The agricultural sector faces a significant challenge: producing more food and generating higher revenue using less water. This challenge is exacerbated by the increasing scarcity of water resources due to climate change, population growth, and other factors, making optimal irrigation management crucial for sustainable agriculture. One of the primary tasks in this context is intra-seasonal irrigation scheduling under a limited seasonal water supply. This involves distributing a finite amount of water across multiple irrigation events throughout the growing season while considering the crop response to water stress at various growth stages. Effective management of this process using a deficit irrigation (DI) strategy can lead to improved water productivity and crop yields, thereby addressing the dual goals of food security and conservation of water resources in agriculture.
This study aims to advance deep reinforcement learning (DRL) for DI systems and to benchmark a new deep reinforcement learning (DRL) approach against existing DRL strategies [1] for the closed-loop control of irrigation scheduling using the Aquacrop-OSPy model [2]. The evaluation is conducted under various conditions of water scarcity and climate uncertainty, incorporating detailed information about the state of the irrigation system and the climate environment. By considering these factors, the presentation provides a comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of DRL in optimizing irrigation practices, particularly in scenarios characterized by limited water availability and changing climatic conditions.
[1] T. D. Kelly, T. Foster, D. M. Schultz: Assessing the value of deep reinforcement learning for irrigation scheduling, Smart Agricultural Technology, 7 (2024), 100403, doi: 10.1016/j.atech.2024.100403.
[2] T. D. Kelly and Timothy Foster: AquaCrop-OSPy: Bridging the gap between research and practice in crop-water modeling, In: Agricultural Water Management 254 (2021), 106976, doi: 10.1016/j.agwat.2021.106976.
How to cite: Schütze, N. and Kunze, J. B.: Benchmarking deep reinforcement learning strategies for the scheduling of deficit irrigation systems under climate uncertainty, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-9228, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-9228, 2025.
Irrigation is an essential component of food systems. Worldwide, 40% of global food production comes from irrigated croplands despite the latter accounting for 20% of total cropland. With limited available locations to grow crops, an increasing population and a changing climate, irrigation is a crucial component to help meet a rising demand on food production systems. It is also a process with increasing consideration in current hydrological model developments.
Building on a previously flexible and open-source hydrological digital twin for the Adige River basin (~11000 km2), located in the north-east of Italy, at high temporal (daily) and spatial resolution (5km2), a novel irrigation modelling component is implemented for the study area. Irrigation water is crucial to the economy of the region, for fruit productions (vineyards and apple) and necessary to be included into water budget quantification to accurately represent hydrological processes.
The implementation includes water demand assessment through soil moisture and evapotranspiration, while accounting for the different type of crops and specific water needs. Irrigation is activated when volumetric soil water content (dependent on saturation and wilting points) falls below a fixed threshold. The flexibility of the digital twin framework allows us to quantify the effect of various threshold levels on irrigation estimates but also in terms of water processes. Water availability is considered through 2 scenarios (limited where water is taken from another component of the model or unlimited). The model accounts for daily limits in irrigation as well as efficiency.
Results show the different range with regards to irrigation quantities and hydrological processes dependent on the different thresholds and limitation formulae retained, outlining the importance of diverse possibilities in the implementation of irrigation.
Furthermore, integrating irrigation into the digital twin has been shown to improve the river discharge simulations under the limited irrigation scenario when compared with measured data and actual evapotranspiration. This enhancement is particularly evident in areas where irrigation represents an important input of the hydrological cycle.
This study can be useful to regional water managers, policy makers, and stakeholders, especially in regions where conflicts are strife between the different usages (domestic, agricultural, industrial/ hydropower) and particularly in a changing climate.
The work is supported by the project Fondo per il Programma Nazionale di Ricerca e Progetti di Rilevante Interesse Nazionale (PRIN) Control-based Optimization of the AnthropogeniC Hydrological cycle for a sustainable WATer management (COACH-WAT, CODE 2022FXJ3NN CUP E53D23004390001).
Selected references:
Morlot, M., Rigon, R., & Formetta, G. (2024). Hydrological digital twin model of a large anthropized italian alpine catchment: The Adige river basin. Journal of Hydrology, 629, 130587
How to cite: Morlot, M., Massari, C., Bouabdelli, S., Castelli, M., Modanesi, S., and Formetta, G.: Accounting for Modelled Irrigation in the Long-Term Water Budget Analysis of an Alpine Anthropized Basin., EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-16207, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-16207, 2025.
Agriculture is the major freshwater user worldwide, averaging 70% of the water resource consumption. Despite this heavy incidence, irrigation represents the most uncertain water flux, difficult to predict because of both anthropogenic and natural factors. In this work, a methodology to detect the irrigation signal is presented, integrating ground and satellite data within energy-water balance modelling. The proposed algorithm adopts a Montecarlo approach, simulating the impacts of hundreds of thousands of possible irrigation schedules over selected hydrological variables and extracting the most likely event series by comparing the model results with different kinds of references. This approach guarantees the physical soundness of the irrigation detection procedure by adding hydrological robustness to the different observed signals affected by irrigation. In increasing steps of uncertainty, model results are compared with those from a benchmark simulation (fed with observed irrigation data), with in-situ measurements and satellite observations. This provides a complete framework to the algorithm reliability, and the inclusion of satellite imagery allows to export the procedure to data-poor areas. In this work, numerous variables were tested to identify the fittest for the analysis, specifically: surface soil moisture (SSM), deep soil moisture (SM2), evapotranspiration (ET) and land surface temperature (LST). Of these, SSM qualified as the most suited to the algorithm, as differences in irrigation timings caused little spread in the other variables ensembles.
The used hydrological model is the FEST-EWB, an energy-water balance model where the two equations are coupled and solved jointly looking for the land surface temperature that closes the system.
The procedure was tested over a variety of Italian field case studies where eddy covariance stations are available, ranging from semi-arid to wet climates, from on-demand to turn irrigation, from homogeneous to heterogeneous agricultural landscapes, and including low-lying, high-stemmed and arboreal crops. The results indicated three main conclusions: (1) the algorithm works best over fields with fewer irrigation events in a season (<10), as very frequent events (>2-3 per week) crowd the signal and can make the procedure redundant; (2) high-ET periods (e.g., summer and/or high-vegetation density periods) within the agricultural seasons increase the ensemble spread and improve the efficacy of the procedure, allowing to better distinguish between different irrigation schedules; (3) uncertainty in satellite retrievals of SSM, specifically over heterogeneous agricultural landscapes, negatively influences the accuracy of the algorithm by muddling the signal coming from the target field.
How to cite: Corbari, C., Paciolla, N., Polletta, M., and Morari, F.: Irrigation volumes detection through ensemble physical modelling, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-16977, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-16977, 2025.
Irrigation efficiency improvements have been recognized as a key strategy to increase the 'crop per drop' ratio of water allocated to the agricultural sector, yet at the same time, there is a lack of comprehensive irrigation efficiency datasets at the global scale. Most of the currently available data are either outdated, or fail to account for the groundwater dimension of this indicator. Aiming to determine multiple dimensions of irrigation efficiency within an intertwined surface water and groundwater irrigation scheme, we try to modify the currently available datasets. Here, we provide a global dynamic irrigation efficiency dataset at a 5×5 arc-minute resolution, corrected for groundwater contributions in each grid cell. We add a new dynamic layer to the available irrigation efficiency datasets, called groundwater irrigation efficiency, which varies across the globe and throughout the year based on multiple factors. These factors include pumping system properties, groundwater table, surface water and irrigation water demand, and climatic and environmental conditions. Our work improves the understanding of the role of groundwater contributions in supplying irrigation water and helps to minimize biases in the estimated irrigation efficiencies, consequently leading to more accurate evaluations of agro-hydrological flows.
Keywords: irrigation efficiency, groundwater-led irrigation, pumping energy, groundwater scarcity.
How to cite: Karandish, F., Liu, S., Hyndman, D., Mialyk, O., Yao, Y., and de graaf, I.: Corrections to Global Gridded Irrigation Efficiency Datasets in Groundwater-Dependent Croplands, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-17263, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-17263, 2025.
Off-grid Automatic System (OAS), a smart valve patented by Politecnico di Milano, is a device that has the capability to regulate fluid flow while simultaneously recovering energy from the throttling process. The device is an evolution of several previous patents developed by the research group, designed to adapt to the operating conditions of irrigation applications. The energy recovered is used locally to enable functions that enhance water network resilience, management and sustainability, like remote control and real-time monitoring.
This paper presents a framework for assessing the feasibility of the OAS in a real Pressurized Irrigation Distribution Network (PIDS), where little to no information is available aside from geometrical features and some boundary conditions. Firstly, hydrant configurations were generated using a statistical approach based on the Clément formula integrated within the Combined Optimization and Performance Analysis Model (COPAM). Secondly, the Water Network Tool (WNTR) package was employed to simulate the hydraulic performance of the system. Thirdly, the simulation results were used to determine the minimum OAS diameter based on the Flow Coefficient (Cv) and the maximum recoverable energy of the system. Finally, the energy balance was calculated considering the minimum hours of hydrant activation and the energy consumption of the OAS across various operational modes.
