Water sources and water-use efficiency of desert plants in different habitats in Dunhuang, NW China

Fog water is generally considered to be an important water source for epiphytes in cloud forests because they cannot directly access ground-level water sources. However, the water use proportions of potential water sources and water use efficiency of epiphytes in the subtropical montane cloud forests (MCF) remain to be further explored. In this study, we investigated the water use pattern in the dry season and the intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEi) of four epiphyte groups (i.e., epiphytic lichens, epiphytic bryophytes, epiphytic ferns, and epiphytic seed plants) using stable isotope (δ2H, δ18O, and δ13C) techniques. Our results indicated that the water sources of epiphytes were significantly different among groups and species. The contribution proportions of fog water to epiphytic lichens, epiphytic bryophytes, epiphytic ferns, and epiphytic seed plants were 83.2%, 32.7%, 38.8% and 63.7%, respectively. Epiphytic lichens and epiphytic seed plants mainly depended on fog water whereas the epiphytic bryophytes and epiphytic ferns relied on both fog water and humus. This may be due to their differences in morphological and structural traits (e.g., thallus or leaves, rhizoid or roots). Additionally, the difference in was also significant among epiphyte groups and species, which could be related to their different water acquisition patterns. In conclusion, our study reveals the differentiation of water utilization in epiphytes and confirms the importance of fog water for epiphytes during the dry season.

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Improving Irrigation Water Use Efficiency of Robusta Coffee (Coffea canephora) Production in Lam Dong Province, Vietnam

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13126603 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (12) ◽

pp. 6603

Author(s):

Duyen Nhat Lam Tran ◽

Tien Dinh Nguyen ◽

Thuy Thu Pham ◽

Roberto F. Rañola ◽

Thinh An Nguyen

Keyword(s):

Water Use Efficiency ◽

Production Function ◽

Water Use ◽

Irrigation Water ◽

Coffea Canephora ◽

Water Sources ◽

Irrigation Water Use Efficiency ◽

Robusta Coffee ◽

Irrigation Water Use ◽

Use Efficiency

Recent prolonged dry periods and lack of irrigation water have severely affected the productivity of coffee farms in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. This paper analyzes the efficiency of irrigation water use for Robusta coffee (Coffea canephora) in the Lam Dong province. A Cobb–Douglas production function was used to determine coffee productivity’s response to the application of irrigation water and other production factors using data collected from 194 farmers, while the technical efficiency (TE) and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) were analyzed using a data envelopment analysis (DEA) model. The correlation of different factors to IWUE was determined using the Tobit model. The production function analysis using Cobb–Douglas shows that the volume of irrigation water, amount of working capital, labor, and farm size significantly influence coffee productivity. Indigenous farmers are more efficient in utilizing irrigation water than migrant farmers. The Tobit result indicates that farmers’ experience, education level, the distance of farm to water sources, security of access to water sources, extension contact, and credit access significantly affect IWUE. The study findings further suggest that mitigating water shortages in coffee farms require subregional and national policy support such as better access to credit and extension services, training, land management, and household-level efforts to improve farming practices through the application of appropriate technologies and traditional knowledge.

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Water Use Efficiency in Urban Food Gardens: Insights from a Systematic Review and Case Study

Horticulturae ◽

10.3390/horticulturae4030027 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

pp. 27 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Georgia Pollard ◽

James Ward ◽

Philip Roetman

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Water Use Efficiency ◽

Water Use ◽

South Australia ◽

Water Sources ◽

Economic Implications ◽

Irrigation Methods ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Cultivation Techniques

Water use and the cost of water are key factors when considering the net value of urban agriculture (UA). This systematic review critically evaluates past and recent UA yield research from the perspective of water use efficiency. A systematic literature search was conducted using the databases Scopus, ProQuest Agriculture and Environment, and Web of Science for references from 1975 to 2018, with 25 articles meeting the inclusion criteria. Of these, only five articles had actively collected UA water use data, all on purpose-built experimental gardens. Considering the scarcity of UA water use efficiency and water measurement literature, South Australia is presented as a case study to demonstrate the considerable diversity of water pricing, water sources and irrigation methods available to urban food growers. The practical challenges of garden placement and the wide variety of cultivation techniques, water sources and irrigation methods are reviewed. Four equations to calculate the water use efficiency (WUE) of UA are proposed and demonstrated. Collection of additional UA water use data would support more robust evaluations of the water use efficiency and economic implications of different cultivation techniques. Further work in this field will enable a realistic understanding of the current and future contribution of UA to our society.

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Growth, gas exchange and water use efficiency of the facultative hemiparasite Rhinanthus minor associated with hosts differing in foliar nitrogen concentration

Physiologia Plantarum ◽

10.1034/j.1399-3054.1993.890110.x ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 89 (1) ◽

pp. 64-70 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

W.E. Seel ◽

R.E. Cooper ◽

M.C. Press

Keyword(s):

Gas Exchange ◽

Water Use Efficiency ◽

Water Use ◽

Nitrogen Concentration ◽

Foliar Nitrogen ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Rhinanthus Minor

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Increasing intrinsic water-use efficiency over the past 160 years does not stimulate tree growth in southeastern China

Climate Research ◽

10.3354/cr01526 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 76 (2) ◽

pp. 115-130 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

G Guo ◽

K Fang ◽

J Li ◽

HW Linderholm ◽

D Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Use Efficiency ◽

Water Use ◽

Tree Growth ◽

Southeastern China ◽

The Past ◽

Intrinsic Water Use Efficiency ◽

Use Efficiency

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A comparative appraisal of urea super granule application in raised bed and prilled urea application in conventional planting for transplanted boro rice (Oryza sativa)

JOURNAL OF ADVANCES IN AGRICULTURE ◽

10.24297/jaa.v6i1.5388 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 822-832

Author(s):

Halim Mahmud Bhuyan ◽

Most. Razina Ferdousi ◽

Mohammad Toufiq Iqbal ◽

Ahmed Khairul Hasan

Keyword(s):

Water Use Efficiency ◽

Water Use ◽

N Fertilizer ◽

Deep Placement ◽

Prilled Urea ◽

Planting Methods ◽

Weed Infestation ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Raised Bed ◽

Boro Rice

Utilization of urea super granule (USG) with raised bed cultivation system for transplanted boro (winter, irrigated) rice production is a major concern now days. A field experiment was conducted in the chuadanga district of Bangladesh to compare the two cultivation methods: deep placement of USG on raised bed with boro rice, and prilled urea (PU) broadcasting in conventional planting. Results showed that USG in raised bed planting increased grain yields of transplanted boro rice by up to 18.18% over PU in conventional planting. Deep placement of USG in raised bed planting increased the number of panicle m-2, number of grains panicle-1 and 1000-grains weight of boro rice than the PU in conventional planting. Better plant growth was observed by deep placement of USG in raised bed planting compared to PU in conventional planting. Sterility percentage and weed infestation were lower on USG in raised bed planting compared to the PU in conventional planting methods. Forty seven percent irrigation water and application time could be saved by USG in raised bed planting than PU in conventional planting. Deep placement of USG in bed saved N fertilizer consumption over conventional planting. Water use efficiency for grain and biomass production was higher with deep placement of USG in bed planting than the PU broadcasting in conventional planting methods. Similarly, agronomic efficiency of N fertilizer by USG in bed planting was significantly higher than the PU broadcasting in conventional planting. This study concluded that deep placement of USG in raised bed planting for transplanted boro rice is a new approach to achieve fertilizer and water use efficiency as well as higher yield and less water input compared to existing agronomic practices in Bangladesh.

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