Sensor-based assessment of soil salinity during the first years of transition from flood to sprinkler irrigation

A key issue for agriculture in irrigated arid lands is the control of soil salinity, and this is one of the goals for irrigated districts when changing from flood to sprinkling irrigation. We combined soil sampling, proximal electromagnetic induction, and satellite data to appraise how soil salinity and its distribution along a previously flood-irrigated field evolved after its transformation to sprinkling. We also show that the relationship between NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) and ECe (electrical conductivity of the soil saturation extracts) mimics the production function between yield and soil salinity. Under sprinkling, the field had a double crop of barley and then sunflower in 2009 and 2011. In both years, about 50% of the soil of the entire studied field— 45 ha—had ECe < 8 dS m-1i.e., allowing barley cultivation, while the percent of surface having ECe = 16 dS m-1 increased from 8.4% in 2009 to 13.7% in 2011. Our methodology may help monitor the soil salinity oscillations associated with irrigation management. After quantifying and mapping the soil salinity in 2009 and 2011, we show that barley was stunted in places of the field where salinity was higher. Additionally, the areas of salinity persisted after the subsequent alfalfa cropping in 2013. Application of differential doses of water to the saline patches is a viable method to optimize irrigation water distribution and lessen soil salinity in sprinkler-irrigated agriculture

Interpregnancy intervals and adverse birth outcomes in high-income countries: an international cohort study

Published: July 19, 2021Background: Most evidence for interpregnancy interval (IPI) and adverse birth outcomes come from studies that are prone to incomplete control for confounders that vary between women. Comparing pregnancies to the same women can address this issue.Methods: We conducted an international longitudinal cohort study of 5,521,211 births to 3,849,193 women from Australia (1980–2016), Finland (1987–2017), Norway (1980–2016) and the United States (California) (1991–2012). IPI was calculated based on the time difference between two dates—the date of birth of the first pregnancy and the date of conception of the next (index) pregnancy. We estimated associations between IPI and preterm birth (PTB), spontaneous PTB, and small-for-gestational age births (SGA) using logistic regression (between-women analyses). We also used conditional logistic regression comparing IPIs and birth outcomes in the same women (within-women analyses). Random effects meta-analysis was used to calculate pooled adjusted odds ratios (aOR). Results: Compared to an IPI of 18–23 months, there was insufficient evidence for an association between IPI 24 month IPIs. Conclusions: We found consistently elevated odds of adverse birth outcomes following long IPIs. IPI shorter than 6 months were associated with elevated risk of spontaneous PTB, but there was insufficient evidence for increased risk of other adverse birth outcomes. Current recommendations of waiting at least 24 months to conceive after a previous pregnancy, may be unnecessarily long in high-income countries.Gizachew A. Tessema, M. Luke Marinovich, Siri E. Håberg, Mika Gissler, Jonathan A. Mayo, Natasha Nassar ... et al

1ª Jornada Técnica sobre el Estiercol Fluido Porcino ("Purín")

24 Pag., Tabls., Figs.En nuestra Comunidad Autónoma, y según nuestras reterencias, los estudios sobre la problemática de los denominados purines o estiércoles fluidos porcinos (E FP) se inician en 1986/87, y su relación hasta el momento presente se recoge al final de este documento divulgativo (Referencias bibliográficas). En la actualidad se están realizando diversos trabajos de experimentación y de investigación como los que reseñamos al final (Referencias de trabajo, estudios y proyectos de investigación en ejecución), pero sin ninguna conexión hasta el momento, quepudiera hacerlos más eficaces y rentables. En 1995 comenzaron a ccmunicarse entre sí personas de distintas instituciones con objeto de plantear proyectos de investigación multidisciplinares a nivel regional y nacional. Estas primeras Jornadas Técnicas buscan conectar a todas esas personas que han iniciado trabajos en esta materia de los estiércoles fluidos porcinos, con el ánimo de constituir un grupo de trabajo mulddisciplinar que inicie un recorrido común y mas fructífero. La primera tarea va a consistir en la presentación de sus conocimientos y experiencias de una forma resumida y una puestá en común en este sencillo documento. En este primer paso recogeremos una serie de aspectos que son los que conocemos a través de las personas y grupos que los han desarrollado. A partir de aquí, se invita a todas las personas y entidades que tengan algo que comunicar desde su experiencia o trabajo, a integrarse al grupo. Relación de aspectos a tratar en este primer encuentro: - Aspectos socioeconómicos y agropecuarios - Aspectos edafológicos y de fertilización - Aspectos relacionados con la nutrición vegetal - Aspectos potenciales de contaminación de las aguas - Aspectos de control ambiental (instalaciones de porcino) a) Aspectos tísico-químicos Valoración de riesgos y medidas correctoras b) Aspectos microbiológicos y sanitariosPeer reviewe