Radiation Use Efficiency and Soil Water Content on Maize-mungbean Intercropping

Mungbean is traditionally intercropped with maize by small-scale farmers which do widely in the tropics, including Southeast Sulawesi. This study aims to assess the radiation use efficiency (RUE) and soil water content (SWC) in maize intercropped with mungbean. The research was arranged on Split-Plot Design of two factors, i.e. dose of “komba-komba” compost as the main plot consists on 5 t ha-1 and 10 t ha-1 and planting time of mungbean as a subplot, consists on planting mungbean with maize at the same time, delayed planting of mungbean 7 and 14 days after planting (DAP) of maize. The results shown that the highest RUE of maize 2.69 g MJ-1 and 3.15 g MJ-1 obtained on komba-komba compost dose 10 t ha-1 and planting mungbean 7 DAP of maize, while highest RUE of mungbean 0.31 g MJ-1 and 0.60 g MJ-1 obtained on komba-komba compost dose 10 t ha-1 and planting mungbean and maize at the same time, respectively. The soil temperature has negatively correlated with (SWC) that at the komba-komba compost with rxy = - 0.7422 and at the time planting of mungbean in intercropping with maize with rxy = - 0.7922

Water Use Efficiency of Selected Cowpea Cultivars (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) Grown on Residual Soil Moisture in Northeast Nigeria

A field experiment was carried out in the Fadama of Jere bowl to assess the water extraction and water use efficiency of two improved (IT 86D-719 and IT88D-867-11) and one local (Borno Brown ) cowpea cultivars grown on residual soil moisture. The three cowpea cultivars and a control were laid out in a randomized complete block design and replicated three times. The result showed that yield and growth parameters were significantly (P< 0.05) different amongst the three cowpea cultivars. The improved cultivars gave significantly (P< 0.05) higher seed yields than the local cultivar. Cultivar IT 86D-719 had the highest seed yield of 893.0 kg ha-1 while the cultivar Borno Brown had the lowest seed yield of 675.3 kg ha-1. On the other hand the cultivar Borno Brown had the highest 100 seed weight compared to the improved cultivars. The result also showed that water extraction in all the cultivars increased with depth, with maximum extraction occurring at the depth of 80-100 cm, suggesting that the lower soil layers were more effective in supplying water as the hydraulic conductivities of surface layers decreased. The water use efficiency of the two improved varieties of IT86D-719 (63.56 kg/m3) and IT88D-867-11(70.06 kg/m3), were higher compared to the local variety (45.69 kg/m3). Borno brown and IT 88D-867-11 are good water extractors at field capacity but low extractors at moisture stress. IT 88D-867-11 displayed sign of higher extraction rate than IT 86D-719 at field capacity, but IT86D-719 displayed a higher extraction capacity at moisture stress (20WAS)

Improving Irrigation Scheduling and Water use Efficiency in Cotton

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L) is an important crop in the southern United States. The crop is grown in both irrigated and rainfed situations and is seldom free from periods of water shortages at some stage during the season. In recent years the need for consistency in yields and a stable cash flow has resulted in a rapid expansion in the number of irrigated acres of cotton in the Mississippi Delta. Irrigation research has, however, not kept pace with this expansion. This project represents a start at meeting this urgent need. The influence of weather patterns necessitates that these studies be conducted over several years, and the results given here are, therefore, only preliminary observations. The early termination of irrigation has not resulted in any significant decrease in yield or lint quality on the Sharkey clay, although there was a slight detrimental trend when irrigation was terminated too early in August. These studies have helped to clarify the relationship between soil-moisture deficit and plant stress, especially as relates to yield, for cotton cropped on a Sharkey clay soil. Evaluation of crop indicators of water deficit showed that leaf water potential and the air-canopy temperature differential are reliable indicators of the onset of water stress. Leaf extension growth is also a sensitive indicator, but of no practical value in irrigation management. With further research, leaf water potential and canopy-air temperature differentials could provide useful indicators for use in conjunction with traditional methods of scheduling irrigation for cotton in the humid mid-south. A better understanding of the irrigation requirements of the crop will improve management and will have a very significant dollar reduction in the cost of production of the crop

Urban Water Conservation and Efficiency Potential in California

Improving urban water-use efficiency is a key solution to California's short-term and longterm water challenges: from drought to unsustainable groundwater use to growing tensions over limited supplies. Reducing unnecessary water withdrawals leaves more water in reservoirs and aquifers for future use and has tangible benefits to fish and other wildlife in our rivers and estuaries. In addition, improving water-use efficiency and reducing waste can save energy, lower water and wastewater treatment costs, and eliminate the need for costly new infrastructure

