Productivity and economics of rice cultivars under different irrigation regimes and systems of cultivation

Shortage of water in rice cultivation is major problem in India. To safeguard and sustain food security in India, it is quite important to increase the productivity of rice under limited water resources. To investigate the performance of rice cultivars under the best method of irrigation and system of cultivation in new condition an experiment was conducted to study the "productivity and water use efficiency of rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars under different irrigation regimes and systems of cultivation" on clay loam soils of Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR), Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Telangana during the kharif seasons of 2017 and 2018. The treatment comprised of two irrigation regimes viz., AWD and saturation as main plot treatments, three establishment methods viz., system of rice intensification, drum seeding and TP as subplot treatments and four cultivars namely DRR Dhan 42, DRR Dhan 43, MTU-1010 and NLR-34449 as sub-sub plot treatments summing up to 24 treatment combinations laid out in split-split plot design with three replications. Among the irrigation regimes, AWD irrigation practice recorded higher grain yield (5755, 5952 and 5854 kg ha-1 in 2017, 2018 and pooled means, respectively) than saturation. Among the different systems of cultivation, the SRI recorded significantly higher grain yield (5953, 6129 and 6041 kg ha-1 during 2017, 2018 and in pooled means, respectively) over the TP method. Among the different rice cultivars, DRR Dhan 43 registered remarkably higher grain yield than other cultivars during 2017 and 2018.

Evapotranspiration Components Dynamic of Highland Barley Using PML ET Product in Tibet

Highland barley is the unique germplasm resource and dominant crop in Tibet with low-level precipitation and a severe shortage of available water resources. Understanding the characteristics and dynamics of evapotranspiration (ET) components (vegetation transpiration (Ec), soil evaporation (Es), and canopy interception evaporation (Ei)) of highland barley can help better optimize water management practices. The seasonal and interannual variations in ET components of highland barley were investigated using the PML-V2 ET product during 2001–2020. The results suggested that Es was the most important ET component and accounted for 77% of total ET for highland barley in Tibet. ET components varied obviously over the altitude, Es, and Es/ET ratio; a decreasing trend was observed with the increase in altitude from 3500 m to 3800 m and then this changed to an increasing trend until reaching the altitude of 4100 m, while Ec, Ei, and their ratios presented an opposite changing pattern to that of Es. Seasonal variation in daily ET components of highland barley displayed a parabolic pattern, peaked in August, while the temporal distributions differed considerably among different ET component ratios. The seasonal variations in ET components were correlated significantly with air temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation, while ET components ratios were more influenced by the environment, irrigation practice, and management rather than meteorological variables. Es and its ratio in highland barley decreased significantly during 2001–2020, while the Ec/ET ratio generally showed an opposite trend to the Es/ET ratio, and Ei and its ratio presented an insignificantly decreasing trend. The interannual variations in ET components were not correlated significantly with meteorological variables, while Ei was more influenced by meteorological variables, especially the precipitation characteristics.

A Study of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Nasal Irrigation During Covid-19 Pandemic

Covid-19 is a respiratory tract infection caused by the novel coronavirus (nCov). Nasal irrigation is one of the efforts to prevent Covid-19. Nasal irrigation is an act of flushing saline solution into the nasal cavity. This research aims to determine level of knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the community regarding nasal irrigation during Covid-19 pandemic. This study was a descriptive observational study. The sample of this research was the people of Palembang city who were eligible for the inclusion and exclusion criteria with the concecutive sampling technique as many as 398 respondents. Data were obtained through primary data in the form of questionnaires, processed using the SPSS program, and analyzed using univariate analysis. The most characteristics of respondents in this study were in the age group 18-25 years (65.5%) and the last level of education was high school (58.0%). The level of public knowledge about Nasal irrigation during the Covid-19 pandemic was in the moderate category of 36.2%. The level of public attitudes regarding nasal irrigation during the Covid-19 pandemic was in the good category at 83.4%. The level of nasal irrigation practice was included in the low category of 75.6%. The community of Palembang city had a sufficient level of knowledge, a good level of attitude , and a low level of practice regarding nasal irrigation during Covid-19 pandemic.

The review on the smallholder Farmers’ Food security and Conflict in Ethiopia

The growing food insecurity in Ethiopia is exceedingly associated with the prevalence of conflict. Thus, the main aim of this paper was to review food security in the context of conflict in Ethiopia. The data of the paper were collected using an intensive literature review of the relevant documents. In the paper, conflict is the cause and the result of food insecurity. Hence, the predominance of conflict, periodic drought, deficiency of infrastructure amenities, human population pressure and traditional farming were the main causes of food insecurity in Ethiopia. More than the rests, the prevalence of conflict affects food security severely. It disrupts food production, reduces the nutrition status, retards access to food and increases the population displacement in the country. Therefore, addressing the situation of food insecurity and conflict requires the involvement of all Ethiopian communities, civil society organizations, governmental organizations and NGOs by increasing the non-farm activities, promoting family-based economics, strengthening the irrigation practice and improving the conflict management techniques.

