scholarly journals Management of Irrigation for Vegetables: Past, Present, and Future

2005 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 482-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salvadore J. Locascio
Keyword(s):  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Solanum Melongena ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
Irrigation Systems ◽  
Irrigated Crops ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
The U.S

Vegetables are grown throughout the U.S. on various soil types and in various climates. Irrigation is essential to supplement rainfall in all areas to minimize plant water stress. In the U.S., irrigated vegetable production accounts for about 1.9 million ha or 7.5% of the irrigated area. California, Florida, Idaho, Washington, Texas, Nebraska, Oregon, Wisconsin, and Arizona account for 80% of the U.S. production of irrigated vegetables. In the U.S., surface and subsurface (seepage) irrigation systems were used initially and are currently used on 45% of all irrigated crops with a water use efficiency of 33%. Sprinkler or overhead irrigation systems were developed in the 1940s and are currently used extensively throughout the vegetable industry. Sprinkler systems are used on 50% of the irrigated crop land and have a water use efficiency of 75%. In the late 1960s, microirrigation (drip or trickle) systems were developed and have slowly replaced many of the sprinkler and some of the seepage systems. Microirrigation is currently used on 5% of irrigated crops. This highly efficient water system (90% to 95%) is widely used on high value vegetables, particularly polyethylene-mulched tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), pepper (Capsicum annuum), eggplant (Solanum melongena), strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa), and cucurbits. Some advantages of drip irrigation over sprinkler include reduced water use, ability to apply fertilizer with the irrigation, precise water distribution, reduced foliar diseases, and the ability to electronically schedule irrigation on large areas with relatively smaller pumps. Drip systems also can be used as subsurface drip systems placed at a depth of 60 to 90 cm. These systems are managed to control the water table, similar to that accomplished with subsurface irrigation systems, but with much greater water use efficiency. Future irrigation concerns include continued availability of water for agriculture, management of nutrients to minimize leaching, and continued development of cultural practices that maximize crop production and water use efficiency.

scholarly journals Multi-Crop Production Decisions and Economic Irrigation Water Use Efficiency: The Effects of Water Costs, Pressure Irrigation Adoption, and Climatic Determinants

Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1637 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yubing Fan ◽  
Raymond Massey ◽  
Seong Park
Keyword(s):  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
State Level ◽  
Water Application ◽  
Irrigation Systems ◽  
Irrigation Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Irrigation Water Use ◽  
Use Efficiency

In an irrigated multi-crop production system, farmers make decisions on the land allocated to each crop, and the subsequent irrigation water application, which determines the crop yield and irrigation water use efficiency. This study analyzes the effects of the multiple factors on farmers’ decision making and economic irrigation water use efficiency (EIWUE) using a national dataset from the USDA Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey. To better deal with the farm-level data embedded in each state of the U.S., multilevel models are employed, which permit the incorporation of state-level variables in addition to the farm-level factors. The results show higher costs of surface water are not effective in reducing water use, while groundwater costs show a positive association with water use on both corn and soybean farms. The adoption of pressure irrigation systems reduces the soybean water use and increases the soybean yield. A higher EIWUE can be achieved with the adoption of enhanced irrigation systems on both corn and soybean farms. A high temperature promotes more the efficient water use and higher yield, and a high precipitation is associated with lower water application and higher crop yield. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) suggest a moderate variability in water application and EIWUE is accounted by the state-level factors with ICC values greater than 0.10.

Water use efficiency of spring wheat in the semi-arid Canadian prairies: Effect of legume green manure, type of spring wheat, and cropping frequency

2014 ◽  
Vol 94 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Kröbel ◽  
R. Lemke ◽  
C. A. Campbell ◽  
R. Zentner ◽  
B. McConkey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Spring Wheat ◽  
Green Manure ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Canadian Prairies ◽  
Cropping Frequency ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Semi Arid ◽  
Legume Green Manure

Kröbel, R., Lemke, R., Campbell, C. A., Zentner, R., McConkey, B., Steppuhn, H., De Jong, R. and Wang, H. 2014. Water use efficiency of spring wheat in the semi-arid Canadian prairies: Effect of legume green manure, type of spring wheat, and cropping frequency. Can. J. Soil Sci. 94: 223–235. In the semi-arid Canadian prairie, water is the main determinant of crop production; thus its efficient use is of major agronomic interest. Previous research in this region has demonstrated that the most meaningful way to measure water use efficiency (WUE) is to use either precipitation use efficiency (PUE) or a modified WUE that accounts for the inefficient use of water in cropping systems that include summer fallow. In this paper, we use these efficiency measures to determine how cropping frequency, inclusion of a legume green manure, and the type of spring wheat [high-yielding Canada Prairie Spring (CPS) vs. Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS)] influence WUE using 25 yr of data (1987–2011) from the “New Rotation” experiment conducted at Swift Current, Saskatchewan. This is a well-fertilized study that uses minimum and no-tillage techniques and snow management to enhance soil water capture. We compare these results to those from a 39-yr “Old Rotation” experiment, also at Swift Current, which uses conventional tillage management. Our results confirmed the positive effect on WUE of cropping intensity, and of CPS wheat compared with CWRS wheat, while demonstrating the negative effect on WUE of a green manure crop in wheat-based rotations in semiarid conditions. Furthermore, we identified a likely advantage of using reduced tillage coupled with water conserving snow management techniques for enhancing the efficiency of water use.