This methodology was evaluated on a real irrigation network in District 10 – Capitanata PIDS in Southern Italy. The network comprises 54 kilometers of pipe serving 317 hydrant nodes. Each node irrigates 6 hectares of land, with a nominal discharge of 10 liters per second and a design pressure head of 20 meters. The upstream piezometric head exhibited an operational range of 110 meters. Average hydrant pressures ranged from 40 to 100 meters, significantly exceeding the levels required for proper operation at most network nodes. Consequently, following widely studied approaches in the literature Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) was installed downstream within the PIDS to lower the excessive pressure and reduce water losses This intervention reduced pressures by approximately 20 meters, and the energetic sustainability of the OAS was verified also under these adjusted conditions.
This study demonstrates an average hydrant reliability of 94% across all possible configurations with 10 hours of hydrant activation. It means, on average, 94% of the potential hydrant configurations tested in this study were able to provide enough energy to power the OAS system for the whole year irrigation season. However, some nodes exhibit significantly lower reliability. Attributed to unfavorable topographic and hydrant combinations, where even prolonged activation fails to generate sufficient energy for the OAS to achieve self-sustainability.
This study highlights the critical challenge of energy self-sufficiency for OAS particularly in the face of uncertainties in network operation. The intermittent nature of irrigation demands and the inherent variability in water pressure within the network significantly impact the energy generation potential of the OAS. The findings underscore the importance of robust system design to ensure the long-term sustainability and reliability of off-grid irrigation technologies, particularly in regions facing water scarcity and energy constraints.
How to cite: Hutomo, I. A., Troiani, D., Ferrarese, G., and Malavasi, S.: Exploring the Potential of the Off-Grid Automation Systems in a Real Pressurized Irrigation Distribution System, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-18057, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-18057, 2025.
Italy's agricultural sector, a cornerstone of its economy, has been facing mounting challenges from frequent droughts and water shortages, as the ones of 2022, 2023 and 2024, emphasizing the urgent need for effective and informed water management strategies. This study addresses this critical issue by evaluating water demand of rainfed and irrigated agriculture at high spatial resolution across Italy. This is done by integrating very high-resolution crop-specific datasets with irrigation intensity maps to develop a detailed land and crop cover map tracing 22 key crops at a 1 km resolution. This map then informs the WATNEEDS model, which solves the daily soil water balance in a crop-specific way to derive blue and green water demands. Validation of crop maps is performed against ground data by the Italian bureau of statistics (ISTAT), with satisfying results (86.7% of the model’s estimates present high correlation and low error w.r.t. ISTAT’s data). Irrigation volumes align well with regional statistics despite limitations in the validation sample. While uncertainties persist due to input data constraints and assumptions about hydrological processes and agricultural practices, the results offer significant opportunities to enhance water resource allocation. Among these, the findings of this study are supporting the identification of optimal locations for Small Agricultural Reservoirs (SmAR), a critical measure to mitigate the impacts of drought and ensure agricultural sustainability. This study was carried out within the CASTLE project and the RETURN Extended Partnership and received funding from the European Union Next-GenerationEU (National Recovery and Resilience Plan – NRRP, Mission 4, Component 2, Investment 1.1 – D.D. n. 104 02/02/2022 PRIN 2022 project code MUR 2022XSERL4 - CUP B53D23007590006 and National Recovery and Resilience Plan –NRRP, Mission 4, Component
2, Investment 1.3 – D.D. 1243 2/8/2022, PE0000005)
How to cite: Rulli, M. C., Galli, N., Nanesha, H., Tolazzi, A., Capone, F., Ricciardi, L., Govoni, C., and Chiarelli, D. D.: AIDA: High-resolution detection of water demand in the Italian agricultural sector, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-18718, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-18718, 2025.
Climate change (CC) poses a critical threat to Mediterranean agri-food systems, with increasing water scarcity and climate variability jeopardising agricultural sustainability. This study assesses the impacts of CC on cereal yields and water balance in the La Balisa Sub-catchment (SCAB) in Segovia province, Spain, a region where rainfed winter cereals, such as barley and wheat, dominate agricultural production. Using a combination of hydrological and crop modelling frameworks (SWAT and AquaCrop), the research evaluates water demand, crop performance, and potential adaptation strategies, including an increase in irrigation areas, improvements in irrigation efficiency, and the selection of cereal varieties with different growth cycles.
The analysis integrates six global climate models (GCMs) from the IPCC’s AR6 (SSP 4.5 and SSP 8.5), regionalised by AEMET, to project water availability and agricultural productivity under future scenarios. Baseline data reflects current agricultural and climatic conditions, serving as a reference to quantifying the effects of CC on yields and water resources. The study focuses on understanding the phenological responses of barley and wheat, a key rainfed cereal crop in the region, to shifting precipitation patterns, temperature extremes, and water stress.
Preliminary findings suggest that rising water stress and climate extremes could significantly reduce yields and increase water demand for agricultural purposes without adaptation. However, strategies such as expanding irrigation coverage, improving water-use efficiency, and optimising crop management through varietal selection show promise in mitigating these effects. The study highlights the need for adaptive management and integrating advanced irrigation and crop management strategies to sustain cereal production and water balance in semi-arid Mediterranean regions facing CC challenges.
How to cite: Jiménez-Aguirre, M. T., Sofía, G.-C., Carmen, G., Soriano, B., Esteve-Bengoechea, P., Blanco-Gutierrez, I., Lizaso, J., Díaz-Ambrona, C. H., Pérez, D., Ballesteros, M., Ruiz-Ramos, M., Bardají, I., and Tarquis, A. M.: Evaluating Climate Change Impacts on Cereal Yields, Water Balance, and Irrigation Strategies in the La Balisa Sub-Catchment, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-9096, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-9096, 2025.
Water is the most valuable element for life on the planet Earth. Its availability is, however, not equitable in time and space, leading to water scarcity at places, and it is a pressing global concern, specifically in arid and semi-arid regions. Some areas of Fatehpur Sikri Block in Agra district (India) are facing acute water scarcity not only for irrigation but also for drinking water. Notably, about 65 to 70% population of Fatehpur Sikri is dependent on agriculture. This study explores the possibility of providing water to the water-scarce area by lining the unlined Fatehpur Sikri Branch Canal (FSBC). These canals experience significant seepage and evaporation. These losses diminish the availability of water for other (more) essential purposes. The feasibility is explored by lining the branch canal and/or its distributaries/minors until a sufficient amount is saved without significantly affecting the authorized users of FSBC.
The critical annual water requirement of the water-scarce area (= about 5000 hectares) lying in Fatehpur Sikri block has been estimated as 4.60 MCM for drinking water and 9.13 MCM for irrigation using CROPWAT, totaling to 13.73 MCM. The losses from both unlined and lined canals were estimated empirically for the computation of water saving for diversion to the water deficit area. FSBC consists of a Branch Canal, a few distributaries, and a number of minors. Seepage losses were estimated for lining of (i) Fatehpur Sikri Branch Canal only; (ii) distributaries and minors only; (iii) a part of Fatehpur Sikri Branch Canal, up to 32.960 km (or 23 miles) only; (iv) Distributaries only, for effectiveness and construction cost point of view (v) partial part of FSBC up to 14.400 km (vi) selected minors only (vii) combination of all distributaries with selected minors only, and (viii) combination of all distributaries with a part of FSBC only. The canal was operating for 168 days in the study year according to the usual practice. The per annum water savings in these cases have been estimated as 67.377, 25.902, 31.306, 8.210, 13.880, 14.660, 13.885 and 14.404 MCM, respectively. It can thus be inferred that the lining can be an effective solution for water saving and diverting to the water-scarce area. The lining of distributaries with selected minors only or selected minors only or a combination of all distributaries with a part of FSBC only or FSBC till 14.400 km only can yield sufficient savings, i.e. more than 13.69 MCM. The study finds that the lining of FSBC up to 14.400 km is the most viable and pragmatic solution to address the water scarcity problem in the water-deficit area. The other canals can be left as they are, for uniform groundwater recharge in the area.
How to cite: Kumar Mishra, S., Sharma, D., Prasad Pandey, R., and Dev Garg, R.: Irrigation Canal System- A Potential Source for Water Supply in Nearby Water-Deficit Areas Located in A Semi-Arid Zone in India, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-9907, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-9907, 2025.
The Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) is Australia’s largest and most critical agricultural region, but its water resources face significant pressure due to climate variability and rainfall and runoff reductions under climate change. To ensure the resilience of irrigated agriculture, there is a need to diversify water sources and integrate innovative water management solutions. Brackish groundwater represents a largely untapped alternative water resource that, when desalinated, could supplement traditional surface water and fresh groundwater supplies. However, its adoption in agriculture is hindered by factors such as high costs, environmental concerns regarding brine disposal, and regulatory complexities.
This study investigates the potential for brackish groundwater desalination to enhance the resilience of irrigated agriculture in the MDB under uncertain water availability. A demonstration site established in South Australia’s Riverland region showcases a containerised reverse osmosis (RO) system producing around 100 kL/day of freshwater to irrigate a section of almond orchard and disposing of brine via aquifer injection into a naturally saline surface aquifer. This novel approach has the potential to lower capital costs and minimise land use compared to conventional evaporation ponds. Insights from the project include the importance of hydrogeological assessments, the scalability of aquifer-based brine disposal, and the feasibility of low-recovery RO systems optimised for agricultural contexts. Ensuring safe surface water-groundwater interactions has been a key focus of the project.
