Integrated effect of transplanting date, cultivar and irrigation on yield, water saving and water productivity of rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Indian Punjab: Field and simulation study

Individual effect of different field scale management interventions for water saving in rice viz. changing date of transplanting, cultivar and irrigation schedule on yield, water saving and water productivity is well documented in the literature. However, little is known about their integrated effect. To study that, field experimentation and modeling approach was used. Field experiments were conducted for 2 years (2006 and 2007) at Punjab Agricultural University Farm, Ludhiana on a deep alluvial loamy sand Typic Ustipsamment soils developed under hyper-thermic regime. Treatments included three dates of transplanting (25 May, 10 June and 25 June), two cultivars (PR 118 inbred and RH 257 hybrid) and two irrigation schedules (2-days drainage period and at soil water suction of 16 kPa). The model used was CropSyst, which has already been calibrated for growth (periodic biomass and LAI) of rice and soil water content in two independent experiments. The main findings of the field and simulation studies conducted are compared to any individual, integrated management of transplanting date, cultivar and irrigation, sustained yield (6.3-7.5 t ha⁻¹) and saved substantial amount of water in rice. For example, with two management interventions, i.e. shifting of transplanting date to lower evaporative demand (from 5 May to 25 June) concomitant with growing of short duration hybrid variety (90 days from transplanting to harvest), the total real water saving (wet saving) through reduction in evapotranspiration (ET) was 140 mm, which was almost double than managing the single, i.e. 66 mm by shifting transplanting or 71 mm by growing short duration hybrid variety. Shifting the transplanting date saved water through reduction in soil water evaporation component while growing of short duration variety through reduction in both evaporation and transpiration components of water balance. Managing irrigation water schedule based on soil water suction of 16 kPa at 15-20 cm soil depth, compared to 2-day drainage, did not save water in real (wet saving), however, it resulted into apparent water saving (dry saving). The real crop water productivity (marketable yield/ET) was more by 17% in 25th June transplanted rice than 25th May, 23% in short duration variety than long and 2% in irrigation treatment of 16 kPa soil water suction than 2-days drainage. The corresponding values for the apparent crop water productivity (marketable yield/irrigation water applied) were 16, 20 and 50%, respectively. Pooled experimental data of 2 years showed that with managing irrigation scheduling based on soil water suction of 16 kPa at 15-20 cm soil depth, though 700 mm irrigation water was saved but the associated yield was reduced by 277 kg ha⁻¹.     

Yield and water-production functions of two durum wheat cultivars grown under different irrigation and nitrogen regimes

Wheat (Triticum durum L.) yields in the semi-arid regions are limited by inadequate water supply late in the cropping season. Planning suitable irrigation strategy and nitrogen fertilization with the appropriate crop phenology will produce optimum grain yields. A 3-year experiment was conducted on deep, fairly drained clay soil, at Tal Amara Research Station in the central Bekaa Valley of Lebanon to investigate the response of durum wheat to supplemental irrigation (IRR) and nitrogen rate (NR). Three water supply levels (rainfed and two treatments irrigated at half and full soil water deficit) were coupled with three N fertilization rates (100, 150 and 200 kg N ha⁻¹) and two cultivars (Waha and Haurani) under the same cropping practices (sowing date, seeding rate, row space and seeding depth). Averaged across N treatments and years, rainfed treatment yielded 3.49 Mg ha⁻¹ and it was 25% and 28% less than half and full irrigation treatments, respectively, for Waha, while for Haurani the rainfed treatment yielded 3.21 Mg ha⁻¹, and it was 18% and 22% less than half and full irrigation, respectively. On the other hand, N fertilization of 150 and 200 kg N ha⁻¹ increased grain yield in Waha by 12% and 16%, respectively, in comparison with N fertilization of 100 kg N ha⁻¹, while for cultivar Haurani the increases were 24% and 38%, respectively. Regardless of cultivar, results showed that supplemental irrigation significantly increased grain number per square meter and grain weight with respect to the rainfed treatment, while nitrogen fertilization was observed to have significant effects only on grain number per square meter. Moreover, results showed that grain yield for cultivar Haurani was less affected by supplemental irrigation and more affected by nitrogen fertilization than cultivar Waha in all years. However, cultivar effects were of lower magnitude compared with those of irrigation and nitrogen. We conclude that optimum yield was produced for both cultivars at 50% of soil water deficit as supplemental irrigation and N rate of 150 kg N ha⁻¹. However, Harvest index (HI) and water use efficiency (WUE) in both cultivars were not significantly affected neither by supplemental irrigation nor by nitrogen rate. Evapotranspiration (ET) of rainfed wheat ranged from 300 to 400 mm, while irrigated wheat had seasonal ET ranging from 450 to 650 mm. On the other hand, irrigation treatments significantly affected ET after normalizing for vapor pressure deficit (ET/VPD) during the growing season. Supplemental irrigation at 50% and 100% of soil water deficit had approximately 26 and 52 mm mbar⁻¹ more ET/VPD, respectively, than those grown under rainfed conditions.     

