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Optimization of Water Usage and Crop Yield Using Precision Irrigation

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A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Water Use and Irrigation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (19 February 2021) | Viewed by 40629

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Dr. Paola A. Deligios

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Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Sassari, Sassari, Italy
Interests: agricultural systems; water use efficiency; horticulture

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A growing worldwide population and improving quality of life are leading to an increase in the request for food products. Through a greater exploitation of natural resources, environmental issues are also growing both in size and importance, especially in water use decision-making processes in irrigated agriculture. Larger crops yields mean that water should be given with greater efficiency, which requires instant and precise data on meteorological trend, soil, and crop status during the whole plant growing cycle.

Precision irrigation is an irrigation water management system which considers the space–time heterogeneity of soil and crop growth at the microscale level in the field, with the purpose to improve profitability, conserve water, and reduce environmental impact. On the basis of the evaluation of field heterogeneity, it extensively uses emerging technologies and data availability. By managing to apply the right amount of water in the right area at the right time, precision irrigation may serve as a solution to save water and improve water use efficiency, with a great impact on crop water productivity and the environment.

This Special Issue will focus on “Optimization of Water Usage and Crop Yield Using Precision Irrigation”. We welcome novel research, reviews, and opinion pieces covering all related topics, including variable-rate irrigation; precision irrigation scheduling, crop physiological and soil monitoring for precision water management; modeling; case-studies from the field; and policy positions.

Dr. Paola A. Deligios
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Water use efficiency
Innovative irrigation scheduling
Water productivity
Optimization model
Climate change adaptation strategies

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 340 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Potato Varieties Response to Soil Matric Potential Based Irrigation

by Jean-Pascal Matteau, Paul Célicourt, Guillaume Létourneau, Thiago Gumiere and Silvio J. Gumiere

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 352; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020352 - 16 Feb 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3310

Abstract

Potato is one of the most cropped plants worldwide. Hundreds of different varieties are cultivated only in North America. Potato growers usually crop multiple varieties on their farms to answer the market demands for potato’s specific physical properties. However, few pieces of information are available regarding the optimal management of irrigation across potato varieties. Knowing that modern potatoes share genetics similarities, the optimal irrigation comfort zone for the potato crop might be the same for different groups of varieties. This study evaluates the effect of precision irrigation thresholds on the potato yields of three varieties (Envol: very early, Kalmia: early, and Red Maria: mid-late) with different maturity classes. In a greenhouse, a soil matric potential sensor network used in combination with a precise irrigation system allows the identification of a common optimal precision irrigation threshold, allowing optimal yields for the three varieties. This paper presents the first identification of an optimal irrigation threshold,

- 15

kPa, shared by different potato varieties. The optimal irrigation threshold identified in this study is not dependent on the maturity class, plant height or tuber potential production. The determination of an optimal precision irrigation threshold will allow potato growers to adapt their farm management processes to integrate more sustainable water management practices as they will be able to irrigate a field with multiple varieties with the same threshold. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimization of Water Usage and Crop Yield Using Precision Irrigation)

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11 pages, 1344 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Efficient Water Management for Cymbidium Grown in Coir Dust Using a Soil Moisture Sensor-Based Automated Irrigation System

by Seong Kwang An, Hyo Beom Lee, Jongyun Kim and Ki Sun Kim

Agronomy 2021, 11(1), 41; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11010041 - 28 Dec 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4187

Abstract

Efficient long-term management for the production of high-quality Cymbidium plants is required as these orchids generally require 3–4 years of vegetative growth to allow flowering. This study was conducted to investigate the optimal substrate moisture levels to efficiently produce young cymbidium using a soil moisture sensor-based automated irrigation system over 42 weeks of vegetative growth. One-year-old cymbidium “Hoshino Shizuku” plantlets were grown in coir dust substrate at four levels of volumetric water content (0.25, 0.35, 0.45, and 0.55 m³·m⁻³). At harvest, the numbers of leaves and pseudobulbs, and the chlorophyll content of the cymbidiums did not differ among the four θ threshold treatments. However, plants grown at 0.25 m³·m⁻³ had significantly smaller leaves, pseudobulbs, and biomass than those at the other θ threshold treatments. Although the lower θ decreased the photosynthetic parameters, such as the net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, and transpiration, there were no differences in the maximum quantum yield of photosystem II, indicating that the reduction in net photosynthesis is mostly mediated by stomatal closure. Although the net photosynthesis at θ of 0.35 m³·m⁻³ was also lower than that at 0.55 m³·m⁻³ treatment, biomass was significantly lower only at 0.25 m³·m⁻³ treatment, suggesting that a critical growth reduction by the water deficit occurred for the cymbidium at 0.25 m³·m⁻³. As the θ threshold increased, the total irrigation amount significantly increased, which inversely decreased the water use efficiency. Although the plants grown at 0.25 m³·m⁻³ had the highest water use efficiency (WUE) and substrate electrical conductivity they showed significantly reduced growth compared to other θ threshold treatments, and thus this was not a reliable θ threshold level for producing high (visual) quality cymbidium. Overall, the 0.35 and 0.45 m³·m⁻³ threshold treatments provided appropriate moisture levels for high-quality cymbidium production with high water use efficiency. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimization of Water Usage and Crop Yield Using Precision Irrigation)

