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The adoption of small-scale pumped irrigation technologies was evaluated using field surveys in Malawi. Four pumped systems were identified, distinguished by ownership (group versus individual) and technology (treadle versus motorized). Farmer access to pumps was either through organizational support (incentivized) or privately (self-motivated), with progression depending on the mode of access and farmers’ attributes. Self-motivated farmers had better socioeconomic status and access to knowledge supporting the pumps’ continued use. Conversely, incentives drive the uptake of other pumps, and the provision of continued external support reinforced their continued use. Farmers need to be supported beyond affordability by safeguarding the availability and maintenance of pumps.
Jean Kamwamba-Mtethiwa; Kenneth Wiyo; Jerry Knox; Keith Weatherhead. Diffusion of small-scale pumped irrigation technologies and their association with farmer-led irrigation development in Malawi. Water International 2021, 46, 397 -416.
AMA StyleJean Kamwamba-Mtethiwa, Kenneth Wiyo, Jerry Knox, Keith Weatherhead. Diffusion of small-scale pumped irrigation technologies and their association with farmer-led irrigation development in Malawi. Water International. 2021; 46 (3):397-416.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJean Kamwamba-Mtethiwa; Kenneth Wiyo; Jerry Knox; Keith Weatherhead. 2021. "Diffusion of small-scale pumped irrigation technologies and their association with farmer-led irrigation development in Malawi." Water International 46, no. 3: 397-416.
Droughts can exert significant pressure on regional water resources resulting in abstraction constraints for irrigated agriculture with consequences for productivity and revenue. While water trading can support more efficient water allocation, high transactional costs and delays in approvals often restrict its wider uptake among users. Collaborative water sharing is an alternative approach to formal water trading that has received much less regulatory and industry attention. This study assessed how the potential benefits of water sharing to reduce water resources risks in agriculture are affected by both drought severity and the spatial scale of water-sharing agreements. The research focused on an intensively farmed lowland catchment in Eastern England, a known hot-spot for irrigation intensity and recurrent abstraction pressures. The benefits of water sharing were modelled at four spatial scales: (i) individual licence (with no water sharing), (ii) tributary water sharing among small farmer groups (iii) sub-catchment and (iv) catchment scale. The benefits of water sharing were evaluated based on the modelled reductions in the probability of an irrigation deficit occurring (reducing drought risks) and reduced licensed ‘headroom’ (spare capacity redeployed for more equitable allocation). The potential benefits of water sharing were found to increase with scale, but its impact was limited at high levels of drought severity due to regulatory drought management controls. The broader implications for water sharing to mitigate drought impacts, the barriers to wider uptake and the environmental consequences are discussed.
Rishma Chengot; Jerry Knox; Ian Holman. Evaluating the Feasibility of Water Sharing as a Drought Risk Management Tool for Irrigated Agriculture. Sustainability 2021, 13, 1456 .
AMA StyleRishma Chengot, Jerry Knox, Ian Holman. Evaluating the Feasibility of Water Sharing as a Drought Risk Management Tool for Irrigated Agriculture. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (3):1456.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRishma Chengot; Jerry Knox; Ian Holman. 2021. "Evaluating the Feasibility of Water Sharing as a Drought Risk Management Tool for Irrigated Agriculture." Sustainability 13, no. 3: 1456.
Mark Pawlett; Jacqueline Ann Hannam; Jerry W. Knox. Redefining soil health. Microbiology 2021, 167, 001030 .
AMA StyleMark Pawlett, Jacqueline Ann Hannam, Jerry W. Knox. Redefining soil health. Microbiology. 2021; 167 (1):001030.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMark Pawlett; Jacqueline Ann Hannam; Jerry W. Knox. 2021. "Redefining soil health." Microbiology 167, no. 1: 001030.
