A simulation of winter wheat crop responses to irrigation management using CERES-Wheat model in the North China Plain

To improve efficiency in the use of water resources in water-limited environments such as the North China Plain（NCP）, where winter wheat is a major and groundwater-consuming crop, the application of water-saving irrigation strategies must be considered as a method for the sustainable development of water resources. The initial objective of this study was to evaluate and validate the ability of the CERES-Wheat model simulation to predict the winter wheat grain yield, biomass yield and water use efficiency（WUE） responses to different irrigation management methods in the NCP. The results from evaluation and validation analyses were compared to observed data from 8 field experiments, and the results indicated that the model can accurately predict these parameters. The modified CERES-Wheat model was then used to simulate the development and growth of winter wheat under different irrigation treatments ranging from rainfed to four irrigation applications（full irrigation） using historical weather data from crop seasons over 33 years（1981–2014）. The data were classified into three types according to seasonal precipitation： 〈100 mm, 100–140 mm, and 〉140 mm. Our results showed that the grain and biomass yield, harvest index（HI） and WUE responses to irrigation management were influenced by precipitation among years, whereby yield increased with higher precipitation. Scenario simulation analysis also showed that two irrigation applications of 75 mm each at the jointing stage and anthesis stage（T3） resulted in the highest grain yield and WUE among the irrigation treatments. Meanwhile, productivity in this treatment remained stable through different precipitation levels among years. One irrigation at the jointing stage（T1） improved grain yield compared to the rainfed treatment and resulted in yield values near those of T3, especially when precipitation was higher. These results indicate that T3 is the most suitable irrigation strategy under variable precipitation regimes for stable yield of winter wheat with maximum water savings in the NCP. The application of one irrigation at the jointing stage may also serve as an alternative irrigation strategy for further reducing irrigation for sustainable water resources management in this area.

Sugar beet yield and industrial sugar contents improved by potassium fertilization under scarce and adequate moisture conditions

Sugar beet（Beta vulgaris L.） is an industrial crop, grown worldwide for sugar production. In Pakistan, sugar is mostly extracted from sugarcane, soil and environmental conditions are equally favorable for sugar beet cultivation. Beet sugar contents are higher than sugarcane sugar contents, which can be further increased by potassium（K） fertilization. Total K concentration is higher in Pakistani soils developed from mica minerals, but it does not represent plant available K for sustainable plant growth. A pot experiment was conducted in the wire-house of Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences at University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan. K treatments were the following： no K（K_0）, K application at 148 kg ha^（–1）（K_1） and 296 kg ha^（–1）（K_2）. Irrigation levels were used as water sufficient at 60% water holding capacity and water deficient at 40% water holding capacity. The growth, yield and beet quality data were analyzed statistically using LSD. The results revealed that increase in the level of K fertilization at water sufficient level significantly increased plant growth, beet yield and industrial beet sugar content. The response of K fertilization under water deficient condition was also similar, however overall sugar production was less than that in water sufficient conditions. It is concluded from this study that K application could be used not only to enhance plant growth and beet yield but also enhance beet sugar content both under water-deficient as well as water-sufficient conditions.

Effect of varying soil water stress regimes on nutrient uptake and biomass production in Dalbergia sissoo seedlings in Indian desert