The study is also developing a cost calculator to enable professional end users to examine the potential for desalination to be integrated into their irrigation systems. This analysis has also been extended to inform a number of future outlook scenarios, including the integration of desalination to help mitigate the impacts of drought, and to identify scenarios where desalination could enable transformations in productivity. Analysis of climate change scenarios forms part of this analysis.
Key findings emphasise the importance of site-specific design, industry collaboration, and policy frameworks to facilitate the adoption of desalination and other non-conventional alternative water sources in agriculture. By helping to address the barriers to implementation, this work contributes to enhancing the sustainability and resilience of irrigated agriculture in water-scarce regions like the MDB, offering valuable insights for broader global applications. The findings provide a pathway to tackle uncertainties in water resource availability and to support sustainable agricultural development.
How to cite: Reeve, P., Anese, J., Mullins, B., Wallis, I., Batelaan, O., Fallowfield, H., Maier, H., Westra, S., Walton, K., Watt, E., Graetz, D., and Leonard, M.: Enhancing irrigation resilience through brackish groundwater desalination: a case study in Australia’s Murray-Darling Basin, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-1271, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-1271, 2025.
Olive pickling industries use large amounts of water in their production. Depending on the type of product, water usage can range between 1 and 6 m³ per ton of olives, with composition varying significantly depending on the processing step. Generally, the main issues with these waters are their high organic matter and salt content. They are mostly stored in evaporation ponds for treatment. In parallel, olive tree production faces serious threats from water scarcity due to climate change, especially in Mediterranean areas. Therefore, alternative water sources are needed for olive tree irrigation, allowing for the reuse of resources consumed by the sector and contributing to a circular economy.
This work presents an integrated management approach where olive pickling waters are automatically analyzed and stored, provided the electrical conductivity (EC) is less than 8 dS m⁻¹. These waters are subsequently used for precision irrigation of olive trees. The system is based on open-source hardware and software associated with an IoT platform, with units located both in the industry and the olive orchard. The industry unit automatically measures, analyzes, and controls the EC of the water produced, selectively separating it for irrigation. Meanwhile, the field unit monitors soil status (soil moisture and EC) and potential evapotranspiration to determine irrigation requirements.
The system has been operational for two years in an olive pickling industry in southwestern Spain, where most of the fruits are processed as Spanish-style green olives. During the experiment, almost 40% of the controlled waters had an EC below 10 dS m⁻¹, accounting for about 15,000 m³ of water that would otherwise need to be evaporated from a 2.5 ha pond. Instead, this water was used to irrigate more than twice as much land. Olive trees were irrigated with water having an EC of approximately 7 dS m⁻¹ over two seasons and compared with control trees that received no irrigation.
In the first season, deficit irrigation was applied, while in the second season, irrigation was based on crop evapotranspiration plus a 20% leaching fraction. In both seasons, higher crop yields (though not statistically significant), fruit weight (significant, p<0.05), oil content (significant, p<0.05), and pulp-to-stone ratio (significant, p<0.05) were observed. Soil EC significantly increased in the irrigated trees, reaching up to 1 and 1.5 dS m-1 (1:5 extraction ratio) in the top 0.6 m after the first and second irrigation seasons, respectively.
Salt buildup in the soil indicates that medium-to-long-term sustainability of this type of irrigation must be considered, especially if natural rainfall is insufficient for adequate leaching. Soil modeling can be useful for assessing risks and deciding whether irrigation can continue in subsequent seasons. Nonetheless, using parts of the olive pickling waters for irrigation can be seen as a more sustainable alternative to evaporation for treating such waste.
How to cite: Martinez, G., Hernán, J., Laguna, A. M., Martínez-García, J. M., and Giráldez, J. V.: An Integrated Management Approach for the Potential Reuse of Olive Pickling Waters in Olive Tree Irrigation, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-11670, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-11670, 2025.
The spatiotemporal co-optimization of irrigation strategies represents a major leap forward in climate-smart agriculture, addressing the complex interactions between climate, crops, and soil management across both temporal and spatial scales. This study introduces a hybrid methodology that combines agricultural system modeling, machine learning, and economic analysis to optimize irrigation practices in Xinjiang, China. The primary goal is to balance crop yield, water use efficiency, and profitability under varying climate conditions, thereby advancing sustainable agricultural practices in one of China’s most arid regions.
Our study establishes three optimization objectives: yield, profit, and water use efficiency. Under the water use efficiency objective, optimized irrigation strategies significantly reduced water demand. During the historical period (2000–2020), water use decreased by an average of 16% (ranging from 14% to 21%), while under future climate scenarios (2051–2070), reductions of up to 25% (16% to 32%) are projected compared to conventional local practices and trial-based recommendations. For the yield objective, cotton yields increased by 8% during the historical period and are expected to rise by 15% under future climate conditions. Finally, under the profit objective, farmers' net incomes grew by 12% during the historical period and are projected to increase by 16% in future scenarios. The study also explores the scalability of the proposed framework, demonstrating its applicability across various sub-regions within Xinjiang, each characterized by distinct climatic and soil conditions. Sensitivity analyses reinforce the robustness of the optimization approach, confirming its potential to improve water management and agricultural sustainability on a regional scale.
This study highlights the transformative potential of spatiotemporal co-optimization for achieving multiple objectives in irrigation management. It introduces a digital framework tailored for site-specific irrigation strategies, setting a new standard for sustainable agricultural practices in Xinjiang. The findings provide a scalable model that can be adapted to other arid and semi-arid regions, supporting global initiatives in sustainable water management in the face of evolving climate conditions.
How to cite: Chen, B., Zhao, G., Yao, L., and Yu, Q.: Sustainable Irrigation Strategies for Cotton Production in Xinjiang, China: Balancing Yield, Profitability, and Sustainability under Climate Change, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-12369, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-12369, 2025.
Macadamia is a high-value tree nut crop experiencing a remarkable global rise in demand. South Africa is the world’s largest producer and the rapid expansion of macadamia orchards across the country has been driving increased irrigation water use. This, in turn, poses significant challenges to the water-scarce production environment, which is already strained by unsustainable freshwater withdrawals and the growing impacts of climate change. Optimizing orchard irrigation management is therefore essential to minimize unproductive water use. This requires a precise quantification of macadamia trees’ water requirements. To this end, a robust macadamia-specific transpiration model would be needed to provide valuable insights into tree responses to diverse environmental and management factors. Such model, if evaluated properly, would enable upscaling of results from field level across a wide range of cultivation regions and climatic conditions. To date, however, the development of such a model has been constrained by the scarcity of high-quality, long-term transpiration datasets, limitations of existing (overly complex and data-intensive) modelling approaches, and insufficient accuracy.
To address these gaps, we linked the generation of a comprehensive experimental dataset on macadamia transpiration in the sub-humid Levubu region, South Africa, with the adoption and evaluation of a simple, data-efficient modelling approach. Tree sap velocity data were collected from two macadamia cultivars (‘Beaumont’ and ‘HAES849’), alongside continuous monitoring of microclimate and soil water content over two years. These data were analyzed to gain deeper understanding of macadamia water use behavior across seasons and under varying soil water conditions, and were used to calibrate and validate a novel macadamia transpiration model. The model was initially calibrated under non-limiting water conditions using data on tree-intercepted radiation, vapor pressure deficit (VPD), and canopy conductance to simulate potential tree transpiration - representing the upper limit of macadamia water use. It was subsequently refined to simulate transpiration under water deficit conditions, accounting for the seasonally variable and limited water availability typical of southern Africa. Model performance was validated against independent datasets for both cultivars.
Observed macadamia transpiration exhibited pronounced variability, ranging from 0.6 mm d-1 during the dry season to 1.3 mm d-1 during the rainy season. This variability was largely driven by microclimatic factors. The trees showed a predominantly water-conserving strategy, with strict stomatal control in response to increasing VPD. Significant differences in water use behavior were observed among cultivars, potentially reflecting variations in productivity and climate resilience. Overall, the observed daily transpiration rates were considerably lower than the industry standard assumption of 2.0 mm d-1, suggesting that orchards are likely over-irrigated. The model successfully captured the strong stomatal response to increasing VPD and demonstrated satisfactory performance for both cultivars under both non-limiting and water deficit conditions, with lower relative error measures in the latter. This highlights the suitability of this relatively simple and data-efficient model for accurately simulating macadamia tree transpiration across cultivars and under seasonally variable water availability, making it a valuable tool for optimizing irrigation practices and reducing unproductive water use in periodically water-scarce regions.
How to cite: Bringhenti, T., Moriondo, M., Abdulai, I., Hoffmann, M. P., Joubert, E., Taylor, P. J., and Rötter, R. P.: Modelling macadamia water use for optimizing orchard irrigation management in periodically water-scarce regions, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-17530, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-17530, 2025.
Climate change and increasing drought in the Mediterranean regions provoke serious challenges to agriculture, especially for rainfed crops. Carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) is a resilient tree that is cultivated in dry and poor soils, but the absence of precise data on its irrigation needs limits the possibility of improving its production. In our research, we evaluate the irrigation needs and physiological response of carob trees by applying different irrigation strategies and using precision irrigation technologies.