Droughts pose a major risk to agricultural production. By comparing the outputs from an ecophysiological crop model (Sirius) with four drought severity indicators (DSI), a comparative assessment of the impacts of drought risk on wheat yield losses has been evaluated under current (baseline) and two future climate scenarios. The rationale was to better understand the relative merits and limitations of each approach from the perspective of quantifying agricultural drought impacts on crop productivity. Modelled yield losses were regressed against the highest correlated variant for each DSI. A cumulative distribution function of yield loss for each scenario (baseline, near and far future) was calculated as a function of the best fitting DSI (SPEI-5July) and with the equivalent outputs from the Sirius model. Comparative analysis between the two approaches highlighted large differences in estimated yield loss attributed to drought, both in terms of magnitude and direction of change, for both the baseline and future scenario. For the baseline, the average year differences were large (0.25 t ha−1 and 1.4 t ha−1 for the DSI and Sirius approaches, respectively). However, for the dry year, baseline differences were substantial (0.7 t ha−1 and 2.7 t ha−1). For the DSI approach, future yield losses increased up to 1.25 t ha−1 and 2.8 t ha−1 (for average and dry years, respectively). In contrast, the Sirius modelling showed a reduction in future average yield loss, down from a baseline 1.4 t ha−1 to 1.0 t ha−1, and a marginal reduction for a future dry year from a baseline of 2.7 t ha−1 down to 2.6 t ha−1. The comparison highlighted the risks in adopting a DSI response function approach, particularly for estimating future drought related yield losses, where changing crop calendars and the impacts of CO2 fertilisation on yield are not incorporated. The challenge lies in integrating knowledge from DSIs to understand the onset, extent and severity of an agricultural drought with ecophysiological crop modelling to understand the yield responses and water use relations with respect to changing soil moisture conditions.
D Clarke; T M Hess; D Haro-Monteagudo; M.A. Semenov; J W Knox. Assessing future drought risks and wheat yield losses in England. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 2020, 297, 108248 .
AMA StyleD Clarke, T M Hess, D Haro-Monteagudo, M.A. Semenov, J W Knox. Assessing future drought risks and wheat yield losses in England. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 2020; 297 ():108248.
Chicago/Turabian StyleD Clarke; T M Hess; D Haro-Monteagudo; M.A. Semenov; J W Knox. 2020. "Assessing future drought risks and wheat yield losses in England." Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 297, no. : 108248.
An effective placement of irrigation efficiency in water management will contribute towards meeting the pre-eminent global water challenges of our time such as addressing water scarcity, boosting crop water productivity and reconciling competing water needs between sectors. However, although irrigation efficiency may appear to be a simple measure of performance and imply dramatic positive benefits, it is not straightforward to understand, measure or apply. For example, hydrological understanding that irrigation losses recycle back to surface and groundwater in river basins attempts to account for scale, but this generalisation cannot be readily translated from one location to another or be considered neutral for farmers sharing local irrigation networks. Because irrigation efficiency (IE) motives, measures, effects and technologies play out at different scales for different people, organisations and purposes, and losses differ from place to place and over time, IE is a contested term, highly changeable and subjective. This makes generalisations for science, management and policy difficult. Accordingly, we propose new definitions for IE and irrigation hydrology and introduce a framework, termed an ‘irrigation efficiency matrix’, comprising five spatial scales and ten dimensions to understand and critique the promises, pitfalls and paradoxes of IE and to unlock its utility for addressing contemporary water challenges.
Bruce Lankford; Alvar Closas; James Dalton; Elena López Gunn; Tim Hess; Jerry W Knox; Saskia van der Kooij; Jonathan Lautze; David Molden; Stuart Orr; Jamie Pittock; Brian Richter; Philip J Riddell; Christopher A Scott; Jean-Philippe Venot; Jeroen Vos; Margreet Zwarteveen. A scale-based framework to understand the promises, pitfalls and paradoxes of irrigation efficiency to meet major water challenges. Global Environmental Change 2020, 65, 102182 .
AMA StyleBruce Lankford, Alvar Closas, James Dalton, Elena López Gunn, Tim Hess, Jerry W Knox, Saskia van der Kooij, Jonathan Lautze, David Molden, Stuart Orr, Jamie Pittock, Brian Richter, Philip J Riddell, Christopher A Scott, Jean-Philippe Venot, Jeroen Vos, Margreet Zwarteveen. A scale-based framework to understand the promises, pitfalls and paradoxes of irrigation efficiency to meet major water challenges. Global Environmental Change. 2020; 65 ():102182.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBruce Lankford; Alvar Closas; James Dalton; Elena López Gunn; Tim Hess; Jerry W Knox; Saskia van der Kooij; Jonathan Lautze; David Molden; Stuart Orr; Jamie Pittock; Brian Richter; Philip J Riddell; Christopher A Scott; Jean-Philippe Venot; Jeroen Vos; Margreet Zwarteveen. 2020. "A scale-based framework to understand the promises, pitfalls and paradoxes of irrigation efficiency to meet major water challenges." Global Environmental Change 65, no. : 102182.