RELATIVE PRODUCTIVITY, PROFITABILITY AND WATER USE EFFICIENCY OF CROPPING SYSTEMS IN HOT ARID INDIA

2014 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 549-572 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. S. RATHORE ◽  
N. S. NATHAWAT ◽  
B. MEEL ◽  
B. M. YADAV ◽  
J. P. SINGH
Keyword(s):  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Mung Bean ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Arid Environment ◽  
Application Rate ◽  
Cluster Bean ◽  
Use Efficiency

SUMMARYThe choice of an appropriate cropping system is critical to maintaining or enhancing agricultural sustainability. Yield, profitability and water use efficiency are important factors for determining suitability of cropping systems in hot arid region. In a two-year field experiment (2009/10–2010/11) on loam sandy soils of Bikaner, India, the production potential, profitability and water use efficiency (WUE) of five cropping systems (groundnut–wheat, groundnut–isabgol, groundnut–chickpea, cluster bean–wheat and mung bean–wheat) each at six nutrient application rate (NAR) i.e. 0, 25, 50, 75, 100% recommended dose of N and P (NP) and 100% NP + S were evaluated. The cropping systems varied significantly in terms of productivity, profitability and WUEs. Averaged across nutrient application regimes, groundnut–wheat rotation gave 300–1620 kg ha−1 and 957–3365 kg ha−1 higher grain and biomass yields, respectively, than other cropping systems. The mean annual net returns were highest for the mung bean–wheat system, which returned 32–57% higher net return than other cropping systems. The mung bean–wheat and cluster bean–wheat systems had higher WUE in terms of yields than other cropping systems. The mung bean–wheat system recorded 35–63% higher WUE in monetary terms compared with other systems. Nutrients application improved yields, profit and WUEs of cropping systems. Averaged across years and cropping systems, the application of 100% NP improved grain yields, returns and WUE by 1.7, 3.9 and 1.6 times than no application of nutrients. The results suggest that the profitability and WUEs of crop production in this hot arid environment can be improved, compared with groundnut–wheat cropping, by substituting groundnut by mung bean and nutrients application.

Improving Water Use Efficiency in Agronomic Crop Production

2019 ◽  
pp. 13-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Syed Ahsan Zahoor ◽  
Shakeel Ahmad ◽  
Ashfaq Ahmad ◽  
Aftab Wajid ◽  
Tasneem Khaliq ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Use Efficiency

Maize Crop Production and Water Use Efficiency as Affected by Planting Methods

2002 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Shafiq ◽  
Iqbal Hassan . ◽  
Zahid Hussain .
Keyword(s):  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Maize Crop ◽  
Planting Methods ◽  
Use Efficiency

scholarly journals Evapotranspiration, crop coefficient and water use efficiency of coriander grown in tropical environment

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 446-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vicente de PR da Silva ◽  
Inajá Francisco de Sousa ◽  
Alexandra L Tavares ◽  
Thieres George F da Silva ◽  
Bernardo B da Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Growth Parameters ◽  
Crop Coefficient ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Tropical Environment ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Use Efficiency

ABSTRACT The water scarcity is expected to intensify in the future and irrigation becomes an essential component of crop production, especially in arid and semiarid regions, where the available water resources are limited. Four field experiments were carried out at tropical environment in Brazil in 2013 and 2014, in order to evaluate the effect of planting date on crop evapotranspiration (ETc), crop coefficient (Kc), growth parameters and water use efficiency (WUE) of coriander (Coriandrum sativum) plants. The planting dates occurred during winter, spring, summer and autumn growing seasons. ETc was obtained through the soil water balance method and the reference evapotranspiration (ETo) through the Penman-Monteith method, using data collected from an automatic weather station located close to the experimental area. The results of the research showed that the mean values of coriander ETc and Kc were 139.8 mm and 0.87, respectively. Coriander water demand is higher in the summer growing season and lower in the winter; however, its yield is higher in the autumn and lower in the winter. Coriander has higher yield and development of its growth variables in the autumn growing season. The results also indicated that the interannual climate variations had significant effects on most growth variables, as yield, ETc and Kc of coriander grown in tropical environment.

