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Agronomy
Special Issues
Advanced Irrigation Management for Mitigating Environmental Impacts on Agricultural Systems
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Advanced Irrigation Management for Mitigating Environmental Impacts on Agricultural Systems

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Water Use and Irrigation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2020) | Viewed by 10605

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Willibald Loiskandl

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Soil Physics and Rural Water Management (SoPhy), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Muthgasse 18, 1190 Vienna, Austria
Interests: hydraulics; soil fertility; environment; sustainability; soil analysis; soil and water conservation; water resources engineering; water resources management; environmental impact assessment; hydrological modeling

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The aim of this Special Issue is to discuss new developments in irrigation practice and management. The focus should be on a comprehensive approach within agricultural systems. Topics may vary from new high-tech solutions to affordable practices, especially for smallholder farmers. The relation of water and soil with respect to soil fertility, soil protection and remediation could also be addressed. Agricultural practices should acknowledge the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) to ensure safe and sufficient food supply for a growing population worldwide and at the same time minimizing impacts on the environment and health. Technical solutions and social as well as economic issues are part of holistic management practice. The role of irrigation in this context is commonly not doubted, but new challenges and pressures on natural resources need new and innovative approaches. This is not about what technology is available, but what technology and management practice are most appropriate for a specific situation. There is definitely not a single solution available. Hence, the Special Issue is a platform to discuss and exchange different and innovative approaches.

Prof. Willibald Loiskandl
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sustainable agricultural systems
  • irrigation technologies
  • environmental impact assessment
  • water use efficiency
  • SDG's
  • irrigation innovations
  • natural resources
  • land use

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 1876 KiB  
Article
Yield Assessment of Maize Varieties under Varied Water Application in Semi-Arid Conditions of Southern Mozambique
by Alfredo Nhantumbo, Sebastião Famba, Isaac Fandika, Armindo Cambule and Elijah Phiri
Agronomy 2021, 11(12), 2541; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11122541 - 14 Dec 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3120
Abstract
Maize is one of the most important staple food crops in Mozambique. Its production is country-wise dominated by smallholder farmers (more than 90%) under rain-fed conditions, where the risk of crop failure is high, especially under semi-arid conditions in southern Mozambique. Several maize [...] Read more.
Maize is one of the most important staple food crops in Mozambique. Its production is country-wise dominated by smallholder farmers (more than 90%) under rain-fed conditions, where the risk of crop failure is high, especially under semi-arid conditions in southern Mozambique. Several maize genotypes have been developed for the broad agro-ecological zone adaptation but lack strong evidence about their productivity and yield stability to support decision-making in farming systems. In order to assess the yield and yield stability of maize genotypes under different environments, five identical on-station trials were implemented in the period 2017 to 2019, covering summer and winter seasons in the semi-arid region of southern Mozambique. The trials were established at the experimental station of the Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM) in Sábie and at the Instituto de Investigação Agrária de Moçambique (IIAM) in Chókwe. A strip-plot design in a randomized complete block arrangement with 15 maize genotypes, and three water application (rainfall plus irrigation) levels in four replications was followed in a line-source irrigation arrangement. The water application levels varied from 151 mm to 804 mm, covering different water regimes. Under well-watered summer conditions, the genotypes G6 and G12 showed high yield and high grain yield stability. In the drier conditions, either in summer or winter, the G2 and G11 genotypes produced higher grain yield but with low stability. Both groups of genotypes have a high potential to be included in technology transfer packages to smallholder farmers to address food security or large-scale commercial farmers differently. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Irrigation Management for Mitigating Environmental Impacts on Agricultural Systems)
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20 pages, 4281 KiB  
Article
The Contribution of Groundwater to the Salinization of Reservoir-Based Irrigation Systems
by Michiele Gebrehiwet, Nata T. Tafesse, Solomon Habtu, Berhanu F. Alemaw, Kebabonye Laletsang and Reneilwe Lasarwe
Agronomy 2021, 11(3), 512; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11030512 - 10 Mar 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2561
Abstract
This study evaluates the cause of salinization in an irrigation scheme of 100 ha supplied from a reservoir. The scheme is located in Gumselasa catchment (28 km2), Tigray region, northern Ethiopia. The catchment is underlain by limestone–shale–marl intercalations with dolerite intrusion [...] Read more.
This study evaluates the cause of salinization in an irrigation scheme of 100 ha supplied from a reservoir. The scheme is located in Gumselasa catchment (28 km2), Tigray region, northern Ethiopia. The catchment is underlain by limestone–shale–marl intercalations with dolerite intrusion and some recent sediments. Water balance computation, hydrochemical analyses and irrigation water quality analyses methods were used in this investigation. Surface waters (river and reservoir) and groundwater samples were collected and analyzed. The water table in the irrigated land is ranging 0.2–2 m below the ground level. The majority of groundwater in the effective watershed area and the river and dam waters are fresh and alkaline whereas in the command area the groundwater is dominantly brackish and alkaline. The main hydrochemical facies in the groundwater in the effective watershed area are Ca-Na-SO4-HCO3, Ca-Na- HCO3-SO4, and Ca-Na-Mg-SO4-HCO3. The river and dam waters are Mg-Na-HCO3-SO4 and HCO3-SO4-Cl types, respectively. In the command area the main hydrochemical facies in the groundwater are Ca-Na-HCO3-SO4 and Ca-Na-Mg-SO4-HCO3. Irrigation water quality analyses revealed that salinity and toxicity hazards increase from the effective watershed to the irrigated land following the direction of the water flow. The results also showed that the analyzed waters for irrigation purpose had no sodicity hazard. The major composition controlling mechanisms in the groundwater chemistry was identified as the dissolution of carbonate minerals, silicate weathering, and cation exchange. One of the impacts of the construction of the dam in the hydrologic environment of the catchment is on its groundwater potential. The dam is indirectly recharging the aquifers and enhances the groundwater potential of the area. This increment of availability of groundwater enhanced dissolution of carbonate minerals (calcite, dolomite, and gypsum), silicate weathering and cation exchange processes, which are the main causes of salinity in the irrigated land. The rising of the brackish groundwater combined with insufficient leaching contributed to secondary salinization development in the irrigated land. Installation of surface and subsurface drainage systems and planting salt tolerant (salt loving) plants are recommended to minimize the risk of salinization and salt accumulation in the soils of the irrigated land. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Irrigation Management for Mitigating Environmental Impacts on Agricultural Systems)
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Review

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21 pages, 8282 KiB  
Review
Requirements for Sustainable Irrigated Agriculture
by Willibald Loiskandl and Reinhard Nolz
Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 306; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020306 - 9 Feb 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4088
Abstract
The aim of this review is to present a holistic view on irrigation with respect to local environmental and social conditions. Future irrigation development is addressed with a focus on sustainable development. However, technical irrigation aspects are included and references are provided for [...] Read more.
The aim of this review is to present a holistic view on irrigation with respect to local environmental and social conditions. Future irrigation development is addressed with a focus on sustainable development. However, technical irrigation aspects are included and references are provided for further reading and completeness. An irrigation intervention is always a combination of feasible technical, social and environmental aspects. This review provides an overview of the various fields of expertise involved in irrigation interventions and contributes to cross-discipline discussions and understanding. The selected cases demonstrate the bias of human developments and they serve to raise awareness of the impact of human interventions. The practical examples refer mainly to the authors’ project experiences and were selected so as to support pathways for sustainable irrigation development. Placing modern irrigation in relation to sustainable development goals needs a sophisticated holistic approach. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Irrigation Management for Mitigating Environmental Impacts on Agricultural Systems)
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