the super-efficient data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach in Xi'an in Northwest China at a temporal and spatial level. The grey systems analysis technique was then adopted to identify the factors that influenced the efficiency differentials under the shortage of water resources. From the perspective of temporal scales, the AWUE increased year by year during 2004–2012, and the highest (2.05) was obtained in 2009. Additionally, the AWUE was the best in the urban area at the spatial scale. Moreover, the key influencing factors of the AWUE are the financial situations and agricultural water-saving technology. Finally, we identified several knowledge gaps and proposed water-saving strategies for increasing AWUE and reducing its water demand by: (1) improving irrigation practices (timing and amounts) based on compatible water-saving techniques; (2) maximizing regional WUE by managing water resources and allocation at regional scales as well as enhancing coordination among Chinese water governance institutes.

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Ejina Desert Oasis: A Fragile "Ecological Screen" in Inland Region of Northwest China

2008 2nd International Conference on Bioinformatics and Biomedical Engineering ◽

10.1109/icbbe.2008.337 ◽

2008 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jianhua Si ◽

Qi Feng ◽

Haiyang Xi ◽

Zongqiang Chang ◽

Yonghong Su

Keyword(s):

Northwest China ◽

Desert Oasis

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A systems approach to understanding the connection between farm systems resilience and pasture resilience

NZGA: Research and Practice Series ◽

10.33584/rps.17.2021.3467 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 17 ◽

Author(s):

David Stevens ◽

Marie Casey ◽

Paul Edwards ◽

Thomas Maxwell

Keyword(s):

Water Use Efficiency ◽

Water Use ◽

Systems Approach ◽

Animal Feed ◽

Management Interventions ◽

Farm Systems ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Insight Into ◽

Future Growth ◽

Animal Consumption

Farm systems resilience in New Zealand pasture-based farming is influenced by external drivers such as environmental regulation, and internal drivers such as existence, expressed as profitability. We examine ten published case studies of farm systems change to provide insight into management interventions to these drivers and their impacts on pasture resilience. Nutrient supply was key to increasing pasture longevity, water use efficiency and animal feed supply. Manipulating water use efficiency through irrigation and legume (predominantly lucerne) use increased nitrogen use efficiency and added pasture supply for animal consumption. Monitoring the pasture supply and animal response ensured both animal feed requirements and pasture conditions for future growth were met. Theresilience of pastures was improved when monitoring guided adaptive management application to ensure whole-farm resilience.

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Determination of virtual water content of rice and spatial characteristics analysis in China

Hydrology and Earth System Sciences ◽

10.5194/hess-18-2103-2014 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 18 (6) ◽

pp. 2103-2111 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

L. J. Zhang ◽

X. A. Yin ◽

Y. Zhi ◽

Z. F. Yang

Keyword(s):

Water Content ◽

Water Use ◽

Southwest China ◽

Virtual Water ◽

Northwest China ◽

Green Water ◽

Blue Water ◽

Grey Water ◽

Spatial Characteristics ◽

Water Values

Abstract. China is a water-stressed country, and agriculture consumes the bulk of its water resources. Assessing the virtual water content (VWC) of crops is one important way to develop efficient water management measures to alleviate water resource conflicts among different sectors. In this research, the VWC of rice, a major crop in China, is taken as the research object. China covers a vast land area, and the VWC of rice varies widely between different regions. The VWC of rice in China is assessed and the spatial characteristics are also analysed. The total VWC is the total volume of freshwater both consumed and affected by pollution during the crop production process, including both direct and indirect water use. Prior calculation frameworks of the VWC of crops did not contain all of the virtual water content of crops. In addition to the calculation of green, blue and grey water – the direct water in VWC – the indirect water use of rice was also calculated, using an input–output model. The percentages of direct green, blue, grey and indirect water in the total VWC of rice in China were found to be 43.8, 28.2, 27.6, and 0.4%. The total VWC of rice generally showed a roughly three-tiered distribution, and decreased from southeast to northwest. The higher values of direct green water usage were mainly concentrated in Southeast and Southwest China, while the values were relatively low in Northwest China and Inner Mongolia. The higher direct blue water values were mainly concentrated in the eastern and southern coastal regions and Northwest China, and low values were mainly concentrated in Southwest China. Grey water values were relatively high in Shanxi and Guangxi provinces and low in Northeast and Northwest China. The regions with high values for indirect water were randomly distributed but the regions with low values were mainly concentrated in Northwest and Southwest China. For the regions with relatively high total VWC the high values of blue water made the largest contribution, although for the country as a whole the direct green water is the most important contributor.

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