Integration of economic and hydrologic models: Exploring conjunctive irrigation water use strategies in the Volta Basin

We describe the development, calibration and preliminary application of a dynamically coupled economic–hydrologic simulation–optimization model ensemble for evaluating the conjunctive use of surface and groundwater in small reservoir-based irrigation systems characteristic of the Volta Basin, Africa. We focus on a representative small reservoir-irrigation system located in the Antakwidi catchment in Ghana. The model ensemble consists of the physical hydrology model WaSiM-ETH and an economic optimization model written in GAMS. Results include optimal water storage and allocation regimes for irrigated production, given conjunctive surface water and groundwater systems. The goal of our research, conducted within the GLOWA Volta project, is to develop a decision support system for improving the management of land and water resources in the face of potential environmental change in the Volta Basin.     

WaDI (water delivery for irrigation): A simulation tool to address strategic interaction of water demand and supply in irrigation schemes

The WaDI (water delivery for irrigation) model deals with the relations between the collective water supply and the demand within irrigated schemes. It is based on a separate modelling of the water supply and demand, including (i) a simplified representation of the hydraulic structure, characteristics and organizational parameters of the scheme, (ii) an assessment of the water demand of farms based on their total irrigated area, cropping pattern and irrigation practices, (iii) a farm typology, (iv) a confrontation between water demand and supply at each node of the scheme from pumping plants to tertiary canals, and (v) calculation of response factors between supply and demand during the peak demand period. “What-if” scenarios are simulated in order to enhance the stakeholders’ capacity to plan strategic decisions such as water delivery allocation rules or infrastructure investments. WaDI was implemented on two Brazilian schemes. It allowed broadening the stakeholders’ limited representation of collective water supply and demand into a more comprehensive understanding of these relations. The approach however showed some limits, along with the difficulty of assessing the real impact on the stakeholders’ capacity for strategic planning.     

Management model for decision support when applying low quality water in irrigation

Use of low quality water for irrigation of food crops is an important option to secure crop productivity in dry regions, alleviate water scarcity and recycle nutrients, but it requires assessment of adverse effects on health and environment. In the EU-project “SAFIR¹” a model system was developed that combines irrigation management with risk evaluation, building on research findings from the different research groups in the SAFIR project. The system applies to field scale irrigation management and aims at assisting users in identifying safe modes of irrigation when applying low quality water. The cornerstone in the model system is the deterministic “Plant-Soil-Atmosphere” model DAISY, which simulates crop growth, water and nitrogen dynamics and if required heavy metals and pathogen fate in the soil. The irrigation and fertigation module calculates irrigation and fertigation requirements based on DAISY's water and nitrogen demands. A Water Source Administration module keeps track of water sources available and their water quality, as well as water treatments, storage, and criteria for selection between different sources. At harvest, the soil concentrations of heavy metals and pathogens are evaluated and the risk to consumers and farmers assessed. Crop profits are calculated, considering fixed and variable costs of input and output. The user can run multiple “what-if” scenarios that include access to different water sources (including wastewater), water treatments, irrigation methods and irrigation and fertilization strategies and evaluate model results in terms of crop yield, water use, fertilizer use, heavy metal accumulation, pathogen exposure and expected profit. The management model system can be used for analysis prior to investments or when preparing a strategy for the season.     

A rule-based method for the development of crop management systems applied to grain sorghum in south-western France

A generic approach is proposed for the development and testing of crop management systems in contrasting situations of water availability. Ecophysiological knowledge, expertise, regional references and simulation models are combined to devise management strategies adapted to production targets and constraints. The next stage consists of converting these crop management strategies into logical and consistent sets of decision rules. Each rule describes the reasoning which is used to apply a technical decision by taking account of observed or simulated environmental conditions or predicted agronomic risks.

This approach was applied to design crop management systems for grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench.) in south-western France. For spring-sown crops, management (sowing date, plant density, varietal choice, N fertilizer rate and timing) was based on water availability, both for economic and environmental reasons. Specific sets of decision rules were written for irrigated and rainfed conditions. The establishment of rules was based on agronomic principles (e.g. for plant density) or on the application of a simulation model (e.g. for sowing date, variety). N fertilization and irrigation were applied using combined N and water dynamic models.