The experiment was conducted from 2022/2024 at an 8-ha commercial carob tree orchard in the region of Murcia, Spain, with subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) installation. Three irrigation strategies were applied: full irrigation (FI), deficit irrigation (DI), and no irrigation (rainfed). Precision irrigation tools were used for supplemental irrigation during the critical growth periods. It is proven that supplemental irrigation, in addition to rainfall, can increase the yield. Soil probes and dendrometers were used to record moisture content and indicate the water stress. Additionally, stomatal conductance (gs) and stem water potential was measured.
The SDI system played a key role, as it allows for a more precise distribution of water directly in the root zone, improving the tree's access to water and reducing losses due to evaporation. From the physiological point of view, the stomatal conductance was the best indicator, responding faster to water supply. In terms of sensors, the combination of soil moisture sensors (at 30 and 60cms) to understand the correct soil water distribution, and dendometers which at each phenological stage (Bud-break, summer stop and post-summer growth) allow to determine whether the trees were growing, in standby, or water stress. The results showed increased fruit production and more consistent yields with full irrigation treatment, suggesting it supports uniform growth. However, variability due to factors like root damage through SDI installation, own variety variability, soil and alternate bearing was noted. The integration for the new seasons of new tools as remote sensing and machine learning will help reduce deviations.
This experiment has demonstrated the value of carob cultivation as an alternative, profitable and sustainable production, since this crop survives with low irrigation water quality and very low irrigation supplies, from 100 to 200 mm/year, applying complementary and deficit irrigation strategies.
How to cite: pedrero salcedo, F., Doumkou, O., Lorente Pagán, B., García García, A. J., Martí-Martinez, C. M., Domínguez Niño, J. M., Munuera Pérez, T., and Alarcón Cabañero, J. J.: Irrigation Strategies for Carob Tree: Evaluating the Impact of Water Stress and Supplemental Irrigation under Mediterranean Climate, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-20265, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-20265, 2025.
The aim of this study is to determine the effects of deficit irrigation applications at different levels on
the cool-season turf mix and warm-season turfgrass species irrigated by sprinkler irrigation method and
sub-drip irrigation method. Field experiments were conducted in the Agricultural Production and
Research Center (TURAM) of Silivri Municipality in the boundaries of Tekirdağ and Istanbul -
TÜRKİYE (41°03ʹN; 28°00ʹE; 46 m a.s.l.) in the summertime of 2019 and 2020. In this research, two
different irrigation methods (SI: Sprinkler and SDI: sub-drip), for two different turfgrass types (CS:
Cool-season turfgrass mix and WS: Warm-season turfgrass), at three different irrigation levels (I1: full
irrigation, I2: 1/3 deficiency, I3: 2/3 deficiency) were examined in split split plots in randomized blocks
design with three replications. Soil moisture content was monitored via TDR for irrigation scheduling,
climatic data needed for ETo estimation were taken from automatic meteorology station established in
experimental area, canopy temperature for CWSI calculation was measured by infrared thermometer.
When the results were evaluated in terms of irrigation methods, 6-36% less irrigation water was applied
with SDI method according to SI method due to the high-water application efficiency and low
evaporation. Besides, it has been concluded that deficit irrigation for cool season turfgrass mix has not
been possible by SI method whereas deficit irrigation of 1/3 can be applied by SDI method on the
condition of a little bit compromising the color quality. Thus, 38% irrigation water saving was achieved
by SDI method. Although there was no any decrease in the density value, irrigation deficiency was not
possible due to the decrease in the color parameter in Bermudagrass under SI method. However,
irrigation water deficiency of 1/3 can be managed without any problem in visual quality in the same
grass type under SDI method. Thus, approximately 50% irrigation water saving can be achieved
compared to the SI method.
Moreover, the CWSI is a valuable tool for monitoring and quantifying water stress and scheduling
irrigations. CWSI of 0,12; 0,13; 0,31 and 0,39 are irrigation thresholds for CS and WS under SDI method
for CS and WS under SI method, respectively.
Keywords: Landscape irrigation, Turfgrass varieties, Irrigation methods, Irrigation water saving, Crop
water stress index (CWSI)
This Project was funded by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey
(TÜBİTAK).
How to cite: Orta, A. H.: Response of cool and warm season turfgrass species to deficit irrigation under sprinkler and subsurface drip irrigation methods., EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-21932, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-21932, 2025.
The Nexus concept recently emerged as a theoretical approach to natural resources management, which highlights the interconnections and interdependencies among different sectors (typically Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems, WEFE). It is seen as an opportunity to support sustainability transitions, overcoming sectoral perspectives and conflicts that often hinder such processes. This is particularly crucial for irrigated agriculture in the Mediterranean areas, which has a central role for the socio-economic well-being but is being impacted by a multiplicity of relevant issues, such as the high demand for natural resources (water, soil, energy) and related costs in a context of limited availability. However, despite the increasing attention received in the scientific community, the Nexus concept is still limitedly implemented and operationalized.
This study, part of the ERASMUS project (Funded by the European Union—Next-Generation EU—National Recovery and Resilience Plan NRRP —MISSION 4 COMPONENT C2, INVESTIMENT N. 1.1, CALL PRIN 2022 D.D. 104 02-02-2022, Project 2022WLW9X8, Equality and Resilience of Agroecosystems through Smart water Management and Use—ERASMUS CUP N. B53D23006510006), aims at providing tools for an improved understanding of the WEFE Nexus in irrigated agroecosystems, while supporting its implementation exploring the role that innovative technologies might have.
The research employs two complementary methodologies: numerical modelling of irrigation networks and System Dynamics (SD) modelling. Numerical modelling simulates the behavior of irrigation networks under different operating scenarios, using a set of indicators to describe key system properties such as system reliability, water distribution equity, pressure deficit or excess, and water/energy use efficiency. SD modelling extends this analysis by incorporating broader system dynamics, including ecosystem and socio-economic factors represented through aggregated multidimensional indicators. Together, these approaches aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the state of irrigated systems and their potential evolution under multiple scenarios, which include the introduction of smart devices supporting network management, showing the effects they can have on system performance.
The numerical modelling approach relies also on the Rapid Appraisal Procedure, forming the basis for performance analysis through both physical and qualitative assessments. Field surveys collect data on cropping patterns and registered water volumes, which are integrated into simulation processes using Clément’s model to estimate discharge and pressure dynamics. Field calibration refines the model further, enabling detailed performance analysis at both hydrant and network levels. This structured workflow identifies critical performance gaps and inefficiencies, offering insights to optimize resource use and improve operational reliability.
The approach is being tested in two case studies in Southern Italy. A Community of Innovation has been stablished in the areas, which actively supports modelling activities, fostering stakeholder involvement and ensuring their support in understanding the potential for implementation and wider uptake of the proposed technologies.
How to cite: Pagano, A., Ferrarese, G., Fontana, N., Portoghese, I., Fratino, U., Coletta, V. R., Lamaddalena, N., Mohammadi, S., Marini, G., Mambretti, S., and Malavasi, S.: Implementing the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus in irrigated areas: hints from the ERASMUS project, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-18660, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-18660, 2025.
Posters on site: Thu, 1 May, 10:45–12:30 | Hall X3
Assessing grain yield (GY), irrigation water productivity (IWP), and irrigation crop water use efficiency (ICWUE) provides valuable insights into optimizing irrigation water use while maintaining crop yield. For this purpose, irrigation is varied either in crop phenological stages or based on the maximum allowable depletion/deficit (MAD) or crop evapotranspiration (ETC) or ratio of irrigation water to cumulative pan evaporation. No study has been identified that analyzed and compared GY, IWP, and ICWUE for drip and flood irrigated treatments based on MAD, ETC, and conventional practices for wheat. This study analyzed and compared GY, IWP, and ICWUE among drip-irrigated (DI) and flood-irrigated (FI) treatments based on MAD, ETC, and conventional practices by conducting field experiments for the wheat crop during 2023-24. The treatments were 50% MAD (DI), 50% MAD (FI), 100% ETC (DI), 80% ETC (DI), 80% ETC (FI), 60% ETC (DI), 40% ETC (DI), and conventional practice replication (referred to as farmers’ field replication). Compared to farmers’ field replication, GY increased by 30.5%, 16.9%, 23.2%, 15.6%, 9.6%, and 0.4% in 50% MAD (DI), 50% MAD (FI), 100% ETC (DI), 80% ETC (DI), 80% ETC (FI), 60% ETC (DI) treatments, respectively. Furthermore, compared to the farmers’ field replication, the irrigation amount in 50% MAD (DI), 50% MAD (FI), 100% ETC (DI), 80% ETC (DI), 80% ETC (FI), 60% ETC (DI), and 40% ETC (DI) reduced by 16.4%, 7.9%, 18.3%, 36.8%, 33.9%, 52.4%, and 65.5%, respectively. IWP values in 50% MAD (DI), 50% MAD (FI), 100% ETC (DI), 80% ETC (DI), 80% ETC (FI), 60% ETC (DI), 40% ETC (DI), and farmers’ field replication were 29, 23.6, 28, 34, 39.2, 50.3, and 18.6 kg/ha-mm, respectively. For the same level of irrigation, IWP and ICWUE were higher in DI treatments compared to FI treatments. The values of IWP and ICWUE in 50% MAD (DI) increased by 23.1% and 41.5%, respectively compared to 50% MAD (FI). Similarly, IWP and ICWUE in 80% ETC (DI) increased by 20% compared to 80% ETC (FI). Among the treatments, the 50% MAD (DI) and 100% ETC (DI) produced significantly higher GY of 5336.2 kg/ha and 5036.3 kg/ha, respectively. Between these two treatments, GY was higher in 50% MAD (DI). This can be attributed to the MAD in the 100% ETC (DI) treatment reaching 67% during the high-water demand growth stage, which exceeded the MAD level in the 50% MAD (DI) treatment. This study suggested that with the priority to produce the higher grain yield and save irrigation water (16.4 to 18.3%) as compared to existing irrigation practices followed by the farmers in the study region, 50% MAD (DI) or 100% ETC (DI) treatment must be employed. With the priority of saving the highest irrigation amount (52.4 %) without compensating for the GY, 60% ETC (DI) can be utilized by the farmers in the local region.