Nonparametric approach for measuring the productivity change and assessing the water use efficiency in the irrigated areas of Tunisia

In order to cope with the water scarcity, Tunisia has to manage efficiently the demand of the economic and social sectors mainly that of the agricultural irrigated activities. Within this context our investigation aims to analyze the technical efficiency, the water use efficiency and the dynamic of the productivity of the irrigated areas in the Sidi Bouzid region. Hence, farm surveys, regarding the cropping years 2003 and 2007, were carried out. We have assessed the technology performance using the Data Envelopment Analysis approach and we have computed the Malmquist index in order to characterize the productivity change. Our empirical findings showed that the technical efficiency of the farms has increased by 17% during this period leading to an improvement of the water use efficiency up to 22%. Both, the technical efficiency change as well as the technical change have contributed to this improvement. However, the farmers have to enhance further their irrigated practices in order to save more water. Indeed, in 2007, the water use efficiency was only 78%.Irrigated Area, Technical Efficiency, Water Use Efficiency, Productivity Change, Data Envelopment Analysis, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy, C14, Q12, Q25,

Groundwater markets and water use efficiency: The case of Karnataka

Research highlight based on a paper titled “Groundwater markets promoting efficiency in water use in agriculture in Karnataka.”Water market, Groundwater extraction, Water use efficiency, Wells, Crop production, Irrigation water, Domestic water, Pricing, Models, Policy, India, Karnataka, Demand and Price Analysis, Environmental Economics and Policy, Food Security and Poverty, Productivity Analysis,

Development trajectories of river basins: a conceptual framework

River basin development / Water use / Water demand / Water supply / Water scarcity / Water allocation / Water conservation / Farm ponds / Tanks / Reservoirs / Irrigation management / Water use efficiency / Aquifers / Pumping

Technical efficiency of water use and its determinants, study at smallscale irrigation schemes in North-West Province, South Africa

This paper analyses the efficiency with which water is used in small-scale irrigation schemes in North-West Province in South Africa and studies its determinants. In the study area, small-scale irrigation schemes play an important role in rural development, but the increasing pressure on water resources and the approaching introduction of water charges raise the concern for more efficient water use. With the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) techniques used to compute farm-level technical efficiency measures and sub-vector efficiencies for water use, it was shown that under Constant Returns to Scale (CRS) and Variable Returns to Scale (VRS) specification, substantial technical inefficiencies, of 49% and 16% respectively, exist among farmers. The sub-vector efficiencies for water proved to be even lower, indicating that if farmers became more efficient using the technology currently available, it would be possible to reallocate a fraction of the irrigation water to other water demands without threatening the role of small-scale irrigation. In a second step, Tobit regression techniques were used to examine the relationship between sub-vector efficiency for water and various farm/farmers characteristics. Farm size, landownership, fragmentation, the type of irrigation scheme, crop choice and the irrigation methods applied showed a significant impact on the sub-vector efficiency for water. Such information is valuable for extension services and policy makers since it can help to guide policies towards increased efficiency

Nonparametric approach for measuring the productivity change and assessing the water use efficiency in the irrigated areas of Tunisia

In order to cope with the water scarcity, Tunisia has to manage efficiently the demand of the economic and social sectors mainly that of the agricultural irrigated activities. Within this context, this investigation aims to analyze the technical efficiency, the water use efficiency and the dynamic of the productivity of the irrigated areas in the Sidi Bouzid region. Farm surveys have been carried out during 2003 and 2007 harvesting years and technology performance has been assessed using Data Envelopment Analysis approach. Malmquist index has been also computed in order to characterize the productivity change. Empirical findings showed that the technical efficiency of the farms has increased by 19% during this period leading to an improvement of the water use efficiency up to 24%. Both, the technical efficiency change as well as the technical change reveal a positive impact on the productivity change. However, in 2007, the water use efficiency was only 79%. Therefore, farmers have to improve further their irrigated practices in order to save more water.Irrigated Area, Technical Efficiency, Water Use Efficiency, Productivity Change, Data Envelopment Analysis

Water use efficiency of tomatoes - in greenhouses and hydroponics

Massive amounts of water are required for the production of our food, varying from several cubic metres per kilogram of beef to as low as 4 litres per kilogram for tomatoes grown in high-tech glasshouses. This article presents data on Product Water Use (PWU) of some foods and discusses how the water requirement for fresh tomatoes can be brought down from 300 to 4 litres/kg