Food production systems worldwide are increasingly exposed to water shortage shocks. Social-ecological resilience theory provides insights into the qualities which confer production systems with the capacity to absorb shocks and persist, undertake adaptations and ultimately achieve desirable transformations. Combining findings from the analysis of a set of 15 semi-structured interviews and 92 survey responses from growers in the UK, this paper uses resilience theory to explore the factors affecting exposure to the risk of water shortages, and management responses, within outdoor field vegetable production systems that depend on supplemental irrigation. The findings confirm that growers predominantly aim to build resilience by seeking to maintain a buffer or ‘headroom’ in their water resources to minimise the possibility that a shortage will disrupt their output of marketable produce and/ or lead to financial loss. This buffering strategy confers robustness by increasing system redundancy (availability of spare resources). But building-in redundancy conflicts with regulatory and supply chain pressures to maximise water and production efficiency respectively. Whilst stability of supply to consumers is, for the most-part, achieved, the discrepant pursuits of robustness and efficiency lock agricultural systems into increasingly rigid production and sales pathways, limiting capacities for adaptation and transformation - dimensions of resilience which permit successful system evolution in the context of more extreme shocks and stresses.
Chloe Sutcliffe; Jerry Knox; Tim Hess. Managing irrigation under pressure: How supply chain demands and environmental objectives drive imbalance in agricultural resilience to water shortages. Agricultural Water Management 2020, 243, 106484 .
AMA StyleChloe Sutcliffe, Jerry Knox, Tim Hess. Managing irrigation under pressure: How supply chain demands and environmental objectives drive imbalance in agricultural resilience to water shortages. Agricultural Water Management. 2020; 243 ():106484.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChloe Sutcliffe; Jerry Knox; Tim Hess. 2020. "Managing irrigation under pressure: How supply chain demands and environmental objectives drive imbalance in agricultural resilience to water shortages." Agricultural Water Management 243, no. : 106484.
Banana (Musa spp.) is one of the most valuable global agricultural commodities, with commercial plantations responsible for supplying nearly 15 % of total global banana production. These plantations are underpinned by major infrastructural investments and a high dependence on fertilizer, pesticide and irrigation inputs. In contrast, smallholders and subsistence farmers often cultivate bananas for local markets with minimal inputs. Water stress due to increasing rainfall variability and competition for water resources are emerging as major production constraints for both commercial and smallholder production. Water stress-induced yield losses of up to 65 % have been reported due to loss in bunch weight even in moderate to low rainfall areas. Thus, investments in more efficient irrigation systems and water-saving technologies are being widely promoted to increase water productivity through improved scheduling to reduce drainage and runoff losses. This paper synthesises scientific and industry evidence on crop growth and development including root and shoot development, plant water relations, and yield response to water. It also critiques the importance of irrigation scheduling for maximising irrigation efficiency. New evidence to support the synchronization of irrigation with crop water demand to reduce environmental impacts is provided. High variability in crop water demand (1200–2690 mm per year) was found to be linked to cultivar choice, crop development cycle, and fluctuating conditions in environmental and edaphic factors. The findings confirm that irrigation should be scheduled at moderate levels of soil water deficit sufficient to promote deep and extensive rooting while maintaining banana quality. Management practices are recommended to mitigate water stress without compromising yield under limited rainfall and irrigation conditions. The ratooning cycle of banana also affects rooting activity and crop coefficients (Kc) compared to other annual crops. These aspects need to be considered when improving irrigation and crop modelling for banana. The findings provide valuable new insights and evidence for scientists and practitioners involved in banana research and management.
Niranjan Panigrahi; Andrew J. Thompson; Sergio Zubelzu; Jerry W. Knox. Identifying opportunities to improve management of water stress in banana production. Scientia Horticulturae 2020, 276, 109735 .
AMA StyleNiranjan Panigrahi, Andrew J. Thompson, Sergio Zubelzu, Jerry W. Knox. Identifying opportunities to improve management of water stress in banana production. Scientia Horticulturae. 2020; 276 ():109735.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNiranjan Panigrahi; Andrew J. Thompson; Sergio Zubelzu; Jerry W. Knox. 2020. "Identifying opportunities to improve management of water stress in banana production." Scientia Horticulturae 276, no. : 109735.