A novel methodology combining crop diagnosis, analytical trials and crop simulation was developed to evaluate the management systems. An irrigated and a rainfed rule-based management system were compared near Toulouse (S.W. France) from 1995 to 2002. The profitability of rainfed low-input management was confirmed for sorghum in spite of high yields under irrigation (up to 10 t ha⁻¹). The adaptation of sorghum management in rainfed conditions was mainly achieved through early maturing cultivars and by reducing N applications by 65%.     

Evaluation of crop water stress index for LEPA irrigated corn

This study was designed to evaluate the crop water stress index (CWSI) for low-energy precision application (LEPA) irrigated corn (Zea mays L.) grown on slowly-permeable Pullman clay loam soil (fine, mixed, Torrertic Paleustoll) during the 1992 growing season at Bushland, Tex. The effects of six different irrigation levels (100%, 80%, 60%, 40%, 20%, and 0% replenishment of soil water depleted from the 1.5-m soil profile depth) on corn yields and the resulting CWSI were investigated. Irrigations were applied in 25 mm increments to maintain the soil water in the 100% treatment within 60–80% of the “plant extractable soil water” using LEPA technology, which wets alternate furrows only. The 1992 growing season was slightly wetter than normal. Thus, irrigation water use was less than normal, but the corn dry matter and grain yield were still significantly increased by irrigation. The yield, water use, and water use efficiency of fully irrigated corn were 1.246 kg/m², 786 mm, and 1.34 kg/m³, respectively. CWSI was calculated from measurements of infrared canopy temperatures, ambient air temperatures, and vapor pressure deficit values for the six irrigation levels. A “non-water-stressed baseline” equation for corn was developed using the diurnal infrared canopy temperature measurements as T _c–T _a = 1.06–2.56 VPD, where T _c was the canopy temperature (°C), Ta was the air temperature (°C) and VPD was the vapor pressure deficit (kPa). Trends in CWSI values were consistent with the soil water contents induced by the deficit irrigations. Both the dry matter and grain yields decreased with increased soil water deficit. Minimal yield reductions were observed at a threshold CWSI value of 0.33 or less for corn. The CWSI was useful for evaluating crop water stress in corn and should be a valuable tool to assist irrigation decision making together with soil water measurements and/or evapotranspiration models. Received: 19 May 1998     

Effects of a shading screen on microclimate and crop water requirements

Despite the steadily increasing area under protected agriculture there is a current lack of knowledge about the effects of the 30% black shading screen on microclimate and crop water requirements. Meteorological and lysimeter measurements inside a screenhouse planted with sweet pepper were compared to external reference data. Irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) was calculated from yield records Y and water meter readings I _applied. Shading reduced mean global radiation R _G by more than 40%, and the screen transmissivity τ _screen was shown to vary with solar elevation angle β. Wind speed inside the screenhouse u _in was reduced by more than 50%. Crop water requirements ET _c were 38% lower than estimates for an open field crop, suggesting a significant water saving potential when using screenhouses. However, the screen did not significantly modify maximum temperature T _max and daily vapor pressure deficit. The FAO-Penman–Monteith approach based on meteorological measurements in the screenhouse accurately predicted daily crop evapotranspiration, and was in close agreement with lysimeter measurements. IWUE was relatively high (10.7 kg m⁻³ in 2004 and 13.5 kg m⁻³ in 2005), but additional research is required to quantify the effect of shading on yield as well as to determine the water saving potential of other commonly used screens. Contribution no. 603/06 from the Agricultural Research Organization An erratum to this article can be found at     

Development of crop water stress index of wheat crop for scheduling irrigation using infrared thermometry

This study was conducted to develop the relationship between canopy-air temperature difference and vapour pressure deficit for no stress condition of wheat crop (baseline equations), which was used to quantify crop water stress index (CWSI) to schedule irrigation in winter wheat crop (Triticum aestivum L.). The randomized block design (RBD) was used to design the experimental layout with five levels of irrigation treatments based on the percentage depletion of available soil water (ASW) in the root zone. The maximum allowable depletion (MAD) of the available soil water (ASW) of 10, 40 and 60 per cent, fully wetted (no stress) and no irrigation (fully stressed) were maintained in the crop experiments. The lower (non-stressed) and upper (fully stressed) baselines were determined empirically from the canopy and ambient air temperature data obtained using infrared thermometry and vapour pressure deficit (VPD) under fully watered and maximum water stress crop, respectively. The canopy-air temperature difference and VPD resulted linear relationships and the slope (m) and intercept (c) for lower baseline of pre-heading and post-heading stages of wheat crop were found m = −1.7466, c = −1.2646 and m = −1.1141, c = −2.0827, respectively. The CWSI was determined by using the developed empirical equations for three irrigation schedules of different MAD of ASW. The established CWSI values can be used for monitoring plant water status and planning irrigation scheduling for wheat crop.     

