A case study for irrigation modernisation: I. Characterisation of the district and analysis of water delivery records

40 Pags.- 2 Tabls.- 11 Figs. The definitive version is available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03783774The analysis of water management in irrigated districts is highly relevant. The present work highlights the principal irrigation management problems of the irrigation district of Almudévar, a representative surface irrigation district located in the northeast of Spain. The predominant irrigation system is blocked-end borders. The study included three phases: (1) assessment of crop water requirements of the main crops of the study area; (2) characterisation of soil depth and soil water retention; and (3) analysis of the current irrigation practices based on the study of the 1994 water records of the district. The following irrigation management problems were identified: (1) the mean volume of water billed to the farmers was 43% higher than the net irrigation requirements; (2) the volume of water billed to the farmers were inversely related to the farm size; (3) few, widely spaced, large irrigation events; (4) large delay time in water delivery; and (5) in selected crops and/or areas, water billing was lower than the net irrigation requirements, indicating the presence of marginal areas or heavily subsidised crops. This research could be applied in other areas of traditional surface irrigation systems. The goal of this methodology is to diagnose the actual level of water management and to provide data for the modernisation of the irrigation district. In a companion paper, a decision support system for the modernisation of the district is presented.This work was sponsored in part by the INIA (Institute of Agricultural Research of the Government of Spain). The Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Zaragoza (IAMZ-CIHEAM) awarded scholarships to A. Bensaci and A. Slatni that made this research possible.Peer reviewe

Deficit Irrigation of Cereals and Horticultural Crops: Economic Analysis

Rosana G. Moreira, Editor-in-Chief; Texas A&M UniversityThis is a Technical article from International Commission of Agricultural Engineering (CIGR, Commission Internationale du Genie Rural) E-Journal Volume 3 (2001): H. El Amami, A. Zairi, L. S. Pereira, T. Machado, A. Slatni, and P. Rodrigues. Deficit Irrigation of Cereals and Horticultural Crops: Economic Analysis. Vol. III, March 200

Deficit Irrigation of Cereals and Horticultural Crops: Simulation of Strategies to Cope with Droughts

Rosana G. Moreira, Editor-in-Chief; Texas A&M UniversityThis is a Technical article from International Commission of Agricultural Engineering (CIGR, Commission Internationale du Genie Rural) E-Journal Volume 3 (2001): P. N. Rodrigues, L. S. Pereira, A. Zairi, H. El Amami, H. A. Slatni, J. L. Teixeira, and T. Machado. Deficit Irrigation of Cereals and Horticultural Crops: Simulation of Strategies to Cope with Droughts. Vol. III, March 2001

Root Proliferation, Proton Efflux, and Acid Phosphatase Activity in Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) Under Phosphorus Shortage

Publication Inra prise en compte dans l'analyse bibliométrique des publications scientifiques mondiales sur les Fruits, les Légumes et la Pomme de terre. Période 2000-2012. http://prodinra.inra.fr/record/256699International audienceThe impact of phosphorus (P) availability on root proliferation, proton efflux, and acid phosphatase activities in roots and leaves was investigated in two lines of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris): BAT 477 and CocoT. Phosphorus was supplied as KH(2)PO(4) at 0 and 60 A mu mol per plant (0P and 60P, respectively). Under P shortage, the plant growth was more restricted in CocoT than in BAT 477, shoots being more affected than roots. The root area increased significantly at 0P in both lines. Up to 1 week following P shortage, the proton efflux increased in both lines despite a higher extent in BAT 477 as compared to CocoT. Root acid phosphatase activity was significantly higher under P limitation in the both lines, this trend being more pronounced in BAT 477 than in CocoT. This was also true for the leaf acid phosphatase. Regardless of the bean line, higher values were recorded for the old leaves as compared to the young ones for this parameter. Interestingly, a significant correlation between Pi content in old leaves and their acid phosphatase activity was found in P-lacking (0P) plants of the both bean lines, suggesting that acid phosphatase may contribute to increase the phosphorus use efficiency in bean through the P remobilization from the old leaves. As a whole, our results highlight the significance of the root H(+) extrusion and the acid phosphatase activity rather than the root proliferation in the relative tolerance of BAT 477 to severe P deficiency