Irrigation expansion driven by a growing global food demand is threatening the sustainability of scarce water resources. An exemplar is the Ica Valley in Peru which has experienced significant agricultural transformation over the last three decades with uncontrolled abstractions leading to over-exploitation of the Ica-Villacuri aquifer. This paper critically assesses the impacts of agricultural expansion on the long-term sustainability of groundwater resources in the Ica Valley. We apply a combination of spatial analysis and irrigation modelling by farming type (large and small-scale), followed by a multi-criteria assessment on irrigation water use. Historical trends in cropped area were analysed using Landsat satellite imagery to identify agricultural expansion and the changing composition between large and small-scale farms. The blue water footprint (WFblue) for croplands was calculated distinguishing between surface and groundwater abstractions for eight disaggregated geographical zones within the Ica Valley. The economic benefits of water consumption were assessed using the water productivity indicator, and the environmental sustainability of water resources spatially evaluated using a monthly blue water sustainability index and adapted version of the groundwater debt. The analyses showed that the groundwater footprint accounts for 87% of the total WFblue (483 Mm3) with 286 Mm3 groundwater consumed under unsustainable conditions (exceeding groundwater recharge). The highest water productivity (2.4-5.4 sol/ton) occurs in zones with intensive groundwater abstractions and where most large-farms are located, but it is also where the sustainability issue is most acute. Modelling showed that based on existing climate conditions and cropping patterns, irrigated agriculture is locally unsustainable throughout the valley, with the exception of small-scale farming in the peri-urban and middle valley areas. Around 10% of total aquifer recharge results from small-scale irrigated farming, whereas recharge from large scale farming is negligible. The greatest impacts occur in zones dominated by large-scale farms, where a period of 3.7 to 5.9 years is estimated to be needed to replenish water resources consumed by agricultural production. There is thus an urgent need to manage water resources more effectively and promote more sustainable use of water to protect both traditional and agro-export agricultural practices as well as allocations for urban water supply and the environment.
Gloria Salmoral; Araceli Viñarta Carbó; Eduardo Zegarra; Jerry W. Knox; Dolores Rey. Reconciling irrigation demands for agricultural expansion with environmental sustainability - A preliminary assessment for the Ica Valley, Peru. Journal of Cleaner Production 2020, 276, 123544 .
AMA StyleGloria Salmoral, Araceli Viñarta Carbó, Eduardo Zegarra, Jerry W. Knox, Dolores Rey. Reconciling irrigation demands for agricultural expansion with environmental sustainability - A preliminary assessment for the Ica Valley, Peru. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2020; 276 ():123544.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGloria Salmoral; Araceli Viñarta Carbó; Eduardo Zegarra; Jerry W. Knox; Dolores Rey. 2020. "Reconciling irrigation demands for agricultural expansion with environmental sustainability - A preliminary assessment for the Ica Valley, Peru." Journal of Cleaner Production 276, no. : 123544.
Water is a fundamental component in primary food production, whether it be rainfall, irrigation used to water crops, or for supplying drinking water for animals, while the amount of water in the soil determines it capacity to support machinery and animals. We identify that UK agriculture is exposed to five main water-related risks: agricultural drought, scarcity of water resources, restrictions on the right to abstract water, excess soil water, and inundation. Projected milder, wetter winters and hotter, drier summers by the end of the century will change the frequency, persistence, or severity of each of these risks. This paper critically reviews and synthesizes the scientific literature on the impact of these risks on primary food production and the technological and managerial strategies employed to build resilience to these changing risks. At the farm scale, the emphasis has been on strategies to build robustness to reduce the impact of a water-related risk. However, collaborative partnerships allow for a more optimal allocation of water during times of scarcity. Enhancing cross-scale interactions, learning opportunities, and catchment-scale autonomy will be key to ensuring the agricultural system can build adaptive and transformational capacity.
Tim Hess; Jerry Knox; Ian Holman; Chloe Sutcliffe. Resilience of Primary Food Production to a Changing Climate: On-Farm Responses to Water-Related Risks. Water 2020, 12, 2155 .
AMA StyleTim Hess, Jerry Knox, Ian Holman, Chloe Sutcliffe. Resilience of Primary Food Production to a Changing Climate: On-Farm Responses to Water-Related Risks. Water. 2020; 12 (8):2155.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTim Hess; Jerry Knox; Ian Holman; Chloe Sutcliffe. 2020. "Resilience of Primary Food Production to a Changing Climate: On-Farm Responses to Water-Related Risks." Water 12, no. 8: 2155.
