Impact of Evaluation of Different Irrigation Methods with Sensor System on Water Consumptive Use and Water Use Efficiency for Maize Yield

The sensor system is one of the modern and important methods of irrigation management in arid and semi-arid areas, which is water as the limiting factor for crop production. The study was applied for 2016 and 2017 seasons out in Al-Yousifya, 15 km Southwest of Baghdad. A study was conducted to evaluate coefficient uniformity, uniformity distribution and application efficiency for furrow, surface drip and subsurface drip irrigation methods and it was (98, 97 and 89)% and (97, 96 and 88)% for 2016 and 2017 seasons;respectively. And control the volumetric moisture content according to the rhizosphere depth for depths of 10, 20 and 30 cm by means of the sensor system. The results indicated that the height consumptive water use of furrow 707.91 and 689.69 mm·season-1 and the lowest for subsurface drip with emitter deep at 20 cm 313.93 and 293.50 mm·season-1 for 2016 and 2017 seasons;respectively. As well, the highest value of water use efficiency for subsurface in drip irrigation at a depth of 20 cm, was 2.71 and 2.99 kg·m-3 and the lowest value for furrow irrigation was 1.12 and 1.20 kg·m-3 for the 2016 and 2017 seasons;respectively.

Preparation and Catalytic Properties of Various Oxides and Mesoporous Materials Containing Niobium and Sulfate Ions, in the Etherification Reaction of 2-Naphtol

Several types of solid acid catalysts were prepared based on oxides like (ZrO2, TiO2, HfO2, MCM-41 and SBA-15), using two main preparation methods: the precipitation and the sol-gel methods. Each catalyst was subjected to two types of impregnations: sulfate ions using sulfuric acid as precursor and niobium using niobium oxalate as precursor. These prepared catalysts were tested in the etherification reaction of 2-naphtol, where the catalysts showed both acidic and redox properties. The acidic character was manifested through the formation of 2-butoxynaphtalene (with moderate yields) when oxide is sulfated, and the redox character (when impregnated with niobium) manifested through the formation of the interesting product 2-ethylnaphtofuran (with low yields) and other products that were a result of oxidative coupling of two 2-naphtol molecules (binol and acetal of binol). However despite the effort, several attempts to increase the yield of 2-ethylnaphtofuran did not work. All products prepared were obtained in pure form and characterized by 1H and 13C NMR, GC and MS.

A Modeling Study for Moisture Diffusivities and Moisture Transfer Coefficients in Drying of “Violet de Galmi” Onion Drying

In the present work, the mass transfer characteristics, namely moisture diffusivity and moisture transfer coefficient of “Violet de Galmi” variety of onions were evaluated using the analytical model. Onions were dried in a single layer at different temperatures (40℃, 50℃, 60℃, and 70℃) and for a relative humidity of drying air of 20%. The results showed a reasonably good agreement between the values predicted by the correlation and the experimental observations. This model computed the Biot number, effective moisture diffusivity, and mass transfer coefficient. Effective diffusion coefficient values are obtained between 0.2578 × 10-9 m2·s-1 and 0.5460 × 10-9 m2·s-1. Mass transfer coefficients of “Violet de Galmi” onion drying vary between 3.37 × 10-7 m·s-1 and 13.38 × 10-7 m·s-1. Numbers of mass transfer Biot are found between 0.9797 and 2.9397. The activation energy Ea is 31.73 kJ·mol-1.

Modeling of Different Irrigation Methods for Maize Using AquaCrop Model: Case Study

Modeling of irrigation methods is one of the most important techniques that contribute to the future of modern agriculture. This will conserve water as water scarcity is a major threat for agriculture. In this study, AquaCrop model was used to model different irrigation methods of maize in field trails in Al-Yousifya, 15 km Southwest of Baghdad. Field experiments were conducted for two seasons during 2016 and 2017 using five irrigation methods including furrow, surface drip and subsurface drip with three patterns of emitter depth (10, 20 and 30 cm) irrigation. AquaCrop simulations of biomass, grain yield, harvest index and water productivity were validated using different statistical parameters under the natural conditions obtained in the study area. For 2016 and 2017 seasons, results of R2 were 0.98 and 0.99, 0.99 and 0.99, 0.99 and 0.97, and 0.8 and 0.73 for biomass, grain yield, harvest index and water productivity, respectively. The study has conducted that simulation using AquaCrop is considered very efficient tool for modeling of different irrigation applications for maize production under the existing conditions in the central region of Iraq.

Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Properties of the Aqueous Extracts of the Leaves of Opilia amentacea (Opiliaceae)

Opilia amentacea (Opiliaceae) is a woody plant with multiple medicinal claimed effects. The present study aimed to assess the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of the decoction and macerate extracts from the leaves of Opilia amentacea. Moreover, acute toxicity and phytochemical analysis were performed. The acute toxicity was evaluated on NMRI mice at 2000 mg/kg bw. The anti-inflammatory activity was studied using the carrageenan-induced mouse paw edema and the lipoxygenase inhibition assay. The radical scavenging (DPPH and ABTS), ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and lipid peroxidation (LPO) assays were used to measure the antioxidant capacity of the extracts. Qualitative and quantitative methods served for identifying and quantifying the extract’s phytoconstituents. The decoction demonstrated low acute toxicity;the lethal dose was therefore estimated to be superior to 2000 mg/kg bw. The extracts significantly reduced the mouse paw’s thickness at 600 mg/kg bw. The extracts developed weak radical scavenging and lipid peroxidation inhibitory effects. However, the macerate showed a high ability (664.90 ± 0.71 mol Ascorbic Acid Equivalent/g dry extract) to reduce the ferric ions. Saponins, sterols, triterpenes, and flavonoids were qualitatively detected in the two extracts. Total phenolics (TP) and total flavonoids (TF) were found abundant in the extracts, especially the decoction (TP content (TPC) = 94.03 ± 2.66 mg GAE/g;TF content (TFC) = 35.05 ± 0.32 mg QE/g). Strong positive correlations existed between ferric-reducing capacity and TPC (r = 0.959) for the macerate, while TFC was mainly involved in the DPPH radical scavenging of the two extracts. Instead, most correlations were negative between the polyphenol compounds and the anti-inflammatory assays. The results indicate potent in vivo anti-inflammatory and in vitro antioxidant effects of the aqueous extracts from the leaves of Opilia amentacea. Further studies are needed to find the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects mechanism.

Catalytic Properties of Various Oxides and Mesoporous Materials Containing Niobium and Sulfate Ions, in the Oxidation Reaction of 1-Octanol

Several types of solid acid catalysts were prepared based on oxides like (ZrO2, TiO2, HfO2, MCM-41 and SBA-15). Each catalyst was subjected separately to two types of impregnations: sulfate ions and niobium. The catalytic activity of these solids was tested in the oxidation reaction of 1-octanol. These catalysts showed acidic and redox characters. MCM-41 and SBA-15 materials showed higher redox catalytic activities through the formation of (octyl octanoate, peroxyacetal and octanal). Our interest was focused on obtaining the ester (octyl octanoate) with high yields.

Effect of Irrigation System, Tillage System, and Seeding Rates on Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i>L.) Growth, Grain Yield and Its Water Consumption and Efficiency

A field trial was conducted at a private farm in AL-Hashimiya district Babylon Governorate—the republic of Iraq during the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 growing seasons. This study was conducted using two irrigation methods, sprinkler and surface irrigation, for each of them had three Tillage methods (zero-tillage, medium-tillage, deep-tillage) and each tillage system had four seeding rate of wheat yield (120, 180, 240, 300) kg∙ha-1. Results indicated that the consumptive water use was 557.5 and 535.9 mm for surface irrigation and 460.9 and 442.6 mm for sprinkler irrigation in the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 growing seasons. Sprinkler irrigation significantly increased the flag leaf area with no significant effect on plant height. However, the minimum tillage and seeding rate (240 kg∙ha-1) significantly increased the plant height and flag leaf area in both growing seasons. For the grain yield, the sprinkler irrigation, minimum tillage, and seeding rate (240 kg∙ha-1) also increased the plant height and flag leaf area by 13%, 10, % 11%, 11%, 12%, and 14% in both growing seasons, respectively, through an increased number of spikes/m2, the number of grain spike-1, and 1000-grain weight in both growing seasons, respectively. Interestingly the grain yield was increased by 33% and 32% in both growing seasons under the effects of these three factors altogether, respectively. It can be concluded that these factors act synergistically, resulting in a significant improvement in the wheat grain-yield of, less consumptive water use, and high water use efficiency.