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17 pages, 3272 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Jerusalem Artichoke: Quality Response to Potassium Fertilization and Irrigation in Poland

by Bożena Bogucka and Krzysztof Jankowski

Agronomy 2020, 10(10), 1518; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10101518 - 6 Oct 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2973

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of soil potassium fertilization (150, 250 and 350 kg K₂O ha⁻¹) and irrigation on the tuber quality (content of ά-tocopherol, β-carotene, essential and endogenous amino acids) of three Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) cultivars (Topstar, Violette de Rennes, Waldspindel). Jerusalem artichokes were grown during a field experiment in the Agricultural Experiment Station in Tomaszkowo (53°42′ N, 20°26′ E, north-eastern Poland). The content of ά-tocopherol and β-carotene was determined at 1.60–2.65 and 0.75–1.00 mg kg⁻¹ DM, respectively, in all Jerusalem artichoke cultivars produced in north-eastern Poland. High rates of potassium fertilizer (250 and 350 kg K ha⁻¹) increased the content of ά-tocopherol in tubers by 47% and 66% on average, respectively. The stimulatory effects of high potassium rates on the content of ά-tocopherol (2.5-fold increase) were observed only in response to irrigation. High rates of potassium fertilizer induced a particularly high increase (3.2-fold) in ά-tocopherol concentrations in Jerusalem artichokes cv. Waldspindel. Irrigation increased ά-tocopherol levels (by 40%) and decreased the concentrations of β-carotene (by 25%) and most essential and endogenous amino acids (isoleucine, leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, valine, alanine, glycine, histidine, serine, threonine). The Topstar cultivar accumulated the highest quantities of essential and endogenous amino acids. Leucine, methionine + cysteine were the limiting amino acids in Jerusalem artichoke tubers. The analyzed tubers were characterized by very high nutritional quality of dietary protein (Essential Amino-Acid Index, 66–78). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimization of Water Usage and Crop Yield Using Precision Irrigation)

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18 pages, 2306 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Double-Double Row Planting Mode at Deficit Irrigation Regime Increases Winter Wheat Yield and Water Use Efficiency in North China Plain

by Xun Bo Zhou, Guo Yun Wang, Li Yang and Hai Yan Wu

Agronomy 2020, 10(9), 1315; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10091315 - 3 Sep 2020

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5886

Abstract

Low water availability coupled with poor planting method has posed a great challenge to winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) productivity. To improve productivity and water use efficiency (WUE) under deficit irrigation, an effective water-saving technology that is characterized by three planting modes has been developed (uniform with 30-cm row spacing (U), double-double row spacing of 5 cm (DD), and furrow-ridge row spacing of alternated 20 cm and 40 cm (F)) combined with three irrigation regimes (50 mm water each at growth stage 34 (GS34) and GS48 (W1), and 100 mm water at GS48 (W2), or 100 mm each water at GS34 and GS48 (W3)). Results showed that DD increased yield by 9.7% and WUE by 12.6% due to higher soil water status and less soil water depletion and evapotranspiration compared with U. Although the soil water status, soil water depletion, evapotranspiration, and yield increased with increasing irrigation amount, more soil water depletion and evapotranspiration resulted in low WUE. The deficit irrigation was beneficial for improving WUE as W1 had significantly increased yield by 5.4% and WUE by 7.1% compared with W2. Yield and evapotranspiration showed a quadratic dynamic equation indicating that yield increased with increasing evapotranspiration. Considering WUE and relatively higher yield under deficit water, W1 combined with DD is suggested to be a good management strategy to be applied in winter wheat of water-scarce regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimization of Water Usage and Crop Yield Using Precision Irrigation)

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17 pages, 2389 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of a Novel Water-Saving Subsurface Irrigation System on Water Productivity, Photosynthetic Characteristics, Yield, and Fruit Quality of Date Palm under Arid Conditions

by Maged Elsayed Ahmed Mohammed, Mohammed Refdan Alhajhoj, Hassan Muzzamil Ali-Dinar and Muhammad Munir