惠州市东湖花园植物资源调查与应用现状分析

广东省惠州市东湖花园的植物资源调查结果表明：该小区的植物种类可分为55科102种, 其中蕨类植物3科3种，裸子植物5科5种，被子植物47科94种，被子植物中双子叶植物36科61种，单子叶植物11科33种；分析其植物配置现状,并就其今后园林规划中植物的配置提出建议。     

Application of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to predict the impact of alternative management practices on water quality and quantity

Alternative land management practices such as conservation or no-tillage, contour farming, terraces, and buffer strips are increasingly used to reduce nonpoint source and water pollution resulting from agricultural activities. Models are useful tools to investigate effects of such management practice alternatives on the watershed level. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the sensitivity of such models to parameters used to represent these conservation practices. Knowledge about the sensitivity to these parameters would help models better simulate the effects of land management. Hence, this paper presents in the first step a sensitivity analysis for conservation management parameters (specifically tillage depth, mechanical soil mixing efficiency, biological soil mixing efficiency, curve number, Manning's roughness coefficient for overland flow, USLE support practice factor, and filter strip width) in the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). With this analysis we aimed to improve model parameterisation and calibration efficiency. In contrast to less sensitive parameters such as tillage depth and mixing efficiency we parameterised sensitive parameters such as curve number values in detail.In the second step the analysis consisted of varying management practices (conventional tillage, conservation tillage, and no-tillage) for different crops (spring barley, winter barley, and sugar beet) and varying operation dates. Results showed that the model is very sensitive to applied crop rotations and in some cases even to small variations of management practices. But the different settings do not have the same sensitivity. Duration of vegetation period and soil cover over time was most sensitive followed by soil cover characteristics of applied crops.     

计算机仿真技术在水资源与环境问题上的应用

应用计算机仿真方法 ,把水资源与社会、经济、人口和环境放在一个大系统中 ,综合研究复杂系统的定量特性 ,分 3个子模块构造了水资源与环境问题的计算机仿真模型 ,探讨水资源与环境的关系     

主成分分析法在长春市石头口门水库水环境质量评价中的应用

根据主成分分析法能够在保证原始数据信息损失最小的情况下,以少数的综合变量取代原有的多个变量的特点,对长春市石头口门水库汇水区的主要河流进行了水环境质量综合评价,并进一步对各个监测断面的水质优劣程度进行了排序.结果表明:该区水环境质量总体较差,以有机污染和农业非点源污染引起的水质污染为主.在空间分布上,石头口门断面水质相对较好,烟筒山断面和星星哨水库断面的水质次之,双阳河新安断面水质最差.     

Economic impacts on farm households due to water reallocation in China's Chaobai watershed

Our study area in the Chaobai watershed, upstream of Miyun Reservoir, has been undergoing agricultural water transfers to downstream municipal uses in Beijing. We examine the impacts of water reallocation on crop production and farmers’ income and discuss issues relating to current compensation mechanisms. We use data from a survey of 349 farm households and their farm plots in the upper Chaobai watershed within Hebei province. Water reallocation from upstream to downstream areas has reduced agricultural water supply and the area irrigated. Regression results show that in plots deprived of irrigation, maize yields decrease by 21% and crop revenues decline by 32%. On average, losing irrigation on one hectare of cultivated land reduces net crop income by 2422 yuan. We examine compensation arrangements and social equity for the major policies implemented in the region and we identify gaps between current compensation levels and farmers’ income and production losses. The current compensation received by farmers is generally lower than the losses incurred due to reduced irrigation. A more appropriate compensation mechanism is called for in future water transfers.     