How to cite: Giri, G., Upreti, H., and Singhal, G. D.: Evaluation of Wheat Yield and Water Productivity for Drip and Flood Irrigated Treatments Based on Maximum Allowable Deficit, Crop Evapotranspiration, and Conventional Practices, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-673, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-673, 2025.
Date palms, an economically important crop, are extensively grown in the Arava Valley, Israel. Despite their adaptation to arid climates, they are intensively irrigated, commonly with two high-flow emitters per tree, based on recommended amounts derived from crop evapotranspiration estimates, to ensure high productivity and manage soil salinity. Until now, date palm farmers in Israel have made only limited use of soil sensors for irrigation management. This study aimed to integrate soil-based sensors for irrigation decision support into date palm cultivation. We hypothesized that increasing the irrigated area around the tree and giving the trees less water than recommended would increase water use efficiency and maintain optimal yields. To achieve this, sixteen fully mature date palm trees were irrigated under two irrigation systems: a larger irrigated area around the tree with fifty drippers (D) and a smaller area with two emitters per tree (E), both having the same total flow rate; and two irrigation levels: 50% and 100%. Soil-based sensors (TDR, tensiometers, and suction cups) were used to continuously monitor soil water status and electrical conductivity (ECpw) at depths of 40 and 80 cm. Fruit yield and quality (i.e., fruit mass, blistering, and moisture level) were also analyzed. Across all treatments, soil water content was higher at 80 cm, with E100 and D100 showing the highest values (20–50%), while D50 and E50 showed the lowest values, particularly at 40 cm depth (10–20%). Soil tension values displayed the following order, E50>D50>D100≈E100, at both depths. ECpw on D100 and E100 averaged 3 dS/m throughout most of the growing season at both depths, while D50 and E50 showed elevated levels, especially at the lower depth, of up to 26 dS/m (D50). There was no significant difference in yield or yield quality between treatments. It is concluded that the irrigation system had less impact than the irrigation level on ECpw and soil water status. Therefore, sensors show an enormous potential to provide farmers and researchers with data that can be integrated into irrigation scheduling algorithms.
How to cite: Ongeso, J., War War May Maung, N., Groenveld, T., and Lazarovitch, N.: Integrating soil-based sensor technologies for irrigation decision support in date palm trees, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-1513, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-1513, 2025.
Date palm cultivation in Israel, particularly in the Arava Valley with its high evaporative demand, relies on high-frequency irrigation with saline water. Irrigation plays a crucial role in date palm growth, soil salinity, and yield quality. However, over-irrigation not only wastes water resources but also contaminates water bodies with agrochemicals. Plant-based sensors offer a promising avenue for real-time monitoring of plant physiological responses to water stress, providing valuable insights into plant water status. The objective of this study was to optimize irrigation scheduling by using plant-based sensors to monitor date palm responses to varying irrigation systems and amounts, thereby establishing threshold parameters for effective irrigation management. Sixteen fully mature date palm trees were irrigated under two irrigation systems: a larger irrigated area with fifty number of drippers (D) and a smaller area with two emitters per tree (E), both having the same flow rate; and two irrigation levels: 50% and 100%. Sap flux density, frond growth rate, and stem daily shrinkage were continuously measured by automated sensors, while frond growth rates were also periodically manually measured. Additionally, stomatal conductance was measured biweekly using the LI-600. The 100% irrigation treatment significantly increased the frond growth rate, stomatal conductance, and sap flux density compared to the 50% irrigation. However, the 50% irrigation treatment increased maximum daily shrinkage. There was no difference in yield between 50% and 100% irrigation. No effect of the irrigation systems on the measured parameters was seen. The integration of plant-based sensors, for measuring plant physiological processes, into date palm cultivation has the potential to enable real-time monitoring of the water stress effect, facilitating precise irrigation management.
How to cite: Maung, N., Ongeso, J., Groenveld, T., and Lazarovitch, N.: Increasing Water Use Efficiency in Date Palm Cultivation with Plant-Based Sensors, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-1515, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-1515, 2025.
In arid regions conducting flood irrigation, irrigation practice often results in the temporary formation of water ponds in the cropland, which plays a critical role in agricultural productivity. The prompt identification of irrigation water ponds in irrigation districts is important for the effective management of irrigation water. Utilizing the OPtical TRApezoid Model (OPTRAM) for soil moisture estimation, we have proposed an improved version of OPTRAM aimed to identify irrigation water ponds in irrigation district using Sentinel-2 data through Google Earth Engine platform. While the wet edge determined from OPTRAM refer to those with saturated status, irrigation ponds are usually oversaturated regions. Therefore, an additional threshold was added and calibrated to the model in accordance with the irrigated area to identify irrigation water ponds. The improved OPTRAM was applied in Hetao Irrigation District (HID) of Northwest China from 2016 to 2023, where autumn irrigation applied in late autumn after crop harvesting was considered. The identified distributions of autumn irrigation were validated with observations from field survey and statistical data, and were also compared with other remote sensing products. Results show that the proposed model is effective in identifying irrigation ponds. The overall accuracy is 0.90 based on the observations from field survey, with mean absolute relative errors for irrigated areas across sub-irrigation districts recorded as 20.55%, 8.10%, 12.83%, and 11.38%, respectively, when compared with statistical data. With regard to temporal and spatial distributions, autumn irrigated croplands are mainly concentrated in Jiefangzha sub-irrigation district while being scattered across other sub-irrigation districts, depicting an overall decreasing trend in the autumn irrigated area. In summary, the proposed model performed well in identifying irrigation ponds and can offer valuable support for irrigation management.
How to cite: Chen, X., Yang, L., Qian, X., Liu, Y., and Shang, S.: An improved optical trapezoid model to identify irrigation water ponds in the arid irrigation district using Google Earth Engine, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-2125, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-2125, 2025.
In India, governmental agencies and industries are working to promote the adoption of micro-irrigation to enhance irrigation efficiency and farm outputs. However, despite these efforts, the level of development achieved has been unsatisfactory. Improving the irrigation efficiency of existing projects can conserve water to irrigate new areas or meet the needs of the non-agricultural sector. This approach is cost-effective and environmentally sustainable, as it minimizes the need to create additional irrigation potential, which can be resource-intensive and have adverse environmental impacts. A social survey was conducted in the Gadarjudda minor canal command area of the Upper Ganga Canal of Roorkee, Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India to assess the socio-economic and technical factors influencing farmers' perspectives on adopting micro-irrigation systems. Data has been collected through structured interviews across the canal system's head, middle, and tail regions. The study analyzed key aspects: age, education, occupation, cropping patterns, landholding, irrigation sources, and techno-economic feasibility. The results indicated that while farmers had medium awareness, knowledge, and a positive attitude toward micro-irrigation, their low purchasing capacity significantly hindered adoption. Despite a high willingness to adopt the technology, financial constraints remain a significant barrier, even with existing government schemes. The study concludes that, while there is strong interest in adopting micro-irrigation, targeted financial incentives, subsidies, and technical training are essential to overcoming economic constraints, especially for small and marginal farmers, to promote sustainable water management in the canal command area.
How to cite: Chourasia, S. K. and Pandey, A.: Farmers' Perspectives on the Adoption of Micro-Irrigation in Canal Command Areas for Sustainable Water Management Management, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-5466, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-5466, 2025.
The importance of irrigation water management has increased in recent years with the declining summer availability due to climate change, especially for surface waters. Along with an increase of efficiency, the diffusion of pressure irrigation systems (sprinklers, drip irrigation, pivot, etc.) allows for a demand-based irrigation, overcoming the limitations of turn-based management typical of flood irrigation. The challenge of correctly addressing this approach shift is addressed within the GUARDIANS project (https://guardians-project.eu/), funded by the Horizon Europe program. GUARDIANS involves 22 partners from 9 countries in the development and demonstration of IT technologies, specifically designed for small farms, in several study areas. One of these case studies is the irrigation reservoir of Rivoira (Boves, Piedmont, NW Italy), built in 2017 along with a pipeline network that complements the existing irrigation canals. This reservoir, with a capacity of 42000 m3, is supplied by one of these canals and is connected to a pressure irrigation network that can serve about 300 ha; initially conceived as a "last resort basin", it has become the primary water supply source for several farms.