Water Use Efficiency as a Constraint and Target for Improving the Resilience and Productivity of C3and C4Crops

2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 781-808 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew D.B. Leakey ◽  
John N. Ferguson ◽  
Charles P. Pignon ◽  
Alex Wu ◽  
Zhenong Jin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Canopy Structure ◽  
Complex Trait ◽  
Carbon Gain ◽  
Crop Development ◽  
Component Traits ◽  
Use Efficiency

The ratio of plant carbon gain to water use, known as water use efficiency (WUE), has long been recognized as a key constraint on crop production and an important target for crop improvement. WUE is a physiologically and genetically complex trait that can be defined at a range of scales. Many component traits directly influence WUE, including photosynthesis, stomatal and mesophyll conductances, and canopy structure. Interactions of carbon and water relations with diverse aspects of the environment and crop development also modulate WUE. As a consequence, enhancing WUE by breeding or biotechnology has proven challenging but not impossible. This review aims to synthesize new knowledge of WUE arising from advances in phenotyping, modeling, physiology, genetics, and molecular biology in the context of classical theoretical principles. In addition, we discuss how rising atmospheric CO2concentration has created and will continue to create opportunities for enhancing WUE by modifying the trade-off between photosynthesis and transpiration.

WATER USE EFFICIENCY AND WATER DISTRIBUTION RESPONSE TO DIFFERENT PLANTING PATTERNS IN MAIZE–SOYBEAN RELAY STRIP INTERCROPPING SYSTEMS

2016 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
TANZEELUR RAHMAN ◽  
LIN YE ◽  
XIN LIU ◽  
NASIR IQBAL ◽  
JUNBO DU ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Crop Water ◽  
Planting Pattern ◽  
Leaf Transpiration ◽  
Sole Cropping ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Narrow Row ◽  
Strip Intercropping

SUMMARYUnderstanding crop water use in mixed crops over sole cropping is vital for developing optimum water management systems for crop production. In this study, a two-year field experiment with typical maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] relay strip intercropping (2:2 maize-to-soybean rows; 200 cm bandwidth) was carried out in the 2013 and 2014 growing seasons. The quantitative effects of various planting patterns on the water-use efficiency (WUE) and water distribution were investigated. Our results indicated that soil volumetric water content and soil evaporation in the intercropping systems showed decreasing trends in the order: maize row (MM) < maize-to-soybean row (MS) < soybean row (SS). The highest leaf transpiration (1.91 and 2.07 mmol m−2 s−1) for the intercropped maize was measured in each of the two years in the 20 cm maize narrow-row planting pattern and decreased thereafter. Opposite trend was observed for the intercropped soybean; the highest soybean leaf transpiration (7.01 and 6.80 mmol m−2 s−1 for 2013 and 2014, respectively) was recorded in the 70 cm. The WUE of maize and soybean intercrops was lower than that of sole crop counterparts. However, the maximum group water use efficiency (GWUE) of 26.08 and 26.20 kg ha−1 mm−1 in the 40–50 cm maize narrow-row planting pattern was, respectively, 39.6% and 23% higher compared with that of sole crops. The water equivalent ratio (WER) values ranged from 1.60–1.79, suggesting better crop water use in the intercrops over sole cropping. Planting patterns provided by 40–50 cm maize narrow-row spacing were considered the most efficient in terms of maximum total yields, GWUE and WER. These results suggest that an appropriate reduction in the spacing of narrow maize row with wide soybean row could be an efficient crop management method to achieve optimal WUE and homogeneous water distribution in maize–soybean intercropping systems.

scholarly journals Environmental and Economic Sustainability Assessment for Two Different Sprinkler and A Drip Irrigation Systems: A Case Study on Maize Cropping

Agriculture ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eros Borsato ◽  
Marco Martello ◽  
Francesco Marinello ◽  
Lucia Bortolini
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Drip Irrigation ◽  
Water Footprint ◽  
Irrigation Systems ◽  
Environmental Aspect ◽  
Irrigation Practice ◽  
Center Pivot ◽  
Use Efficiency

Water scarcity is worsened by climate change. Water savings can be reached by improving irrigation efficiency both on farm and on water supply. To do that, the choice of the best irrigation technology is not always straightforward, because farmers need to renew and implement farm infrastructures for irrigation. This study compares three irrigation systems, one drip irrigation and two sprinkler (center pivot and hose-reel) systems, on environmental, economic, and energetic performance under irrigated and non-irrigated maize cropping. The study combines impact and efficiency indicators, addressing a sustainability analysis for the irrigation practice under the three different irrigation systems. The sustainability for the irrigation systems was assessed using water-related indicators (water use efficiency, irrigation water use efficiency, and water footprint), biomass (crop growth rate, relative growth rate, harvest index, and yield response factor), and energy indicators (energy footprint, performance, and energy cost footprint) for the environmental aspect; and the economic-based indicators (water productivity and economic water footprint) for the economic aspect. Main results address the center pivot system as the best solution for irrigation practice since it demonstrated higher economic and environmental performance. Moreover, maize under the pivot system allowed a higher biomass production, economic benefits, and water use efficiency.

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