Agronomy 2020, 10(9), 1265; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10091265 - 27 Aug 2020

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 8060

Abstract

Water scarcity is a major constraint in arid and semi-arid regions. Crops that require less irrigation water and those, which are considered drought-tolerant such as date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.), are dominant in these regions. Despite the tolerance of these crops, the development of technologies that ensure efficient use of irrigation water is imperative. Taking these issues into consideration, the study was conducted to investigate the impact of limited irrigation water using a new subsurface irrigation system (SSI) on gas exchange, chlorophyll content, water use efficiency, water productivity, fruit physicochemical characteristics, and yield of date palm (cv. Sheshi). The impact of the SSI system was compared with two surface irrigation systems, namely, surface drip irrigation (SDI) and surface bubbler irrigation (SBI). The field experiment was carried out during 2018 and 2019 at the Date Palm Research Center of Excellence, King Faisal University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The annual crop evapotranspiration (ET_c) was 2544 mm. The applied irrigation water was set at 50%, 75%, and 125% of ET_c for SSI, SDI, and SBI, respectively, which were based on the higher crop water productivity recorded in an initial field study. The total annual volume of water applied for SSI, SDI, and SBI was 22.89, 34.34, and 57.24 m³ palm⁻¹, respectively. The crop water productivity (CWP) at the SSI system was significantly higher, with a value of 1.15 kg m⁻³, compared to the SDI (0.51 kg m⁻³) and SBI systems (0.37 kg m⁻³). The photosynthetic water use efficiency (WUE) was 10.09, 9.96, and 9.56 μmol CO₂ mmol⁻¹ H₂O for SSI, SBI, and SDI, respectively. The maximum chlorophyll content (62.4 SPAD) was observed in SBI, followed by SSI (58.9 SPAD) and SDI (56.9 SPAD). Similarly, net photosynthesis and the transpiration rate were significantly higher in SBI and lowest in SSI. However, the SSI system substantially increased palm yield and enhanced fruit quality. The new SSI system, through its positive impact on the efficiency of irrigation water use and enhancement on fruit yield and fruit quality of date palm, seems quite suitable for the irrigation of palm trees in arid and semi-arid regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimization of Water Usage and Crop Yield Using Precision Irrigation)

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18 pages, 2858 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Plastic-Covered Ridge-Furrow Planting Combined with Supplemental Irrigation Based on Measuring Soil Moisture Promotes Wheat Grain Yield and Irrigation Water Use Efficiency in Irrigated Fields on the Loess Plateau, China

by Jian Luo, Zimeng Liang, Luoyan Xi, Yuncheng Liao and Yang Liu

Agronomy 2020, 10(7), 1010; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10071010 - 14 Jul 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3387

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether combining plastic-covered ridge and furrow planting (RF) and supplemental irrigation based on measuring soil moisture (SIMSM) can increase the grain yield and water use efficiency (WUE) of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in irrigated fields of Loess Plateau, China. In 2016–2018, the experiment was conducted at Doukou experimental farm (34°36′ N, 108°52′ E) with two plant systems (RF and traditional planting (TF)) and three irrigation treatments (S1 and S2: SIMSM with a target relative soil water content of 85% and 100%, respectively). The results suggest that under the TF system, SIMSM decreased the grain yield and nitrogen utilization. The reason for this may be the local low precipitation. However, the combination of RF and S2 significantly increased the WUE, protein and wet gluten concentration in the grain. In addition, the grain yield of the RF plus S2 treatment was not significantly different than that of the traditional irrigation method. These results suggest that combining RF and SIMSM with a target relative soil water content of 100% is beneficial to the synergistic improvement of the wheat yield, the wheat quality, and the water and fertilizer use efficiency in irrigated fields on the Loess Plateau. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimization of Water Usage and Crop Yield Using Precision Irrigation)

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18 pages, 3231 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Unraveling Ecophysiological Mechanisms in Potatoes under Different Irrigation Methods: A Preliminary Field Evaluation

by Cecilia Silva-Díaz, David A. Ramírez, Alfredo Rodríguez-Delfín, Felipe de Mendiburu, Javier Rinza, Johan Ninanya, Hildo Loayza and Roberto Quiroz

Agronomy 2020, 10(6), 827; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10060827 - 11 Jun 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3933

Abstract

Potatoes—a global food security and staple crop—is threatened by dry spells in drought-prone areas. The use of physiological thresholds to save water while maintaining a reasonable tuber yield has been proposed, but their effects on physiological performances and usefulness under different irrigation methods are yet to be evaluated. In this study, photosynthetic traits were monitored to assess the effect of water restriction and rewatering under drip (DI) and furrow (FI) irrigations. The treatments consisted of two maximum light-saturated stomatal conductance (g