One of the approaches adopted for on-demand irrigation is the use of Decision Support Software (DSS) based on remote sensing satellite images with indicators such as NDWI (Normalized Difference Water Index) and NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index). A major limitation of this approach was found in the limit of 1 ha surface due to the spatial resolution of satellite images (10 m for Sentinel 2), which is hardly met in small farms contexts, and in the scarce correlation between indicators such as NDWI and the ground-based measures of volumetric water content (VWC). The performance of DSS could be improved with ground-based VWC sensors, but their cost is unsustainable for small farms. Low-cost sensors with remote transmission, which have been recently released in the mass-market, have therefore been tested. This solution, which can partially bridge the gap between small and large farms, could be implemented through specific training courses.
This work is carried out within the framework of the GUARDIANS project, funded by the European Union through the Horizon Europe Programme - Farm2Fork (Grant Agreement n. 101084468).
How to cite: Casasso, A., Tavernelli, G., Tesio, F., Vallauri, D., and Allisiardi, C.: Decision Support Software (DSS) in irrigation management: application to small farms, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-9266, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-9266, 2025.
Climate change is already having an impact on agricultural production even in sub-humid regions such as parts of Austria that have not yet been confronted with the problem of limited water availability. Moreover, conditions are set to worsen in the future. In order to meet the expected increased irrigation demand in particular regions and conserve water resources in accordance with the EU Water Framework Directive, water resources for crop production should be managed with foresight and the focus should be on efficient irrigation strategies. This approach is in line with broader efforts to adapt agricultural systems to evolving environmental challenges.
The aim of this study is to assess the impact of irrigation strategies on potato production in north-eastern Austria as well as future developments under the given local conditions. The potato is important for food security both regionally and globally. Potatoes were grown for the study in 2023 and 2024. The trials were set up as a block system in larger plots with a row/dam spacing of 0.75 m and a length of around 150 m. The variants were irrigated with different irrigation systems: drip lines on the dams, sprinklers on a pipe system, and a hose reel with irrigation boom. The potato yield and the irrigation water applied were measured. The actual irrigation strategies as well as future conditions were simulated and evaluated using the FAO AquaCrop crop growth model. The simulations utilized local meteorological data sets from a nearby weather station and future climate scenarios based on RCP 4.5 projections.
In general, the yield differences between the two study years were greater than between the irrigation variants. Drip irrigation resulted in the largest crop water productivity, but the absolute yields showed a more differentiated picture. The evaluation of observed and simulated data from 2023 showed that sprinkler irrigation delivered better production results, while drip irrigation had the lowest yield. In 2024, the drip-irrigated variant produced the largest yields. On average, the boom irrigation was performing best. The AquaCrop simulations reflect a similar picture. In addition, simulated irrigation strategies show how sufficient potato yields are possible with limited water availability. In this respect, more specific irrigation strategies that better incorporate the actual environmental conditions are needed. The climate scenario simulated with AquaCrop for the given site shows future yields and the corresponding water requirements. The results could serve as a basis for adapting local irrigation strategies to changing climatic conditions in order to enable sustainable potato production north-eastern Austria.
How to cite: Rizqi, F. A., Kastelliz, A., and Nolz, R.: Evaluating irrigation strategies for potato production at a sub-humid site under current conditions and future climate scenarios, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-10344, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-10344, 2025.
Water, energy, and food security are essential for human health and development. However the increasing demand for natural resources, has surpassed the capacity of multiple ecosystems and is compromising their sustainability and resilience. The management of these resources is interconnected, and cannot be managed independently, since water and energy are essential for food production. Also their management is crucial for the maintenance of ecosystems, so the WEFE NEXUS emerges as a resource management strategy.
In the Spanish demarcation of the Duero River basin, water scarcity and water stress have become a concern (especially in the main water consumer: irrigated agriculture), which, together with the increase in energy prices, have affected food production and degraded ecosystems. All these WEFE challenges have been traditionally carried out independently, contrary to the international community recommendation of treating them together as WEFE Nexus in order to address their interrelationships and achieve a balance. To promote and co-define WEFE-Nexus transition actions to improve local WEFE-Nexus conditions, four workshops with stakeholders have been performed. The first one aimed to bring together various stakeholders from different institutions or organizations working in the different WEFE NEXUS entities, to concretize a diverse work group and present the WEFE NEXUS methodology through the RRI, applying the RRI Roadmap ©TM, and begin to identify the main challenges from a WEFE NEXUS perspective. The second workshop presented the concrete vision of WEFE NEXUS, the concepts and vision of an expert on the topic, as well as his experiences and points of view. Based on this information and the challenges identified in the first workshop, the serious game methodology was used to analyse in a positive, negative and alternative way possible measures and actions to be to address the challenges. Identifying the advantages and limitations of these actions. The third workshop presented the “as it is” scenario with real relevant data, to set numbers to the challenges identified by the stakeholders themselves. Based on this, a codefined vision of the objective scenario “as it should be” was developed, proposing the priority measures and actions on which the NEL should focus. Co-creating a WEFE NEXUS transition plan in the fourth workshop.
The co-created WEFE NEXUS plan aims at achieving a resilient irrigated agriculture in the Spanish Douro Basin, maintaining the gross income of farmers under the potential future scenarios of water stress, energy increase and agricultural inputs’ cost. It focuses on optimizing the use of resources (water, energy, and fertilizers) for food production while preserving the NEL's natural and productive ecosystems. This plan has four measures: 1) Improve fertilizer use efficiency, 2) Increase energy efficiency, 3) Optimize water use efficiency and 4) Reduce energy dependence. Likewise, it includes eight concrete and complementary actions, which are evaluated with 10 indicators.
How to cite: Rodriguez-Sinobas, L., Schneider, X., Matendo, S. E., Sanchez-Revuelta, M., and Segovia Cardozo, D. A.: Co-creating a Water, Energy, Food and Ecosystem (WEFE) transition in irrigated agriculture systems within the Spanish Duero River Basin ., EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-12866, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-12866, 2025.
Slovenia is one of the countries whose agriculture will be even more susceptible to droughts in the future and is also one of the countries with one of the lowest percentages of agricultural land equipped with irrigation systems. Less than 4% of all land potentially suitable for irrigation (8,000 ha) is equipped with irrigation systems, which means that the majority of agriculture is dependent on rain. In order to improve the situation and pursue an appropriate development policy, the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan for the period 2023–2027 provides funds for the construction of individual irrigation systems, the purchase of equipment and the construction of multi-user irrigation systems.
The proposed measures to enhance irrigation include (i) scaling up irrigation systems, (ii) modernizing irrigation systems (replacing sprinkler systems with drip irrigation, repairing distribution and supply lines and modernizing pumps), (iii) improving efficiency through transfer of property rights (improved irrigation management) and (iv) integrating tools to support irrigation decisions into daily agricultural production.
Our analysis shows that the water use efficiency of the existing irrigation systems is quite high, as closed pressurized systems with sprinklers and drip irrigation were used from the beginning, while large-scale irrigation systems were only introduced in the 1990s. However, obtaining documentation for the construction of new irrigation systems is a lengthy and complex process, as it must take into account the protection of nature, water bodies and cultural heritage, as well as the existing infrastructure. Studies show that there is no solution in the form of simplified legislation that would lower the quality standards of irrigation development. Appropriate approaches are the organization of applications and participation. A system of operational support must be created for investors and producers to help them manage the difficult process of obtaining permits and approvals for irrigation facilities. This requires better organization of work at the local level and stronger support for investors and producers at the national level.
Of the commonly available tools for improved irrigation management, Slovenia has recently introduced a national decision support system for irrigation (SPON). SPON combines the current water content in the soil, the development phase of the plant and the weather forecast. On this basis, it calculates the plants' water requirements on a daily basis, which it provides in the form of irrigation recommendations at plot level. The use of SPON reduces overall water consumption. The possibility of nutrient leaching is reduced, irrigation rations are shortened and the energy consumption of the pumping station is reduced. SPON is available to all farmers in Slovenia (www.spon.si) and is supported by the Slovenian Environment Agency. After its initial phase, SPON has regular users, but there is a great need for training and support for users to accelerate the dissemination of SPON. This strategy will sustainably increase the resilience of agricultural production in Slovenia to drought.
How to cite: Zupanc, V., Pintar, M., Glavan, M., Železnikar, Š., Žvokelj, L., and Cvejić, R.: Toward sustainable irrigation development - case study for Slovenia, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-12906, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-12906, 2025.
Efficient irrigation practices are essential to address water scarcity and sustain wheat production in semi-arid regions. This study evaluates the performance of two distinct irrigation strategies, real irrigation and net irrigation, using the AquaCrop-OSPy (ACOSP) model to simulate the actual water requirements of wheat. The research was conducted in two experimental fields (Field F1 and Field F2) in the Chichaoua region of Morocco during the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 growing seasons. Real irrigation supplied by the farmer in the fields revealed potential inefficiencies, such as over-irrigation and crop stress, particularly in Field F1. To address these issues, a net irrigation strategy was introduced. Net irrigation focuses on maintaining soil moisture at a level that satisfies crops' water needs without applying too much water and without stressing the plant. A threshold of 60% of total available water (TAW) was applied for irrigation scheduling under net irrigation, based on literature findings. The AquaCrop model was firstly calibrated and validated using field data, achieving high accuracy in key simulated growth parameters such as canopy cover (CC), biomass and actual evapotranspiration, with R² values ranging from 72% to 98%. These results confirm the reliability of the model for assessing wheat growth under different irrigation strategies. Significant differences were observed between the two irrigation strategies regarding irrigation quantities, yield, and water productivity. In field F1, the net irrigation approach led to slightly increased water application compared to real irrigation, rising from 369.40 mm to 400 mm in the first season and from 287.61 mm to 388.15 mm in the second season. In field F2, irrigation decreased from 490.75 mm (real) to 400 mm (net) in season 1 and from 454.46 mm to 388.15 mm in season 2. These differences highlight the model's ability to align water application with crop needs under net irrigation. Yields varied from field to field and from season to season. For field F1, yields ranged from 3.45 to 6.84 tones/ha in season 1 and from 3.85 to 7.07 tones/ha in season 2. For field F2, yields under net irrigation showed less variability, ranging from 6.39 to 6.84 tones/ha in season 1 and from 6.59 to 7.07 tones/ha in season 2. WP was always higher under net irrigation, reaching 1.82 kg/m3, confirming that excess water applied under real irrigation did not improve crop water productivity. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of net irrigation in accurately meeting crop water needs and reducing inefficiencies in real irrigation. This study underscores the importance of adopting efficient irrigation strategies to optimize water use and improve agricultural sustainability in semi-arid regions.
