Biomass production, relative competitive ability and water use efficiency of two dominant species in semiarid Loess Plateau under different water supply and fertilization treatments

Water use efficiency is a crucial issue in drinking water utilities as it is connected to environmental and economic consequences. WATenERgy CYCLE project aims at developing a methodological approach towards efficient and effective transnational water and energy resources management in the Balkan–Mediterranean area. The paper presents the results of performance evaluation of the water supply systems of the water utilities involved in the project, both at local and national level. The methodology used in the water balance and performance indicators as well as data on the operational status of the water supply systems. The results showed that Non-Revenue Water is one of the major problems addressed.

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Water demand and water use efficiency of winter barley in Hungary

Acta Agronomica Hungarica ◽

10.1556/aagr.59.2011.1.2 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 59 (1) ◽

pp. 13-22

Author(s):

Z. Varga-Haszonits ◽

E. Enzsölné Gerencsér ◽

Z. Lantos ◽

Z. Varga

Keyword(s):

Soil Moisture ◽

Water Supply ◽

Water Use Efficiency ◽

Water Use ◽

Potential Evapotranspiration ◽

Growth Period ◽

Winter Barley ◽

Potential Yield ◽

Yield Data ◽

Use Efficiency

The temporal and spatial variability of soil moisture, evapotranspiration and water use were investigated for winter barley. Evaluations were carried out on a database containing meteorological and yield data from 15 stations. The spatial distribution of soil moisture, evapotranspiration and water use efficiency (WUE) was evaluated from 1951 to 2000 and the moisture conditions during the growth period of winter barley were investigated. The water supply was found to be favourable, since the average values of soil moisture remained above the lower limit of favourable water content throughout the growth period, except for September–December and May–June. The actual evapotranspiration tended to be close to the potential evapotranspiration, so the water supplies were favourable throughout the vegetation period. The calculated values of WUE showed an increasing trend from 1960 to 1990, but the lower level of agricultural inputs caused a decline after 1990. The average values of WUE varied between 0.87 and 1.09 g/kg in different counties, with higher values in the northern part of the Great Hungarian Plain. The potential yield of winter barley can be calculated from the maximum value of WUE. Except in the cooler northern and western parts of the country, the potential yield of winter barley, based on the water supply, could exceed 10 t/ha.

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Water Use Efficiency and Stress Tolerance of the Potential Energy Crop Miscanthus lutarioriparius Grown on the Loess Plateau of China

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants10030544 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 544

Author(s):

Xuhong Zhao ◽

Lifang Kang ◽

Qian Wang ◽

Cong Lin ◽

Wei Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Potential Energy ◽

Water Use Efficiency ◽

Water Use ◽

Loess Plateau ◽

Survival Rates ◽

Energy Crops ◽

Central China ◽

Energy Crop ◽

Miscanthus Lutarioriparius ◽

Use Efficiency

As a potential energy crop with high biomass yield, Miscanthus lutarioriparius (M. lutarioriparius), endemic to the Long River Range in central China, needs to be investigated for its acclimation to stressful climatic and soil conditions often found on the marginal land. In this study, traits related to acclimation and yield, including survival rates, plant height (PH), stem diameter (SD), tiller number (TN), water use efficiency (WUE), and photosynthetic rates (A), were examined for 41 M. lutarioriparius populations that transplanted to the arid and cold Loess Plateau of China. The results showed that the average survival rate of M. lutarioriparius populations was only 4.16% over the first winter but the overwinter rate increased to 35.03% after the second winter, suggesting that plants having survived the first winter could have acclaimed to the low temperature. The strikingly high survival rates over the second winter were found to be 95.83% and 80.85%, respectively, for HG18 and HG39 populations. These populations might be especially valuable for the selection of energy crops for such an area. Those individuals surviving for the two consecutive winters showed significantly higher WUE than those measured after the first winter. The high WUE and low stomatal conductance (gs) observed in survived individuals could have been responsible for their acclimation to this new and harsh environment. A total of 61 individuals with productive growth traits and strong resistance to cold and drought were identified for further energy crop development. This study showed that the variation of M. lutarioriparius held great potential for developing energy crops following continuous field selection.

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