HydroLOGIC: An irrigation management system for Australian cotton

The worldwide need to improve water use efficiency within irrigated agriculture has been recognised in response to environmental concerns and conflicts in resource use. Within the Australian cotton industry, the imperative to reduce water use and optimise irrigation management through the understanding of risk, using information generated by computerised decision aids was identified and subsequently developed into the HydroLOGIC irrigation management software. This paper summarises the attributes of the HydroLOGIC irrigation management software, with particular emphasis on functionality and its application to irrigation decisions within the Australian cotton industry. The software development process is documented to provide direction for future software application initiatives, with particular emphasis on a process of user feedback, evaluation and support requirements providing direction to software development. On-farm experiments throughout the development period allowed the validation of internal software logic, irrigator decision processes, and the OZCOT cotton growth model. The software demonstrated the ability to improve yield and water use efficiency by optimising strategic and tactical irrigation decisions in the Australian furrow irrigation cotton production system. In 7 of the 11 on-farm experiments conducted, the use of HydroLOGIC helped improve overall field water use efficiency by optimising the timing of irrigation events or by indicating further irrigations would not provide yield or maturity benefits. The paper also presents useful insights into the development of software targeted for irrigation utilising in-field measurements of soil water, crop growth and a crop growth simulation model.     

Modelling the effects of climate variability and water management on crop water productivity and water balance in the North China Plain

In the North China Plain (NCP), while irrigation using groundwater has maintained a high-level crop productivity of the wheat-maize double cropping systems, it has resulted in rapid depletion of groundwater table. For more efficient and sustainable utilization of the limited water resources, improved understanding of how crop productivity and water balance components respond to climate variations and irrigation is essential. This paper investigates such responses using a modelling approach. The farming systems model APSIM (Agricultural Production Systems Simulator) was first calibrated and validated using 3 years of experimental data. The validated model was then applied to simulate crop yield and field water balance of the wheat-maize rotation in the NCP. Simulated dryland crop yield ranged from 0 to 4.5 t ha⁻¹ for wheat and 0 to 5.0 t ha⁻¹ for maize. Increasing irrigation amount led to increased crop yield, but irrigation required to obtain maximum water productivity (WP) was much less than that required to obtain maximum crop yield. To meet crop water demand, a wide range of irrigation water supply would be needed due to the inter-annual climate variations. The range was simulated to be 140-420 mm for wheat, and 0-170 mm for maize. Such levels of irrigation applications could potentially lead to about 1.5 m year⁻¹ decline in groundwater table when other sources of groundwater recharge were not considered. To achieve maximum WP, one, two and three irrigations (i.e., 70, 150 and 200 mm season⁻¹) were recommended for wheat in wet, medium and dry seasons, respectively. For maize, one irrigation and two irrigations (i.e., 60 and 110 mm season⁻¹) were recommended in medium and dry seasons, while no irrigation was needed in wet season.     

Irrigation strategies to improve the water use efficiency of wheat-maize double cropping systems in North China Plain

Water is the most important limiting factor of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) double cropping systems in the North China Plain (NCP). A two-year experiment with four irrigation levels based on crop growth stages was used to calibrate and validate RZWQM2, a hybrid model that combines the Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM) and DSSAT4.0. The calibrated model was then used to investigate various irrigation strategies for high yield and water use efficiency (WUE) using weather data from 1961 to 1999. The model simulated soil moisture, crop yield, above-ground biomass and WUE in responses to irrigation schedules well, with root mean square errors (RMSEs) of 0.029 cm³ cm⁻³, 0.59 Mg ha⁻¹, 2.05 Mg ha⁻¹, and 0.19 kg m⁻³, respectively, for wheat; and 0.027 cm³ cm⁻³, 0.71 Mg ha⁻¹, 1.51 Mg ha⁻¹ and 0.35 kg m⁻³, respectively, for maize. WUE increased with the amount of irrigation applied during the dry growing season of 2001-2002, but was less sensitive to irrigation during the wet season of 2002-2003. Long-term simulation using weather data from 1961 to 1999 showed that initial soil water at planting was adequate (at 82% of crop available water) for wheat establishment due to the high rainfall during the previous maize season. Preseason irrigation for wheat commonly practiced by local farmers should be postponed to the most sensitive growth stage (stem extension) for higher yield and WUE in the area. Preseason irrigation for maize is needed in 40% of the years. With limited irrigation available (100, 150, 200, or 250 mm per year), 80% of the water allocated to the critical wheat growth stages and 20% applied at maize planting achieved the highest WUE and the least water drainage overall for the two crops.     