One-year-old seedlings of Dalbergia sissoo from a single provenance were planted in non-weighing lysimeter tanks in July 1998 with a view to provide optimize irrigation parameters in desert areas. Varying water regimes were maintained by re-irrigating the seedlings at 36.2 mm （W1）, 26.5 mm （W2）, 20.2 mm （W3） and 18.1 mm （W4） treatments when the soil water content decreased to 7.56%, 5.79%, 4.44%, 3.23% in the respective treatments. Height, collar diameter, number of leaves and leaf area were highest （p 〈 0.01） for the seedlings irrigated at W1 levek Above-mentioned growth parameters did not differ between W1 and W2 treatments but the seedlings in W2 level had highest biomass per liter of water use （i.e., water use efficiency, WUE）. Irrigation levels of W3 to W5 negatively affected seedling growth, biomass production and nutrient accumulation. Soil water availability below W2 level （i.e., 5.79%） caused an increase in percentage of root biomass to the total biomass of the seedling. However, there was a decrease in percentage of leaf dry biomass in W3 and W4 treatments and in percentage of stem dry biomass in the seedlings of W5 treatment. Seedlings in W5 treatment survived till at soil water potential of-1.96 MPa. Limitation of soil water availability in W3 and W4 treatments affected growth and biomass production of D. sissoo seedlings. W： level was best for growth and biomass production in which water use efficiency was highest. Therefore, better growth and biomass production of D. sissoo seedlings could be obtained by irrigating the seedlings at soil water content of≥5.79% in the loamy sand soil.

Effects of irrigation level and method on soil salt balance and crop water use efficiency in arid oasis regions

Fresh water resource scarcity and soil salt accumulation in the root-zone are two key limiting factors for sustainable agricultural development in the oasis region of arid inland basin, northwest China. The aim of this study was to explore an appropriate irrigation scheme to maintain sustainable crop cultivation in this region. The effects of four irrigation levels (full irrigation, mild deficit, moderate deficit, and severe deficit) and three irrigation methods (border, surface drip and subsurface drip) on soil water and salt dynamics, highland barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) yield, and crop water use efficiency were studied by field plot experiments. The results showed that soil salt in 0-100 cm profile was accumulated under all experimental treatments after one season of highland barley planting, but the accumulated salt mass decreased with the decrease of the lower limit of irrigation. Salt mass in 0-100 cm soil profile under subsurface drip irrigation was 16.8%-57.8% and 2.9%-58.4% less than that under border and surface drip irrigation, respectively. The grain yield of highland barley decreased first and then increased with the decrease of the lower limit of irrigation under surface drip and subsurface drip irrigation, but it was on the contrary under border irrigation. Mean grain yield for all irrigation levels under subsurface drip irrigation was 5.7% and 18.8% higher than that under border and surface drip irrigation, respectively. Water use efficiency increased with the decrease of the lower limit of irrigation, and the averaged water use efficiency of all irrigation levels under subsurface drip irrigation was 11.9% and 14.2% higher than that under border and surface drip irrigation, respectively. Considering economic benefit and irrigation water requirement, subsurface drip irrigation with the lower limit of irrigation of 50%-55% field capacity is suggested for highland barley planting in the arid oasis region.

Effects of the buried straw layer on soil water and nitrogen distribution under different irrigation limits

At present,water and fertilizer use efficiency is low in many cultivation areas in southern China.Studies show that the buried straw layer can effectively conserve water and fertilizer.To investigate the optimal irrigation upper limit above the straw barrier and its effect on soil moisture and nitrogen distribution,an indoor soil column experiment was conducted.Six treatments were designed consisting of two levels of straw layer i.e.,(with and without buried straw layer at 25 cm depth),and three irrigation water upper limits i.e.,(saturated moisture content(s),field water holding capacity(f),and 80%of field water holding capacity(0.8f)as the upper limit of irrigation).The result revealed that the buried straw layer can inhibit water infiltration and significantly increase the water storage capacity and water storage efficiency of 0-25 cm soil depth.Under the condition of no evaporation,when the upper limit of irrigation water does not exceed the field water holding capacity,the storage efficiency of 0-25 cm soil water reaches 89%-91%after 6 d.Moreover,a buried straw layer can inhibit the deep percolation of nitrate nitrogen and increase the amount of nitrate-nitrogen in 0-25 cm soil.The 80%field water holding capacity irrigation upper limit combined with straw interlayer treatment had a higher nitrate-nitrogen content in the 0-25 cm soil layer than other treatments.Therefore,80%of field water holding capacity as the upper limit of irrigation combined with buried straw layer is the optimal strategy to conserve soil water and nitrogen in the upper soil profile.