How to cite: Kaissi, O., Er-raki, S., Bouras, E. H., Belaqziz, S., and Chehbouni, A.: Application of different irrigation strategies for enhancing water efficiency in wheat production using the AquaCrop model: A case study in semi-arid Morocco , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-13391, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-13391, 2025.
This study presents SWAB (Soil-Water-Atmosphere Advanced Budget), a state-of-the-art and highly operational modeling framework designed for precision irrigation of grapevine, apple, and olive in alpine regions, addressing the practical needs of the agricultural sector and policymakers. SWAB is based on the water budget methodology outlined in FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper No. 56, which provides a robust framework for estimating crop water requirements. However, SWAB extends and improves this methodology by incorporating advanced parameterizations of the Soil-Plant-Atmosphere Continuum (SPAC), specifically adapted to the alpine context. This region is characterized by substantial variability in soil properties and microclimates, requiring a flexible yet precise approach. Furthermore, the model integrates crop-specific parameters tailored to the high-quality production goals of Trentino's agriculture, ensuring it meets the stringent demands of premium apple and wine production.
The study focuses on the Trentino region, where approximately 20,000 hectares of irrigated land are split nearly evenly between apple orchards and vineyards. Apple orchards produce approximately 565,000 tonnes of apples with a Gross Production Value (GPV) of around €187 million. Vineyards yield approximately 141,000 tonnes of wine grapes with a GPV of roughly €160 million. The average GPV per hectare of €17,500 underscores the critical economic importance of irrigated agriculture in the region.
Agriculture in the Alpine arc does not typically face arid conditions during the growing season, as significant precipitation, including extreme events, is observed. However, a notable decline in snowfall has been recorded, which affects the primary water reserves available in spring, crucial for the onset and maintenance of the growing season. These water stocks (reservoirs, lakes, streams) are also used for various other purposes, including ecological sustainability—such as ensuring minimum vital flow for aquatic organisms—as well as tourism and hydropower generation, thereby increasing competition for water resources, particularly during dry winters and springs.
In mountain agriculture, irrigation water is managed by Irrigation Consortia that aim to provide equitable access to all members, considering meteorological conditions to some extent, but largely independent of crop type or soil characteristics. SWAB seeks to meet local demands by estimating the required water supplies to fulfill irrigation needs of the SPAC in the alpine context, while also offering recommendations to irrigation Consortia for enhanced short-term precision irrigation management.
This study focuses on estimating the water supplies needed to meet irrigation requirements in the alpine context, with the potential for analyzing medium- to long-term trends. The results highlight how an integrated modeling approach can support sustainable water resource management in mountain agriculture, enhancing the resilience of the sector in the face of increasing competition for water and climate change.
How to cite: Zottele, F., Mattedi, C., Centurioni, F., and Corradini, S.: Precision Irrigation in the Alps: how SWAB tackles the Water Challenges, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-17073, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-17073, 2025.
In Subsurface Drip Irrigation (SDI) systems, the emitter flow rate is affected by the root intrusion phenomena and the so-called back pressure that limit the buried emitters’ outflow. Several technological solutions have been developed over the years to mitigate these undesired effects (Souza et al, 2014). In this work, in a 6-year experimental campaign, from 2018 to 2023, carried out in a Citrus orchard in Sicily, Italy (38° 4’ 53.4’’ N, 13° 25’ 8.2’’ E), the effect of root intrusion and back pressure on SDI performance was investigated. The experimental field is divided into 4 equivalent plots, in which different root guard emitter treatments were tested. Specifically, two kinds of different herbicides substances (He 1 and He 2), one with copper (Cu) and one without additional substances that was used as a reference (control, Ctrl), were considered. During the six irrigation seasons, inlet discharges and pressure heads were collected, and their variations were used to quantify the effect of root intrusion in terms of local losses. The change in the SDI hydraulic performance was studied using a recent and innovative methodology (Baiamonte et al., 2024) based on a modified Hardy Cross method (HCM), which is suitable for lopped drip irrigation networks. The HCM applications considered local losses and back pressure and required a comprehensive hydraulic characterisation of the soil to estimate accurately the parameters influencing back pressure. Specifically, the influence of root intrusion in different emitters was analysed by considering the time variation of the coefficient of local losses, namely the α-fraction of the kinetic head. The results showed various behaviours among the four root guard emitter treatments. Emitters treated with different herbicides (He 1 and He 2), revealed no significant α-fraction variation in the analysis periods, denoting the effectiveness of He 1 and He 2 treatments in root intrusion protection. On the contrary, for Copper (Cu) and control (Ctrl) treatments, a severe decrease in emitter flow rate was observed, which was determined by high α-fraction variations over the investigated period, reaching α = 50 and α = 32, respectively, by 2023, thus limiting the benefits of SDI systems.
References
Baiamonte G, Vaccaro G, Palermo S (2024) Quantifying local losses due to root intrusion in subsurface drip irrigation systems by monitoring inlet discharge and pressure head. Irrig Sci. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00271-024-00990-y
Souza WDJ, Sinobas LR, Sánchez R, Botrel TA, Coelho RD (2014) Prototype emitter for use in subsurface drip irrigation: Manufacturing, hydraulic evaluation and experimental analyses. Biosyst Eng 128:41–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2014.09.011
How to cite: Vaccaro, G., Alagna, V., De Caro, D., Franco, L., Fusco, M., Giardina, G., Ippolito, M., Palermo, S., and Baiamonte, G.: Investigating Root Intrusion in Subsurface Drip Irrigation Systems: A Comparative Study, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-17139, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-17139, 2025.
IRRITRE for a sustainable irrigation in agriculture of Trentino
Francesco Centurioni, Cecilia Mattedi, Fabio Zottele, Stefano Corradini, Alessandra Gattolin, Fabio Antonelli, Francesca Paolucci, Pietro Franceschi
We present the IRRITRE project, conceived to optimize and monitor water usage for the irrigation of three key crops in Trentino’s Alpine region: apples, wine grapes, and olives; within the context of climate change. Led by the Province of Trento, the initiative is supported by the Edmund Mach Foundation (agronomic expertise), the Bruno Kessler Foundation (sensor development and soil moisture monitoring), and Trentino Digitale (IoT network infrastructure).
Launched in 2024 and set to conclude in 2025, the project has established three pilot sites strategically selected to represent the principal cultivation zones for the crops under study: Tres (Val di Non) for apples, Roverè della Luna (Piana Rotaliana) for vines, and Varone (Garda Trentino) for olives.
At each of these sites, a suite of sensors is being deployed, linked via the LoRaWAN network, which offers wide-area coverage with low energy consumption. These sensors are designed to monitor soil moisture through tensiometers and capacitive probes, measure water volumes with pulse counters on sector valves, and track irrigation flow using flow meters installed along the drip lines near the crops.
By integrating sensor data with a network of meteorological stations, a robust understanding of crop water requirements, and the capabilities of artificial intelligence, the project employs an advanced forecasting model for irrigation known as SWAB (Soil Water Advanced Budget). This model enables the estimation of the water balance for irrigated lands and provides tailored irrigation recommendations to agricultural consortia.
Looking ahead, the project aspires to extend this irrigation decision-support service to more than two hundreds of irrigation consortia around Trentino. By doing so, it aims to gather location-specific data and consolidate insights into water usage in the region, ultimately fostering more sustainable agricultural practices.
How to cite: Centurioni, F., Zottele, F., Mattedi, C., Corradini, S., Franceschi, P., Gattolin, A., Paolucci, F., and Antonelli, F.: IRRITRE for a sustainable irrigation in agriculture of Trentino, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-17487, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-17487, 2025.