Crop rotations in Argentina: Analysis of water balance and yield using crop models

Cropping schemes have developed in east-central Argentina for rainfed soybean (Glycine max Merr.) production that invariably employ no-tillage management. Often these schemes include growing soybean in a sequence of crops including wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and maize (Zea mays L.). The full impact of various rotation schemes on soil water balance through a sequence of seasons has not been explored, although the value of these rotations has been studied experimentally. The objective of this work was to investigate through simulations, potential differences in temporal soil water status among rotations over five years. In this study, mechanistic models of soybean (Soy), maize (Maz), and wheat (Wht) were linked over a five-years period at Marcos Juárez, Argentina to simulate soil water status, crop growth, and yield of four no-till rotations (Soy/Soy, Soy/Wht, Soy/Maz, and Soy/Maz/Wht). Published data on sowing dates and initial soil water contents in the first year from a no-till rotation experiment were used as inputs to the model. After the first year, soil water status output from the model was used to initiate the next crop simulation in the sequence. The results of these simulations indicated a positive impact on soil water balance resulting from crop residue on the soil surface under no-till management. Continuous soybean and the two-year soybean/maize rotation did not efficiently use the available water from rainfall. Residue from maize was simulated to be especially effective in suppressing soil evaporation. Thus, the Soy/Maz simulation results indicated that this rotation resulted in enhanced soil water retention, increased deep water percolation, and increased soybean yields compared with continuous soybean crops. The simulated results matched well with experimental observations. The three-crop rotation of Soy/Maz/Wht did not increase simulated soybean yields, but the additional water retained as a result of decreased soil evaporation resulting from the maize residue allowed the addition of a wheat crop in this two-year rotation. Simulated soybean yields were poorly correlated with both the amount of soil water at sowing and the rainfall during the cropping period. These results highlight the importance of temporal distribution of rainfall on final yield. These models proved a valuable tool for assessing the consequences of various rotation schemes now being employed in Argentina on temporal soil water status, and ultimately crop yield.     

基于遥感的农业用水效率评价方法研究进展

遥感技术的发展为区域尺度蒸散发计算、作物分布识别及估产提供了一条有效途径,为基于遥感信息的灌区灌溉水利用效率及作物水分利用效率定量评价奠定了基础。回顾总结了遥感蒸散发模型、瞬时蒸散发升尺度方法、日蒸散发插值方法、作物分布识别方法及作物估产模型的研究进展,评述了遥感蒸散发及作物估产结果在灌区灌溉水利用效率及作物水分利用效率评价中的应用情况。提出了相关领域需要进一步研究的问题,包括适合非均匀下垫面特点且具有较强物理基础的灌区遥感蒸散发模型、日蒸散发插值中灌溉或降雨引起土壤含水量突变情况的处理、农田蒸散发中灌溉水有效消耗量的准确估算、能适应复杂种植结构并且适用于多年的作物分布遥感识别模型以及精度较高且可操作性强的遥感估产模型等。     

Crop coefficients and water use for cowpea in the San Joaquin Valley of California

To improve irrigation planning and management, a modified soil water balance method was used to determine the crop coefficients and water use for cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) in an area with a semi-arid climate. A sandy 0.8-ha field was irrigated with a subsurface drip irrigation system, and the soil moisture was closely monitored for two full seasons. The procedure used was one developed for cotton by DeTar [DeTar, W.R., 2004. Using a subsurface drip irrigation system to measure crop water use. Irrig. Sci. 23, 111-122]. Using a test and validate procedure, we first developed a double sigmoidal model to fit the data from the first season, and then we determined how well the data from the second season fit this model. One of the results of this procedure was that during the early part of the season, the crop coefficients were more closely related to days-after-planting (DAP) than to growing-degree-days (GDDs). For the full season, there was little difference in correlations for the various models using DAP and GDD. When the data from the two seasons were merged, the average value for the crop coefficient during the mid-season plateau was 0.986 for the coefficient used with pan evaporation, and it was 1.211 for the coefficient used with a modified Penman equation for ET₀ from the California Irrigation Management and Information System (CIMIS). For the Penman-Monteith (P-M) equation, the coefficient was 1.223. These coefficients are about 11% higher than for cotton in the same field with the same irrigation system. A model was developed for the merged data, and when it was combined with the normal weather data for this area, it was possible to predict normal water use on a weekly, monthly and seasonal basis. The normal seasonal water use for cowpea in this area was 669 mm. One of the main findings was that the water use by the cowpea was more closely correlated with pan evaporation than it was with the reference ET from CIMIS or P-M.     

