Prediction of irrigation return flows through a hierarchical modeling approach

The quantity of water available for irrigation is getting scarce in many countries and it assumes great importance for assured crop production, especially in view of the erratic behavior of the monsoon. Thus, there is a pressing need to improve the water efficiency of irrigation systems. One-way of improving the efficiency of the irrigation system is reusing the return flow from the irrigation system. This task requires quantification of return flow, which still remains as a grey area in irrigation water management. The estimation of return flow from the irrigation system is usually obtained using thumb rules depending upon the site-specific conditions like command area conditions and soil properties. In this paper, a hierarchical modeling technique, namely, regression tree is developed for return flow estimation. Regression tree is built through binary recursive partitioning. The effective rainfall, inflow, consumptive water demand, and percolation loss are taken as predictor variables and return flow is treated as the target variable. The applicability of the hierarchical model is demonstrated through a case study of Periyar-Vaigai Irrigation System in Tamil Nadu, India. The model performance shows a good match between the simulated and the field measured return flow values. Results of statistical analysis indicated that the correlation coefficients are high for both single as well as double crop seasons.     

Economic feasibility of growing capsicum crop under drip irrigation in West Bengal, India

Drip irrigation system has been one of the technical means to improve water use efficiency. In India, this system is gaining popularity among fruit growers and in water scarced area but a substantial area is being covered annually under vegetables crops. One of the major concerns raised by farmers about this system is its economic viability. In present study, the economic viability of drip irrigation system for growing capsicum crop based on discounted cash flow technique (Net present worth and Benefit cost ratio) was explored. Eight irrigation treatments were laid under drip with and without plastic mulch. The irrigation levels were taken as 1, 0.8 and 0.6 of the crop evapotranspiration. The pan evaporation method was used for estimation of reference evapotranspiration and Water Balance Approach was used for irrigation scheduling. The average amount of water supplied under treatment VD (100% irrigation requirement supplied with drip) was found to be 415 mm for whole growing season of the crop. Similarly the amount of water was found to be 332 mm and 249 mm for the treatment 0.8VD (80% irrigation requirement supplied with drip) and 0.6VD (60% irrigation requirement supplied with drip) respectively. Highest yield was recorded in case of treatment VD + PM (100% irrigation requirement supplied with drip plus plastic mulch) followed by VD. Yield under treatments 0.8VD, 0.6VD, 0.8VD + PM and 0.6VD + PM were significant while treatments VD, VF and VF + PM were at par with the treatment VD + PM. Net Present Worth (NPW) was found to be positive for all the treatments. The highest NPW was obtained under treatment VD as Rs. 309,734.90 and lowest was in case of 0.6VD + PM as Rs. 144,172.24. The yield per mm of water used was reported to be at higher side as 35 in both the treatments VD and VD + PM. But the yield per mm of water used was found to be lowest as 18.07 and 19 in case of VF and VF + PM respectively.     

The River Wadu role play — ten years experience

This paper describes a role playing planning exercise that has been used for training agriculturists, engineers and agricultural economists for more than ten years. It sets out the objectives and key features of the exercise and the experience that has been gained in its use. The exercise has been found to successfully test and integrate subject matter expertise acquired from formal teaching. It also highlights the multiple and often conflicting objectives of irrigation planning, and the need for full evaluation of alternatives and sound technical judgements under conditions of inadequate data and time pressure. The exercise is also successful in developing professional personal skills such as group working, interviewing and presentation, and is recommended as an effective training aid.     

旱田中耕节水灌溉设备的研究

分析了节水灌溉现状；以玉米苗期为研究对象，结合黑龙江省旱作农业实际，提出了一种与中耕相结合的灌溉方式，为采用机械化灌溉方法解决作物苗期干旱问题提供参考。     

Changing technology for training irrigation managers

This article describes developments in microcomputer and video-disc technology which may be used in the training of managers for irrigation projects.     

桃林口水库供水效益分析计算

主要分析了桃林口水库的农业灌溉、工业城市供水的国民经济效益，分别计算出水库单方农业灌溉供水和工业城市供水国民经济效益值。在水利工程经济效益分析方法、理论有新的探索，对类似工程效益分析有一定的借鉴意义。     

平地漫灌灌溉水净化与循环利用研究

为提高设施农业的水分利用率，设计了平地漫灌灌溉水净化与循环利用系统；阐述了系统的组成、节水灌溉原理与工作过程。理论分析可知，系统具有较高的输水利用率、灌水利用率和降水利用率，是农业节水灌溉的有效新途径。     

CO2加富及亏缺灌溉对菜豆中期与后期生长的影响

为了探明菜豆中期与后期生长对CO₂加富与亏缺灌溉的生理响应,试验设两个CO₂水平:正常大气浓度和倍增CO₂浓度,两个灌溉水平:自然灌溉12次和亏缺灌溉6次,研究CO₂加富及亏缺灌溉对菜豆生长的影响。结果表明,CO₂加富显著提高菜豆生长中期株高与干质量,净光合速率(Pn)与胞间CO₂浓度(Ci)分别显著降低15.48%、37.67%,气孔导度(Gs)显著提高95.83%,菜豆生长后期的叶绿素a/b(Chla/b)显著提高12.29%,水分利用效率(WUE)显著提高46.51%,Ci显著降低12.87%。CO₂加富显著提高亏缺灌溉下生长中期菜豆的株高与干质量,但显著降低根冠比,显著提高叶绿素含量以及Gs;CO₂加富下生长后期的核酮糖-1,5-二磷酸羧化酶(Rubisco)及果糖-1,6-二磷酸酶(FBPase)活性分别显著提高78.05%与88.69%,CO₂加富使亏缺灌溉下碳酸酐酶(CA)与FBPase活性分别显著提高83.73%与64.84%。综上所述,CO₂加富提高菜豆生长中期对亏缺灌溉的适应性,对生长后期影响作用减小。     

清、洪水灌溉条件下土壤中盐分运移规律的试验研究

在大同县罗庄村玉米地进行洪水灌溉与清水灌溉的大田灌水试验,研究在不同的灌水定额下,用洪水与清水灌溉后,土壤剖面上盐分的运移规律。研究结果表明:用洪水与清水灌溉后,土壤中盐分的运移规律基本相同;盐分随水分运动而向下运移的深度随灌水定额的增大而增大。