Institutional analysis defining the crucial factors for scaling low-emissions rice production: Evidence from Bangladesh

This article provides a comprehensive institutional analysis to better understand the key conditions and incentives relevant for the uptake of alternate wetting and drying (AWD) – a climate-smart irrigation practice in Bangladesh. Practicing AWD in rice production can reduce water consumption by 30% and mitigate methane emissions by 30-70% without yield penalty. Primary research was conducted in Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, and Sherpur Divisions. The analysis depicts the dynamic among the stakeholders involved in outscaling AWD using the Net-Map tool, and demonstrates the influence of irrigation management systems in the selected catchment areas and the impacts of AWD in rice farming. Findings reveal that AWD-practicing farmers, pump owners, and the Upazila Irrigation Committee are the three most powerful influencers for outscaling AWD. The pre-paid irrigation system significantly improves water efficiency and cost-effectiveness when practising AWD. Additionally, AWD leads to a lower frequency of pumping resulting in reduced costs compared to the continuous-flooding practice. Finally, the results guide the formulation of recommendations to create favourable conditions for AWD outscaling, which contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and advancing sustainable rice production in Bangladesh.

Effect of irrigation practices upon yield and fruit quality of four grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Mac.) cultivars

Two strategies of irrigation were applied during the phase of fruit growth in 30-year-old grapefruit trees (Citrus paradisi Mac.) of four varieties (cv. Marsh SRA 8, cv. Shambar SRA 22, cv. Frost Marsh, cv. Ruby). For the first strategy (T1), the trees were irrigated every week at 100% crop evapotranspiration (ETc), while for the second strategy (T2) at 60% ETc. At harvest time tree yield was estimated, along with fruit quality and water productivity. T1 strategy significantly increased the tree yield, the fruit weight and the juice content. Although, an increase in water productivity (crop yield/total water use) was achieved during the water stress experiment for the three out of four varieties. The main effect of the T2 strategy was a significant increase of qualitative (commercial and nutritional) attributes like Total Soluble Solids (TSS), citric acid, ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and phenolic content. In addition, strategy T2 increased the maturation index and the fruits had sweeter flavor for two varieties. These results lead to the conclusion that in mature grapefruit trees, optimal irrigation practice provided better fruit yield, while water stress practices favor the accumulation of specific nutritional elements and improve specific fruit quality parameters, especially for cv. Ruby.

Biogeosystem technique water paradigm for prevention of the world water scarcity and cardinal transformation of current irrigation practice

<p>Consumption up to 95 % of the global freshwater resources for irresponsible outdated irrigation practice is no longer permissible worldwide. This huge water consumption is usually declared as an insurmountable consequence of irrigation technology and justified by the need for food production. This abnormal amount contradicts the task of human survival. Thus a call for a technological and regulatory breakthrough in the sphere of water resources is urgent. The current irrigation paradigm is based on imitation of natural rain, drip, surface or subsurface water flux to the soil. Old outdated irrigation paradigm links together two stages of the soil moisturizing process: water supply to the soil and water spreading throughout the soil continuum. This is a systemic disadvantage of standard irrigation. This lack stems from the simulation of natural water distribution.  The current imitative paradigm of irrigation simultaneously reproduces other phenomena of the natural hydrological process. These are excess of freshwater consumption for 4–15 times compared with plant water demand; spatial differentiation of the soil moisture and vegetation growth conditions; soil compaction and over-moistening and landscape waterlogging; increased share of the unstable mineral in soil, preferential water fluxes through the soil to vadose zone and saturation zone; leaching of the soil organic matter and nutrients, and generally uncontrolled biogeochemical process caused by the standard irrigation.  </p><p>We developed the transcendental Biogeosystem Technique (BGT*) methodology as a basis of development of the new soil watering paradigm. New intra-soil pulse continuous-discrete plant watering paradigm is executed by injection of successive small portions of water intra-soil via syringe into the soil vertical cylinder of 1.5–2.5 cm diameter at a depth of 10 to 35 cm. In the period of 5–10 min after individual injection, the water redistributes in the soil in the vicinity of the watered cylinder via capillary, film and vapour transfer. An ambient soil carcass remains mechanically stable. This carcass supports the soil which was disturbed hydrodynamically while intra-soil water injection mechanically, providing a multilevel aggregation of the soil fine fractions preferable for development of the rhizosphere. Resulting matrix soil water potential is of −0.2 MPa. At this potential, the soil solution has a rather high concentration. This concentration is optimal for the nutrition of plants. At the same time, such concentration of the soil solution is healthy for the soil, soil biota, and plant as a rather high air content provided. In absence of the over-moistening, the plant resistivity for pathogens becomes higher. The stomatal apparatus of plants operate in regulation mode, providing water saving. Freshwater consumption 4–20 times less compared to standard irrigation. Fertilizers, pesticide efficiency, and soil productivity are higher. Higher rate biogeochemical process control is provided. The environmental damage of standard irrigation excluded. BGT* robotic intra-soil pulse continuous-discrete watering system developed. The opportunity provided for the global water scarcity overcoming. It is possible to expand the biosphere and provide non-conflicting sustainable technological and environmental safety.</p><p>The research was supported by the RFBR, project no. 18-29-25071, and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia, no. 0852-2020-0029.</p>