Investigating water availability for introducing an additional crop yield in dry season on hill land at Rubirizi, Rwanda

The study explores the potential of introducing an additional crop during dry season in Rwanda, comparing the efficiency of in situ soil moisture conservation techniques to sustain rain-fed agriculture. Comparative study of in situ soil moisture conservation techniques in bench terraces and unterraced field with maize crop had been conducted from June 2007 to October 2007. Bench terrace increased the average soil moisture content in 90 cm soil depth by more than 50% than that of unterraced land. Within the bench terraced field compartment bund and ridges and furrows increased soil moisture by 19.5% and 27.9% higher than plain bed. In terms of efficiency of moisture conservation, ridges and furrows performed well with 85.8% followed by compartment bund with 75.9% in terraced field. Unterraced field conserved moisture very poorly with 13.9% efficiency inferring importance of bench terraces for soil moisture conservation. No maize grain yield was recorded in all the techniques because soil water depleted to 60% and above from the beginning of the cropping period inferring the need of supplementary irrigation. Analysis of rainfall, crop water demand and in situ moisture conservation reveals exciting opportunities for water productivity enhancements by integrating components of water management within the context of rain-fed farming through water harvesting and supplemental or microirrigation for dry spell mitigation. Detailed analysis is needed for feasibility of lift irrigation with different crops under different altitudes to derive suitable policy for hill land irrigation.     

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.     

Using ESAP software for predicting the spatial distributions of NDVI and transpiration of cotton

Observations of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from aerial imagery can be used to infer the spatial variability of basal crop coefficients (Kcb), which in turn provide a means to estimate variable crop water use within irrigated fields. However, monitoring spatial Kcb at sufficient temporal resolution using only aerial acquisitions would likely not be cost-effective for growers. In this study, we evaluated a model-based sampling approach, ESAP (EC_e Sampling, Assessment, and Prediction), aimed at reducing the number of seasonal aerial images needed for reliable Kcb monitoring. Aerial imagery of NDVI was acquired over an experimental cotton field having two treatments of irrigation scheduling, three plant density levels, and two N levels. During both 2002 and 2003, ESAP software used input imagery of NDVI on three separate dates to select three ground sampling designs having 6, 12, and 20 sampling locations. On three subsequent dates during both the years, NDVI data obtained at the design locations were then used to predict the spatial distribution of NDVI for the entire field. Regression of predicted versus imagery observed NDVI resulted in r² values from 0.48 to 0.75 over the six dates, where higher r² values occurred for predictions made near full cotton cover than those made at partial cover. Prediction results for NDVI were generally similar for all three sample designs. Cumulative transpiration (Tr) for periods from 14 to 28 days was calculated for treatment plots using Kcb values estimated from NDVI. Estimated cumulative Tr using either observed NDVI from imagery or predicted NDVI from ESAP procedures compared favorably with measured cumulative Tr determined from soil water balance measurements for each treatment plot. Except during late season cotton senescence, errors in estimated cumulative Tr were between 3.0% and 7.3% using observed NDVI, whereas they were they were between 3.4% and 8.8% using ESAP-predicted NDVI with the 12 sample design. Thus, employing a few seasonal aerial acquisitions made in conjunction with NDVI measurements at 20 or less ground locations optimally determined using ESAP, could provide a cost-effective method for reliably estimating the spatial distribution of crop water use, thereby improving cotton irrigation scheduling and management.     