Integrated management of irrigation water and fertilizers for wheat crop using field experiments and simulation modeling

The reported study aimed at developing an integrated management strategy for irrigation water and fertilizers in case of wheat crop in a sub-tropical sub-humid region. Field experiments were conducted on wheat crop (cultivar Sonalika) during the years 2002–2003, 2003–2004 and 2004–2005. Each experiment included four fertilizer treatments and three irrigation treatments during the wheat growth period. During the experiment, the irrigation treatments considered were I₁ = 10% maximum allowable depletion (MAD) of available soil water (ASW); I₂ = 40% MAD of ASW; I₃ = 60% MAD of ASW. The fertilizer treatments considered in the experiments were F₁ = control treatment with N:P₂O₅:K₂O as 0:0:0 kg ha⁻¹, F₂ = fertilizer application of N:P₂O₅:K₂O as 80:40:40 kg ha⁻¹; F₃ = fertilizer application of N:P₂O₅:K₂O as 120:60:60 kg ha⁻¹ and F₄ = fertilizer application of N:P₂O₅:K₂O as 160:80:80 kg ha⁻¹. In this study CERES-wheat crop growth model of the DSSAT v4.0 was used to simulate the growth, development and yield of wheat crop using soil, daily weather and management inputs, to aid farmers and decision makers in developing strategies for effective management of inputs. The results of the investigation revealed that magnitudes of grain yield, straw yield and maximum LAI of wheat crop were higher in low volume high frequency irrigation (I₁) than the high volume low frequency irrigation (I₃). The grain yield, straw yield and maximum LAI increased with increase in fertilization rate for the wheat crop. The results also revealed that increase in level of fertilization increased water use efficiency (WUE) considerably. However, WUE of the I₂ irrigation schedule was comparatively higher than the I₁ and I₃ irrigation schedules due to higher grain yield per unit use of water. Therefore, irrigation schedule with 40% maximum allowable depletion of available soil water (I₂) could safely be maintained during the non-critical stages to save water without sacrificing the crop yield. Increase in level of fertilization increases the WUE but it will cause environmental problem beyond certain limit. The calibrated CERES-wheat model could predict the grain yield, straw yield and maximum LAI of wheat crop with considerable accuracy and therefore can be recommended for decision-making in similar regions.     

饲粮中添加蜂花粉对猪肉系水力的影响

[目的]研究饲粮中添加不同比例的蜂花粉对杜×长×大生长肥育猪猪肉系水力的影响，以期找到最佳的添加比例。[方法]选取80头体重10kg左右的杜×长×大三元杂交猪为试验动物，随机分成5组，试验期为120d。整个试验期不换料。猪只自由取食和饮水，宰前24h禁食不禁水。使用玉米一豆粕型基础饲粮，第1组为不添加蜂花粉的对照组，第2、3、4和5组分别为添加1％、3％、5％和7％蜂花粉的试验组。屠宰后取眼肌，分别采用快速滤纸法、滴水损失法、烹饪损失法和拿破率测定法测定其系水力。[结果]随着蜂花粉添加比例的增加，猪肉系水力呈现先优后劣的变化趋势。其中，饲粮中添加5％的蜂花粉能够显著降低猪肉的滴水损失和系水力（P〈0．05），而对烹饪损失和拿破率的影响不显著。[结论]饲粮中添加蜂花粉可有效改善杜×长×大生长肥育猪肉系水力，其添加比例以饲粮总量的5％为宜。     

Changes in NMR Relaxation of Rice Grains,Kernel Quality and Physicochemical Properties in Response to a High Temperature after Flowering in Heat-Tolerant and Heat-Sensitive Rice Cultivars

Abstract

Rice productivity is related to the ability of plants to adapt to heat stress. The heat-tolerant cultivars ‘Nikomaru’ and ‘Chikushi 64’ and heat-sensitive cultivar ‘Hinohikari’ were grown at 30ºC and 25ºC for 49 days after flowering. At 30ºC, only a few white immature kernels were produced in ‘Nikomaru’ and ‘Chikushi 64’, but about 22% of grains had immature kernels in ‘Hinohikari’. The high temperature(30ºC) caused no significant changes in grain dry weight, water content, and the NMR T₁ value during the early ripening stage in ‘Nikomaru’ and ‘Chikushi 64’. It also did not affect grain development, especially with respect to the nucellar epidermis, in ‘Nikomaru’ and ‘Chikushi 64’, but caused clear cessation of development of the nucellar epidermis at 14 days after flowering in ‘Hinohikari’. In addition, high temperature decreased the amylose content and increased hardnessvs. adhesion ratio of cooked rice in both ‘Nikomaru’ and ‘Chikushi 64’ resulting a softer, less sticky texture, but not in ‘Hinohikari’. The maximum viscosity and breakdown values were increased, and final viscosity decreased at 30ºC in all three cultivars. These results suggested that starch in the endosperm of grains changed from a fluid state to a doughy state more slowly in ‘Nikomaru’ and ‘Chikushi 64’ than in ‘Hinohikari’, in which the water content and NMR relaxation time decreased, and transported assimilates accumulated slowly during grain development.