Comparison of Two Dripper Line Designs to Assess Cotton Yield,Water Use,and Net Return in Northwest China

This study aimed to compare the effects of two types of drip irrigation line design on cotton yield, water use, and net returns. The experiments were carried out in the arid region of Xinjiang, Northwest China, during 2009-2010 growing years. The two types of lateral placement are commonly used by the local farmers in the area： double lines （two laterals controlling four rows） and single line designs （one lateral controlling four rows）. The results indicated that less irrigation water was applied by single line compared with double lines design. This implies that more irrigation water could be saved using single line, by reducing the water consumption of cotton. The emergence rates for double lines were 2 and 6% higher than those for single line design in 2009 and 2010. The seed cotton yields for double lines design were 5.76 and 6.41 Mg ha-1 which were 13 and 9% higher than for single line design in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Single lines could however lower the investment cost compared to double lines, which produced 10 and 7% more net income in 2009 and 2010, respectively. By contrast, the double lines was more profitable and suitable for the farmers in Northwest China than single line design.

Subsurface irrigation with ceramic emitters improves wolfberry yield and economic benefits on the Tibetan Plateau, China

Climate warming has led to the expansion of arable land at high altitudes,but it has also increased the demand for water use efficiency(WUE).To address this issue,the development of water-saving irrigation technology has become crucial in improving water productivity and economic returns.This study aimed to assess the impacts of three irrigation methods on water productivity and economic returns in wolfberry(Lycium barbarum L.)cultivation on the Tibetan Plateau,China during a two-year field trial.Results showed that subsurface irrigation with ceramic emitters(SICE)outperformed surface drip irrigation(DI)and subsurface drip irrigation(SDI)in terms of wolfberry yield.Over the two-year period,the average yield with SICE increased by 8.0%and 2.3%compared with DI and SDI,respectively.This improvement can be attributed to the stable soil moisture and higher temperature accumulation achieved with SICE.Furthermore,SICE exhibited higher WUE,with 14.6%and 4.5%increases compared with DI and SDI,respectively.In addition to the agronomic benefits,SICE also proved advantageous in terms of economic returns.Total average annual input costs of SICE were lower than the other two methods starting from the 8th year.Moreover,the benefit-cost ratio of SICE surpassed the other methods in the 4th year and continued to widen the gap with subsequent year.These findings highlight SICE as an economically viable water-saving irrigation strategy for wolfberry cultivation on the Tibetan Plateau.Thus,this research not only provides an effective water-saving irrigation strategy for wolfberry cultivation but also offers insights into addressing irrigation-related energy challenges in other crop production systems.

The Role of Traditional Irrigation Canals in a Long Term Environmental Perspective A Case Study in Southern France： The Durance Basin

The agricultural sector is often considered to be the largest water consumer and the policy aimed at saving irrigation water exists across Europe. The flip-side of such policy, however, is the disappearance of traditional irrigation canals since farmers are encouraged to turn to drip irrigation and overhead irrigation gradually. Given this, we would like to argue that traditional irrigation canals need to be reexamined. Such canals are not only built aquatic infrastructure, they are also the product of a culture and social relationship with water in the Mediterranean region. Canals form a complex system which is driven by environmental, economic and social factors. Our sociological and environmental research in Provence （and around the Durance basin more specifically） points up how the very dense territorial network of gravity-fed canals is useful in water management, as well as in other shared uses over the long-term. The findings underscore the positive environmental role played by these historical and anthropogenic constructions. They contribute to refilling the aquifer and also act as a valuable environmental good and service （e.g., run-off regulation, biodiversity, landscape, recreation, etc.）. Further, several local actors have underscored their role as part of an intangible cultural heritage and as important for the area＇s economic and social development. Such canals play a central role in sustainable development since beyond their productive role in agriculture, they play a social role （new uses） and an ecological role （as reservoirs for biodiversity and ecological corridors）.

西北灌溉农业区农业高效用水创新组合方案

本文根据我国西北地区农业用水存在的问题，有针对性的提出了一些合理。