Browsing by Subject "Irrigation efficiency"

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Effect of irrigation canal conveyance efficiency enhancement on crop productivity under climate change in Nepal
(2024) Basukala, Amit Kumar; Eschenbach, Annette; Rasche, Livia
Nepal is expanding its irrigation facilities as an adaptive measure to climate change; however, the current canal conveyance efficiency (CCE) is low with significant water losses. In this study, we assess the potential impact of increasing CCE on the productivity of rice, maize, and wheat under different climate change scenarios (SSP1-2.6, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5), utilizing three bias-adjusted general circulation models. The study simulates potential yields at ecoregion levels for two periods: near future (2023 to 2050) and end-century (2075 to 2100). Management scenarios include the following: (1) business as usual, (2) CCE at 30%, (3) CCE at 50%, and (4) CCE at 70%. The results indicate that increasing CCE to 30%, coupled with expanded irrigated areas and adjusted fertilization rates, could boost yields by three tons per hectare across all three crops at the national level. Further increasing CCE to 50% could yield additional increases of up to 0.6 t/ha of maize and 1.2 t/ha of rice in the terai region. A CCE of 70% results in further increases of up to 2.1 t/ha of rice and 1.2 t/ha of maize. The benefits of improved CCE vary by location, with the subtropical terai region experiencing the most and the mountain regions showing the least. We conclude that there is potential to increase yields by increasing CCE to 70% in the terai region, 50% in the hill region, and 30% in the mountains. Wheat appears to benefit the least from improved CCE. This work highlights efficient irrigation as a reliable adaptive measure for future climate change in Nepal.
Subsurface drip irrigation reduces weed infestation and irrigation water use while increasing inflorescence and cannabinoid yield in an outdoor tunnel Cannabis sativa L. production system
(2025) Büser, Christian; Hartung, Jens; Graeff-Hönninger, Simone
Cannabis ( Cannabis sativa L.) has served as a valuable medicinal plant for thousands of years and is experiencing a resurgence in cultivation and research due to recent legal changes. However, the resource-intensive nature of cannabis cultivation, particularly water and energy demands, poses significant environmental challenges. Outdoor cultivation in a semi-controlled environment can reduce those energy demands but necessitates irrigation. Drip irrigation (DI) is the most commonly used irrigation method but is often criticized for its susceptibility to water losses through evaporation and the risk of surface runoff. Subsurface Drip Irrigation (SDI) provides a sustainable solution by minimizing evaporation losses while maintaining or increasing yields, thereby enhancing water use efficiency. In this study, we compared the effects of DI and SDI on weed infestation, total water usage, inflorescence yield, and water use efficiency of three CBD-rich cannabis chemotype III genotypes (Kanada, Terra Italia, FED) in an outdoor foil tunnel cultivation system. SDI resulted in a reduction of irrigation water usage by 18.6% compared to DI. Remarkably, weed dry biomass was reduced by 93.2% in SDI. Concomitantly, inflorescence yield increased by 5% and CBD concentration by 9%. Overall, the water use efficiency of inflorescence yield and CBD concentration was significantly higher in SDI than in DI. Our results indicated that implementing SDI instead of DI can significantly decrease irrigation water use and reduce weed infestation while increasing inflorescence and CBD yield, thus reducing the environmental challenges associated with cannabis cultivation.