Peru has one of the fastest-growing economies in Latin America, but there are concerns regarding how long this can be sustained. Negative environmental impacts are increasing due to the pressures of a growing urban population and competition for natural resources. This study explores stakeholder perceptions linked to nexus governance in the context of integrated management of natural resources, particularly water, and the environmental, socio-economic and governance challenges constraining the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our analysis focused on the urban and rural areas associated with the city of Arequipa, an economically dynamic region subject to extreme levels of water stress. Face-to-face interviews with key informants were conducted to identify mechanisms that have enhanced successful multi-sectoral collaboration, and to assess challenges in promoting sustainable economic development. A workshop prioritised the identified challenges and an online survey was then used to assess stakeholder interest in and influence over nexus governance of water with other natural resources. Stakeholder mapping revealed a complex network of actors involved in nexus governance, where successful collaboration could be promoted through formal and informal mechanisms, including exemplar policies and initiatives across sectors and actors. Shared visions between stakeholders were identified as well as contradictory priorities relating to the sustainable management of natural resources. A key finding that emerged was the need to promote adaptation in water and land management (SDG 6) due to perceived impacts of extreme climate events (SDG 13), urban population growth (SDG 11), and increased sectoral water demands. This situation in combination with poor governance and lack of planning has exposed the vulnerability of Arequipa water supply system to future shocks. Urgent action will be needed to raise stakeholder awareness, strengthen governance and enforcement, and agree on a collective vision for integrated land and water planning if the SDGs are to be achieved.
Gloria Salmoral; Eduardo Zegarra; Ian Vázquez-Rowe; Fernando González; Laureano del Castillo; Giuliana Rondón Saravia; Anil Graves; Dolores Rey; Jerry W. Knox. Water-related challenges in nexus governance for sustainable development: Insights from the city of Arequipa, Peru. Science of The Total Environment 2020, 747, 141114 .
AMA StyleGloria Salmoral, Eduardo Zegarra, Ian Vázquez-Rowe, Fernando González, Laureano del Castillo, Giuliana Rondón Saravia, Anil Graves, Dolores Rey, Jerry W. Knox. Water-related challenges in nexus governance for sustainable development: Insights from the city of Arequipa, Peru. Science of The Total Environment. 2020; 747 ():141114.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGloria Salmoral; Eduardo Zegarra; Ian Vázquez-Rowe; Fernando González; Laureano del Castillo; Giuliana Rondón Saravia; Anil Graves; Dolores Rey; Jerry W. Knox. 2020. "Water-related challenges in nexus governance for sustainable development: Insights from the city of Arequipa, Peru." Science of The Total Environment 747, no. : 141114.
D. D’Agostino; M. Borg; Stephen Hallett; Ruben Sakrabani; Andrew Thompson; Lamprini Papadimitriou; Jerry Knox. Multi-stakeholder analysis to improve agricultural water management policy and practice in Malta. Agricultural Water Management 2020, 229, 1 .
AMA StyleD. D’Agostino, M. Borg, Stephen Hallett, Ruben Sakrabani, Andrew Thompson, Lamprini Papadimitriou, Jerry Knox. Multi-stakeholder analysis to improve agricultural water management policy and practice in Malta. Agricultural Water Management. 2020; 229 ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleD. D’Agostino; M. Borg; Stephen Hallett; Ruben Sakrabani; Andrew Thompson; Lamprini Papadimitriou; Jerry Knox. 2020. "Multi-stakeholder analysis to improve agricultural water management policy and practice in Malta." Agricultural Water Management 229, no. : 1.
Drought constitutes a significant production and business risk in agriculture, particularly for those enterprises dependent on irrigation to deliver high quality continuous supplies of fresh produce to the retail sector. Whilst most farmers are well attuned to managing short term weather-related crop risks, they lack access to tools that can support medium-term decision-making and risk management strategies under conditions of increasing water scarcity and climate uncertainty. This paper describes D-Risk, an intuitive online webtool designed to help farming enterprises easily understand their existing and emergent drought and irrigation abstraction risks and thereby support more robust decision-making regarding future changes in crop planning and water resources infrastructure investment.
David Haro-Monteagudo; Jerry W. Knox; Ian P. Holman. D-Risk: A decision-support webtool for improving drought risk management in irrigated agriculture. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 2019, 162, 855 -858.
AMA StyleDavid Haro-Monteagudo, Jerry W. Knox, Ian P. Holman. D-Risk: A decision-support webtool for improving drought risk management in irrigated agriculture. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture. 2019; 162 ():855-858.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDavid Haro-Monteagudo; Jerry W. Knox; Ian P. Holman. 2019. "D-Risk: A decision-support webtool for improving drought risk management in irrigated agriculture." Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 162, no. : 855-858.