The cultivation of mango (Mangifera indica L.) is increasingly spreading in the Mediterranean basin, but it faces significant challenges, including limited water availability and the use of low-quality water during the irrigation season. These issues are further intensified by the impacts of climate change, making it essential to adopt crop and soil management strategies that optimize and preserve this resource. A common management strategy in the Mediterranean environment involves cultivating mango plants on raised beds covered with black plastic mulch. The study aimed to assess the impact of mulching on soil temperature, moisture and salinity, as well as on the eco-physiological behaviour, yield, and fruit quality of mango plants irrigated with very high salinity water during an irrigation season. The experiment was conducted in a 4 -year-old mango orchard (cv. Keitt) near Palermo, Italy. Two soil management strategies were compared: black plastic mulch and unmulched soil, both combined with very high salinity water irrigation (4 mS/cm). Results indicate that, within the first 5 cm of soil depth, the temperature differences between the two experimental conditions were particularly marked. Unmulched soil showed a higher daily temperature excursion, reaching 50°C during the season. At depths between 5 and 10 cm, unmulched soil recorded temperatures above 40°C, while mulched soil did not exceed 32°C. Mulching plays a crucial role in maintaining lower and more stable soil temperatures, especially on days characterized by high air temperatures. The mulched soil also had a higher volumetric water content, probably due to reduced evaporation and a more uniform water distribution in the soil profile. An increase in soil electrical conductivity was observed in the unmulched soil over the season, suggesting a potential surface salt accumulation caused by evaporation. However, at a depth of 25-30 cm, no significant differences were observed between the two experimental conditions. Regarding the net photosynthesis rate, as well as yield and fruit quality parameters, the plants responded similarly under the two different management strategies. Despite mango being notoriously sensitive to saline conditions, plants irrigated with very high salinity water maintained a high photosynthetic activity. In addition, fruits achieved an average weight of 750 g and a total soluble solids content of 15 °Brix, according to the quality standards required by the European market. The results of the study are promising, but the data collected will need to be further validated in the next season to assess the long-term impact of mulching and salt accumulation in the soil.
Aknowledgment: this research was funded under Action 2 of the “Budget Strategico del Dipatimento SAAF” of the University of Palermo prot. 206917 – 18/12/2023.
How to cite: Bellitti, S., Autovino, D., Farina, V., Franco, L., Gugliuzza, G., Iovino, M., and Mezzano, M.: Impact of mulching and high salinity water irrigation on mango: a preliminary study in Mediterranean environment, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-18114, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-18114, 2025.
Spain is one of the most important tomato producers of the European Union, but the elevated water requirements of this crop together with the water scarcity that the country undergoes, lead farmers to look for new alternatives to optimize the use of the water and nutrients used for its growth. For this reason, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a combined treatment of biostimulation and irrigation reduction on the yield parameters, irrigation water productivity (WPi), productivity of the macronutrients nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) and soil enzymatic activity in two commercial greenhouses of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). The treatments evaluated were: i) FARMER: irrigated by farmer criteria, and ii) BIO: Biostimulated with seaweed extracts and microorganisms, and irrigated by monitoring the soil water content during the whole crop cycle through the use of real-time probes. The biostimulation program consisted of Ascophyllum nodosum extract applied by foliar and drip irrigation in both trials. In addition, the application of a third biostimulant composed by Bacillus paralicheniformis was added in trial 2. In both trials, the water savings in the BIO treatment with respect to their FARMER were 842 m3 ha-1 and 117 m3 ha-1, for trial 1 and 2, respectively. BIO treatment increased the number of fruits and the yield of tomato, therefore, an increase in the WPi and the productivity factor of N-P-K was observed. In addition, the enzymatic activities of the soil, β-glucosidase, phosphatase and urease showed a trend to improve in the BIO treatments in comparison to FARMER, making the nutrients more available for the plants. In conclusion, the application of biostimulants combined with irrigation reduction has been proved to be a strategy that allows reducing the water irrigation and fertilizers applied to tomato, improving its yield and soil enzymatic activities. This combination increases the economical and environmentally sustainable of tomato under greenhouse.
This work is a result of the AGROALNEXT programme and was supported by MCIN with funding from European Union NextGenerationEU (PRTR-C17.I1) and by Fundación Séneca with funding from Comunidad Autónoma Región de Murcia (CARM). Funding has also been received from the FMC Agricultural Sciences chair of the UPCT, an agreement between FMC Agricultural Solutions and UPCT.
How to cite: Pérez-Pastor, A., Marin-Durán, L., Zapata-García, S., Berrios, P., Temnani, A., Pérez-López, R., and Monllor, C.: Strategies to resources optimization in tomato, combination of soil water monitoring and biostimulation, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-20348, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-20348, 2025.
In recent years, considerable efforts have been dedicated to developing simple solutions for designing one-lateral and rectangular drip irrigation systems (Baiamonte, 2018). However, the trapezoidal shape that often aligns more naturally with the division of agricultural fields, has been poorly attempted; furthermore, it serves as a fundamental model from which rectangular and triangular configurations can be derived as specific cases. Building on previous research, new analytical solutions for trapezoidal units have been proposed (Baiamonte and Palermo, 2025), demonstrating that the rectangular shape (RCT) is a special case of these solutions. Moreover, a comprehensive performance analysis of trapezoidal units was conducted using the pressure head tolerance concept. Two types of trapezoidal units were evaluated based on their feed points: major base-fed (MJR) and minor base-fed (MNR). Interestingly, the MJR-fed trapezoidal unit exhibited higher hydraulic emission uniformity than both the RCT and MNR configurations. This improved performance is attributed to lower manifold inside diameters, reduced inlet pressure heads, and a smaller coefficient of variation in the pressure head distribution. As a result, MJR is recommended over both RCT and MNR. An application demonstrating the near-complete hydraulic emission uniformity achievable with MJR trapezoidal drip irrigation units is presented and analyzed, further supporting the effectiveness of the proposed design approach.
References
Baiamonte, G. (2018). Explicit Relationships for Optimal Designing of Rectangular Microirrigation Units on Uniform Slopes: the IRRILAB Software Application. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 153:151-168, https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.compag.2018.08.005
Baiamonte, G., Palermo, S. (2024). Designing Trapezoidal Drip Irrigation Units laid on Flat Fields. J Irrig Drain E-ASCE. Doi: 10.1061/JIDEDH/IRENG-10437
How to cite: Palermo, S. S. and Baiamonte, G.: Achieving near-complete hydraulic emission uniformity in Trapezoidal Drip Irrigation Units fed from the Major Base, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-11610, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-11610, 2025.
Posters virtual: Tue, 29 Apr, 14:00–15:45 | vPoster spot 3
EGU25-4327 | Posters virtual | VPS14
Farmer´s perception on water crop necessities and crop coefficients in the Sierra Norte of Ecuador. Lessons learnt from field surveys.Tue, 29 Apr, 14:00–15:45 (CEST) | vP3.14
The optimal determination of the crop water requirements is the probably the most relevant operational variables the farmers managing irrigated lands must set to ensure the optimal use of water for irrigation. The absence of robust crop coefficient estimates constitutes a great limitation for maximizing the performance of agriculture in remote agricultural areas of developing countries. In such areas where despite they usually present optimal environment for cropping activities, technical and knowledge-related barriers strongly limit the development of efficient agriculture and the transference of existing knowledge on the crop coefficient. Seeking to help raise the knowledge on crop coefficient we have studied the local crop coefficient practices in the Sierra Norte of Ecuador area conducting a field research to collect the ongoing practices and farmers´ perceptions. The results from the survey reveal farmers have no information on the crop coefficients and the crop water demands and use rudimentary indicators to implement the irrigation decisions.
How to cite: Zubelzu, S., Chalacán, D., Gómez-Villarino, M. T., and López-Santiago, J.: Farmer´s perception on water crop necessities and crop coefficients in the Sierra Norte of Ecuador. Lessons learnt from field surveys., EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-4327, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-4327, 2025.
EGU25-18020 | Posters virtual | VPS14
Optimizing Irrigation Strategies for Pomegranates and Persimmons in Valencian RegionTue, 29 Apr, 14:00–15:45 (CEST) | vP3.15
In recent decades, the scarcity of fresh water has become a significant issue, particularly in arid regions, leading to increased competition for water among agricultural, industrial, and urban users. The widespread limitations on water for agriculture highlight the need for strategies that enhance the efficiency of irrigation water use. Pomegranates and persimmons, although considered minor fruit trees, have gained considerable attention in Spain and worldwide due to their organoleptic characteristics and health benefits. As a result, they present interesting options for diversifying fruit production in the Mediterranean basin, especially since these species are known to tolerate water stress. A three-year study investigated the agronomic responses of both crops to deficit irrigation, specifically focusing on sustained deficit irrigation (SDI) and regulated deficit irrigation (RDI). For pomegranates, RDI - where water applied is reduced to 33% of the total irrigation requirements during the flowering (RDI1) and fruit set (RDI2) periods - has been identified as a viable strategy under water-limited conditions. On the other hand, the tested SDI strategy (applying 50% of the irrigation water requirements throughout the crop cycle) should be reserved for extreme water scarcity situations. For persimmons, the tested SDI strategy, which reduces water applied to 70% of the water requirements, is recommended as it achieves a 30% water saving while maintaining production levels comparable to the control group, thereby enhancing water productivity. In contrast, RDI - where water is reduced during the flowering and fruit setting stages (60% in RDI1 and 40% in RDI2) - yielded intermediate results, providing lower water savings without increasing production relative to the SDI. In conclusion, both studies suggest that pomegranates and persimmons could serve as alternative options to citrus fruits in Valencia, considering their positive productive responses to deficit irrigation.
How to cite: Pascual-Seva, N., Porras, R., Aguilar, J. M., Baixauli, C., and Pascual, B.: Optimizing Irrigation Strategies for Pomegranates and Persimmons in Valencian Region, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-18020, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-18020, 2025.