_{s_m a x}

) irrigation thresholds (T2: 0.15 and T3: 0.05 mol H

_{2}

O m

^{- 2}

^{- 1}

) compared with a fully irrigated control (g

_{s_m a x}

> 0.3 mol H

_{2}

O m

^{- 2}

^{- 1}

). DI used less water than FI but promoted early senescence and low percentage of maximum assimilation rate (PMA) at late developmental stages. FI caused no yield penalization in T2 and higher recovery of carbon isotope discrimination and PMA than DI. It is suggested that moderate water quantities of early and frequently water pulses in the irrigation, promote short-term water stress memory improvement, senescence delay and more capability of recovery at late stages. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimization of Water Usage and Crop Yield Using Precision Irrigation)

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11 pages, 1123 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimizing Overhead Irrigation Droplet Size for Six Mississippi Soils

by J. Connor Ferguson, L. Jason Krutz, Justin S. Calhoun, Drew M. Gholson, Luke H. Merritt, Michael T. Wesley, Jr., Kayla L. Broster and Zachary R. Treadway

Agronomy 2020, 10(4), 574; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10040574 - 17 Apr 2020

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2762

Abstract

Optimizing overhead irrigation practices will ensure that water loss is minimized, and each unit of water is used most effectively by the crop. In order to optimize overhead irrigation setup, a study was conducted over two years in Mississippi to quantify the optimal overhead irrigation duration and intensity for six soil types commonly found in row-crop production regions in the state. Each soil type was transferred to containers and measured for total water infiltration and water infiltration over time using a two-nozzle rainfall simulator in a track sprayer. The rainfall simulator was calibrated to apply 2.1 mm of water per minute. The rainfall simulator ran on a 2.4 m track for 90 s, with 3.2 mm total water applied during that time. After the 90 s overhead irrigation event, each container was undisturbed for 150 s and assessed for irrigation penetration through the soil profile. Commercially available irrigation nozzles were measured for droplet size spectrum. Results showed that across soil type, organic matter was the primary factor affecting water infiltration through the profile, followed by soil texture. Irrigation nozzle volumetric median droplet sizes ranged from 327 µm to 904 µm. The results will improve overhead irrigation setup in Mississippi, improving irrigation water use efficiency and reducing losses from soil erosion over the application of water and reduced crop yield. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimization of Water Usage and Crop Yield Using Precision Irrigation)

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19 pages, 3711 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Less Is More: Lower Sowing Rate of Irrigated Tef (Eragrostis tef) Alters Plant Morphology and Reduces Lodging

by Shiran Ben-Zeev, Onn Rabinovitz, Valerie Orlov-Levin, Assaf Chen, Nitsan Graff, Yarden Goldwasser and Yehoshua Saranga

Agronomy 2020, 10(4), 570; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10040570 - 16 Apr 2020

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4542

Abstract

Tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) is a panicle-bearing cereal crop plant, originating from and grown mainly in Ethiopia. Tef yields highly nutritious gluten-free grain as well as high-quality forage, therefore, interest is rising regarding tef cultivation for grain and forage outside Ethiopia. Lodging is a major factor limiting tef quality and yield, with losses estimated at 30%–35% and presumably higher under mechanical harvest. Studies in other cereal crops suggested that lowering plant density would lead to sturdier plants less prone to lodging. In this work, we reported on the effects of sowing rate on lodging, lodging-related traits, and productivity of tef under irrigated conditions. Four tef genotypes were grown under irrigation across two years at three sowing rates: low (3 kg/ha), medium (6 kg/ha), and high (common, 9 kg/ha). Grain yield and biomass did not differ significantly among sowing rates. The visually assessed lodging index (LI) increased as the season progressed, with the lowest values recorded under low sowing density. A significant difference in LI values among the tested genotypes suggested potential for crop improvement. Aerial RGB images of the field taken by an unmanned aerial vehicle twice during the second season produced a high-resolution crop surface model, which was used to assess lodging. Aerial-based LI values were significantly correlated with the ground-based ones and exhibited better capacity to identify minor differences in lodging. Among the morphological traits assessed, crown diameter, crown root number, and crown root diameter were significantly affected by sowing rate and genotype and were correlated with LI values. In summary, this study demonstrated for the first time the feasibility of tef production under irrigated Mediterranean conditions and the potential of a reduced sowing rate as a remedy for lodging. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimization of Water Usage and Crop Yield Using Precision Irrigation)

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