The future sustainability of irrigated agriculture in Mediterranean island communities faces a raft of economic, environmental and socio-economic challenges. Many of these are inextricably linked to the extreme levels of water scarcity that exist in the region. With a focus on Malta, we developed a water strategy to identify the priorities for action to support decision makers, practitioners and the agrifood industry in achieving agricultural and water resources sustainability. The methodology involved a combination of evidence synthesis, to inform the development of a Drivers-Pressures-State-Impact-Response framework. These priorities were then used to define a set of key actions under three thematic pillars of sustainability (environment, economy and society). Our analysis confirmed that irrigated agriculture in Malta is not only impacted by environmental factors such as the challenging climate and geography of the region but also strongly influenced by a range of economic (tourism development, European Union accession) and societal (population growth, environmental regulation) drivers of change. The developed strategy is underpinned by priority actions relating to improved water and soil management. The reduction of water and energy footprints in crop production, the establishment of demonstration farms and the support of policies that promote ‘value adding’ activities are examples of key priority actions for the environmental, economic and societal pillar, respectively. Regarding the scale of intervention, the analysis distinguishes research as being important for supporting many of the economy-focused actions.
Lamprini Papadimitriou; Daniela D’Agostino; Malcolm Borg; Stephen Hallett; Ruben Sakrabani; Andrew Thompson; Jerry Knox. Developing a water strategy for sustainable irrigated agriculture in Mediterranean island communities – Insights from Malta. Outlook on Agriculture 2019, 48, 143 -151.
AMA StyleLamprini Papadimitriou, Daniela D’Agostino, Malcolm Borg, Stephen Hallett, Ruben Sakrabani, Andrew Thompson, Jerry Knox. Developing a water strategy for sustainable irrigated agriculture in Mediterranean island communities – Insights from Malta. Outlook on Agriculture. 2019; 48 (2):143-151.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLamprini Papadimitriou; Daniela D’Agostino; Malcolm Borg; Stephen Hallett; Ruben Sakrabani; Andrew Thompson; Jerry Knox. 2019. "Developing a water strategy for sustainable irrigated agriculture in Mediterranean island communities – Insights from Malta." Outlook on Agriculture 48, no. 2: 143-151.
Precision agriculture is increasingly used where in-field spatial variability exists; however, the benefits of its use in humid climates are less apparent. This paper reports on a cost-benefit assessment of precision irrigation with variable rate technique (VRI) versus conventional irrigation, both compared to rainfed production, using a travelling hose-reel irrigator fitted with a boom on onions in eastern England. Selected environmental outcomes including water savings and CO2e emissions are evaluated. The modelled precision irrigation system, which responds to soil variability, generates better environmental outcomes than the conventional system in terms of water savings and reduced CO2e emissions (22.6% and 23.0% lower, respectively). There is also an increase in the ‘added value’ of the irrigation water used (£3.02/m3 versus £2.36/m3). Although precision irrigation leads to significant financial benefits from water and energy savings, these alone do not justify the additional equipment investment costs. However, any changes in yield or quality benefits, equipment costs or greater soil variability than on this site would make investment in precision irrigation more viable.
Daniel El Chami; Jerry W. Knox; André Daccache; Edward Keith Weatherhead. Assessing the financial and environmental impacts of precision irrigation in a humid climate. Horticultural Science 2019, 46, 43 -52.
AMA StyleDaniel El Chami, Jerry W. Knox, André Daccache, Edward Keith Weatherhead. Assessing the financial and environmental impacts of precision irrigation in a humid climate. Horticultural Science. 2019; 46 (No. 1):43-52.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDaniel El Chami; Jerry W. Knox; André Daccache; Edward Keith Weatherhead. 2019. "Assessing the financial and environmental impacts of precision irrigation in a humid climate." Horticultural Science 46, no. No. 1: 43-52.
Increasing demands for water, driven by population growth and socio-economic development, environmental regulations and future climate uncertainty, are highlighting limitations on water supplies. This water-energy-food-environment nexus is not confined to semi-arid regions but is emerging as a key business, societal and economic risk in humid and temperate countries, where abundant water supplies and regulation have historically coped with fluctuating demands between industry, power generation, agriculture, domestic supply and the environment. In the UK, irrigation is supplemental to rainfall, consumptive in use and concentrated in the driest years and most resource-stressed catchments. This paper describes an empirical application of a mixed methods approach to integrate agriculture into a robust decision-making framework, focusing on a water-stressed region in England. The approach shows that competing demands between sectors can be reconciled and that potential options or portfolios compatible with multi-sectoral collaboration and investment can be identified. By combining model outputs to forecast the impacts of climate and socio-economic change on agricultural demand within a regional water resource simulator, future spatial estimates of demand were derived. A set of search and tracked metrics were used to drive multi-criteria searches to identify preferred supply and demand management orientated portfolios. The methodological challenges in forecasting agricultural demand, defining acceptable ‘trade-offs’, managing scale and uncertainty issues and the importance of engendering open dialogue between stakeholders is described. The study provides valuable insights for countries where similar emergent issues regarding conflicts over water demand exist.