In situ use of groundwater by alfalfa

Disposal of saline drainage water is a significant problem for irrigated agriculture. One proposal is to recycle drainage water to irrigate salt tolerant crops until the volume has been reduced sufficiently to enable final disposal by evaporation. Part of this concept requires in situ crop water reuse from shallow groundwater; and data is needed to quantify the potential use of groundwater by alternative crops. A column lysimeter study was initiated to determine the potential crop water use from shallow groundwater by alfalfa as a function of groundwater quality and depth to groundwater. The results demonstrated that up to 50% of the crop water use could be met from shallow groundwater (<1.2 m) with an electrical conductivity less than 4 dS/m, and that the potential crop water use from deeper groundwater (2 m) increased over the years. The columns with high salinity (>4 dS/m) in the shallow groundwater experienced increased salinity in the soil profile with time, which resulted in reduced crop water use from shallow groundwater. Yields decreased with time as the groundwater salinity increased and periodic leaching will be required for in situ use to be a sustainable practice. Statistical analysis of crop yield demonstrated that there was significant use of groundwater with an EC of 6 dS/m for a few years.     

Ground-based remote sensing for assessing water and nitrogen status of broccoli

Remote sensing (RS) can facilitate the management of water and nutrients in irrigated cropping systems. Our objective for this study was to evaluate the ability of several RS indices to discriminate between limited water and limited nitrogen induced stress for broccoli. The Agricultural Irrigation Imaging System (AgIIS) was used over a 1-ha broccoli field in central Arizona to measure green (550 nm), red (670 nm), far red (720 nm), and near infrared (NIR-790 nm) reflectances, and thermal infrared radiation. Measurements were taken at a 1 m × 1 m resolution, every several days during the season. The following indices were calculated: ratio vegetation index (RVI), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), normalized difference based on NIR and green reflectance (NDNG), canopy chlorophyll concentration index (CCCI), and the water deficit index (WDI). The experimental design was a two-factor, nitrogen × water, Latin square with four treatments (optimal and low water and optimal and low nitrogen) and four replicates. In addition to RS measurements, the following in-situ measurements were taken: SPAD chlorophyll (closely related to nitrogen status), plant petiole nitrate-nitrogen concentrations, soil water content, and plant height, width, and leaf area index (LAI). Fresh marketable broccoli yield was harvested from plots 130 days after planting.Seasonal water application (irrigation plus rainfall) was 14% greater for optimal than low water treatments, whereas total nitrogen application was 35% greater for optimal than low N treatments. Although both nitrogen and water treatments affected broccoli growth and yield, nitrogen effects were much more pronounced. Compared to the optimal water and nitrogen treatment, broccoli yield was 20% lower for low water but optimal nitrogen, whereas yield was 42% lower for optimal water but low nitrogen. The RVI, NDVI, and NDNG indices detected treatment induced growth retardation but were unable to distinguish between the water and nitrogen effects. The CCCI, which was developed as an index to infer differences in nitrogen status, was found to be highly sensitive to nitrogen, but insensitive to water stress. The WDI provided appropriate information on treatment water status regardless of canopy cover conditions and effectively detected differences in water status following several irrigation events when water was withheld from low but not optimal water treatments. Using a RS ground-based monitoring system to simultaneously measure vegetation, nitrogen, and water stress indices at high spatial and temporal resolution could provide a successful management tool for differentiating between the effects of nitrogen and water stress in broccoli.     

双牌灌区灌溉用水有效利用系数计算分析

本文分析了测算双牌灌区灌溉用水有效利用系数的意义,系统阐述了灌溉用水有效利用系数的测算方法,探讨了影响灌溉用水有效利用系数的具体因素.研究成果可为灌区灌溉用水有效利用系数的测算和灌区的水管理提供理论依据.     

河套灌区井渠结合地下水数值模拟及均衡分析

建立了河套灌区三维地下水数值模型,用2006-2013年灌区实测地下水埋深资料对模型进行率定和验证,并在规划的井渠结合区内,设置3种不同井灌区灌溉定额和3种秋浇频率,组合共9种井渠结合节水情景,分别分析了9种节水情景下的地下水动态变化.结果表明:井渠结合后全灌区地下水埋深范围为1.863~2.029 m,较现状条件增加0.084~0.250 m;不同灌域结合区井渠结合后地下水埋深差别很大,解放闸结合区地下水埋深最大,为2.308~2.803 m,永济结合区地下水埋深最小,为2.079~2.455 m;井渠结合后,入渗补给量减少2.01×10⁸ ~3.63×10⁸ m³/a,潜水蒸发量减少1.69×10⁸ ~3.03×10⁸ m³/a.