J. W. Knox; David Haro-Monteagudo; T. M. Hess; J. Morris. Identifying Trade-Offs and Reconciling Competing Demands for Water: Integrating Agriculture Into a Robust Decision-Making Framework. Earth's Future 2018, 6, 1457 -1470.
AMA StyleJ. W. Knox, David Haro-Monteagudo, T. M. Hess, J. Morris. Identifying Trade-Offs and Reconciling Competing Demands for Water: Integrating Agriculture Into a Robust Decision-Making Framework. Earth's Future. 2018; 6 (10):1457-1470.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJ. W. Knox; David Haro-Monteagudo; T. M. Hess; J. Morris. 2018. "Identifying Trade-Offs and Reconciling Competing Demands for Water: Integrating Agriculture Into a Robust Decision-Making Framework." Earth's Future 6, no. 10: 1457-1470.
Despite being an important sector to the UK rural economy, agriculture is often excluded from strategic regional water resources management decision-making due to its low volumetric water demand compared with other sectors such as public water supply. However, the demand for water for agriculture is expected to rise significantly, driven by a changing climate with greater rainfall variability and the combined effects of socioeconomic development and population growth. These “drivers for change” contain significant elements of uncertainty which cannot be ignored. Understanding future changes in water demand also links to important policy debates regarding developing more robust multi-sectoral water strategies, identifying trade-offs between competing sectors and supporting opportunities for collaborative water infrastructure investment. This chapter describes an approach to estimate future changes in agricultural irrigation demand under contrasting socioeconomic and climate scenarios. The work supports a regional initiative to implement integrated water resources management (IWRM) in a water-stressed region of England. The datasets and modeling routines, mapping outputs, and methodological challenges are described. The critical importance of integrating irrigated agriculture into an IWRM approach, even in a humid climate where irrigation is a relatively small component of water demand, is highlighted. The process has helped to provide stakeholders with a much deeper understanding of the agricultural sector in the region and the water risks it faces. The study has relevance to other temperate or humid countries where agricultural production is an important part of the economy and where competition for water resources is constraining socioeconomic development.
Jerry W. Knox; David Haro-Monteagudo; Tim Hess; Joe Morris. Forecasting Changes in Agricultural Irrigation Demand to Support a Regional Integrated Water Resources Management Strategy. Wastewater treatment and Reuse – Present and future perspectives in technological developments and management issues 2018, 171 -213.
AMA StyleJerry W. Knox, David Haro-Monteagudo, Tim Hess, Joe Morris. Forecasting Changes in Agricultural Irrigation Demand to Support a Regional Integrated Water Resources Management Strategy. Wastewater treatment and Reuse – Present and future perspectives in technological developments and management issues. 2018; ():171-213.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJerry W. Knox; David Haro-Monteagudo; Tim Hess; Joe Morris. 2018. "Forecasting Changes in Agricultural Irrigation Demand to Support a Regional Integrated Water Resources Management Strategy." Wastewater treatment and Reuse – Present and future perspectives in technological developments and management issues , no. : 171-213.
Jerry Knox; Tim Hess. Advances in irrigation management and technology in potato cultivation: experiences from a humid climate. Achieving sustainable production of eggs Volume 1 2018, 69 -88.
AMA StyleJerry Knox, Tim Hess. Advances in irrigation management and technology in potato cultivation: experiences from a humid climate. Achieving sustainable production of eggs Volume 1. 2018; ():69-88.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJerry Knox; Tim Hess. 2018. "Advances in irrigation management and technology in potato cultivation: experiences from a humid climate." Achieving sustainable production of eggs Volume 1 , no. : 69-88.
In recent years, rising competition for water coupled with new environmental regulations has exerted pressure on water allocations for turfgrass irrigation. In this article, we reviewed published scientific and industry evidence on the agronomic and environmental impacts of turfgrass irrigation using a robust systematic review methodology. Our focus was on the links between (i) irrigation management (amount and frequency), (ii) agronomic responses to irrigation (turf quality, growth rates and rooting) and (iii) environmental impacts (nitrogen leaching). Based on an initial screening of 653 studies and data extracted from 83 papers, our results show that in most cases, under moderate levels of deficit irrigation (50%–60% of actual evapotranspiration), turf quality can be maintained at an acceptable level but with lower water consumption compared to irrigating back to field capacity. Irrigation beyond field capacity was found to increase the risk of nutrient leaching. However, evidence also showed that the concentration and total loss of NO3− in leachate were influenced more by nitrogen (N) rates, soil characteristics, turfgrass species and turfgrass growth rates than by irrigation practices. Our analyses suggest that turfgrass irrigation should be scheduled to apply water at moderate levels of deficit irrigation, sufficient to maintain turfgrass quality but limited to promote a deep and extensive rooting system. The findings provide new insights and valuable evidence for both scientists and practitioners involved in turfgrass research and management.
C. Gómez-Armayones; A. Kvalbein; T. S. Aamlid; J. W. Knox. Assessing evidence on the agronomic and environmental impacts of turfgrass irrigation management. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science 2018, 204, 333 -346.
AMA StyleC. Gómez-Armayones, A. Kvalbein, T. S. Aamlid, J. W. Knox. Assessing evidence on the agronomic and environmental impacts of turfgrass irrigation management. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science. 2018; 204 (4):333-346.
Chicago/Turabian StyleC. Gómez-Armayones; A. Kvalbein; T. S. Aamlid; J. W. Knox. 2018. "Assessing evidence on the agronomic and environmental impacts of turfgrass irrigation management." Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science 204, no. 4: 333-346.
Maltese soil resources are a precious and finite natural resource of great agricultural, environmental, and cultural value. They have been subject to human influence over a considerable time and, owing to prolonged intensive land use, have suffered from degradation by erosion, loss of organic matter, structural deterioration, and contamination from excess nitrates, agrochemicals, and salinity. Similarly, water resources (both quantity and quality) in Malta are also under severe stress owing to socio-economic development, over-abstraction for agricultural irrigation and from diffuse pollution. This paper briefly explores the key soil and water challenges facing farmers and the agricultural sector in Malta. Selected technology based and management innovations to improve resource use efficiency, sustain productivity, and support the agricultural sector are identified and discussed. The evidence forms part of FOWARIM ‘Fostering water-agriculture research and innovation in Malta’, an EC H2020-funded twinning project that is building research capacity, supporting knowledge exchange to practitioners, and providing evidence to inform policies for government and the agricultural sector in Malta.
Stephen Hallett; Ruben Sakrabani; Andrew Thompson; Lynda Deeks; Jerry Knox. Improving Soil and Water Management for Agriculture: Insights and Innovation from Malta. MCAST Journal of Applied Research & Practice 2017, 1, 40 -59.
AMA StyleStephen Hallett, Ruben Sakrabani, Andrew Thompson, Lynda Deeks, Jerry Knox. Improving Soil and Water Management for Agriculture: Insights and Innovation from Malta. MCAST Journal of Applied Research & Practice. 2017; 1 (1):40-59.
Chicago/Turabian StyleStephen Hallett; Ruben Sakrabani; Andrew Thompson; Lynda Deeks; Jerry Knox. 2017. "Improving Soil and Water Management for Agriculture: Insights and Innovation from Malta." MCAST Journal of Applied Research & Practice 1, no. 1: 40-59.
Strawberries are a high value crop in the UK soft fruit sector, with the majority of production grown at field-scale and under protected (polytunnel) conditions. Despite its importance to the rural economy, there is surprisingly little published scientific evidence on the economics of irrigated strawberry production and the value of water in this horticultural sector. A survey of growers, supplemented by secondary data and industry sources, shows considerable variation in key physical and financial performance indicators, both within and between different strawberry production systems, as well as evidence of good practice. Water application depths ranged widely from 800 to over 2000 m3 ha−1 according to grower and crop variety. Irrigation costs typically range between £1.30 and £2.50 m−3 of water applied, highest where storage reservoirs and public water supplies are used. The average value of irrigation water for strawberry net of costs was about £6 m−3, much higher than for field crops such as potatoes. The importance of a reliable water supply to support irrigated strawberry production is highlighted. Climate change and growing pressures on water resources are likely to force a greater interest in irrigation economics in the soft fruit sector, especially in the face of restrictions on summer abstraction and rising competition and charges for using public water supply.
J. Morris; M.A. Else; Daniel El Chami; A. Daccache; D. Rey; J.W. Knox. Essential irrigation and the economics of strawberries in a temperate climate. Agricultural Water Management 2017, 194, 90 -99.
AMA StyleJ. Morris, M.A. Else, Daniel El Chami, A. Daccache, D. Rey, J.W. Knox. Essential irrigation and the economics of strawberries in a temperate climate. Agricultural Water Management. 2017; 194 ():90-99.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJ. Morris; M.A. Else; Daniel El Chami; A. Daccache; D. Rey; J.W. Knox. 2017. "Essential irrigation and the economics of strawberries in a temperate climate." Agricultural Water Management 194, no. : 90-99.