Due to rapid population growth and pressure on water resources, it is necessary to use economic and non-traditional techniques for irrigation. One of these techniques is the use of salt water after treatment with a magnetic force. A simulation experiment was conducted with soil columns using three quantities of saline water: 0, 3, and 6 g L⁻¹ (S₀, S₃, and S₆). Magnetic forces of 0, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000, and 7000 gauss were used to study the effects of magnetic forces on leachate and soil physicochemical properties at different depths. The results at all soil depths showed that the pH decreased with increasing salinity from S₀ to S3 and S₆ by an average of 8.44, 8.28, and 8.27%, respectively. Soil EC decreased significantly with depth by 10–35%. The maximum SAR, SSP, and CROSS values (16.3, 51.1, and 17.6, respectively) were reported when no magnetic force was used, while the lowest values (13.9, 49.9, and 15.3) were recorded when using 3000 gauss under S₆ within the soil profile. Magnetizing the water halved the EC of the leachate under S₀, while it decreased the EC by 12.4% under S3. Increasing the magnetic force enhanced the leachate SAR, SSP, and CROSS values by 4.9–20.4% on average under S₃ and S₆. Magnetic forces augmented the hydraulic conductivity at the same salinity level and with increasing salinity, resulting in an increment of 50% at S₃ and S₆ compared with S₀. After nine hours, the maximum cumulative infiltration rate was under 1000 and 4000 gauss. Our results demonstrated the important effects of magnetically treated irrigation water and could therefore support its application in agriculture under conditions of low water resources and quality.

This study investigates the potential of biochar to mitigate drought stress in crops. Biochar amendments are increasingly recognized for their ability to enhance soil properties that promote water retention and plant resilience during dry periods. In a study conducted in Egypt, impacts of the application of sugarcane biochar on cucumber production, water productivity, and quality characteristics under deficient irrigation conditions were evaluated. Increasing the biochar application rate under arid region conditions resulted in significant improvements in cucumber yield, water productivity, vitamin C, soluble sugar content, and total soluble solids. The activated sugarcane biochar exhibited desirable properties, including a large surface area (250 m²g⁻¹) and pore size (0.28 cm³g⁻¹), with a microporous nature. The positive effects observed can be attributed to reduced water volume leaving the root zone, enhanced nutrient absorption, increased water holding capacity, and augmented nutrient availability. Based on the results, it is recommended to implement under-irrigation at 75% of full irrigation and apply a biochar rate of 10 tons per hectare to mitigate the environmental impacts of water scarcity and support the development of sustainable agricultural systems. In conclusion, biochar emerges as a valuable soil amendment for bolstering cucumber production and water use efficiency (WUE) under limited irrigation scenarios. Its potential lies in promoting improved soil moisture retention, enhancing nutrient availability for cucumber plants, and potentially mitigating plant stress.

In this research, a rule-based expert system named EFSIS-ES (Engineering Factors of Sprinkler Irrigation System -Expert System) had been built, verified and validated. Therefore, the aims of this research were to build, verify and validate an expert system for making a decision for the normal user to maximize system efficiency of sprinkler irrigation. The inputs data included location data, climate data, pump data, crop data, soil data and sprinkler system data. The outputs of the expert system were number of the sprinklers on a lateral, number of laterals in the irrigation system, length of each lateral, main line length, irrigation frequency, required pump power, total dynamic head (TDH) and pump discharge output. Results showed high correlation (R2 = 0.9927) between the EFSIS-ES program and the designed spreadsheet in regard to irrigation frequency. It could be indicated high correlation (R2 = 0.9999) between the EFSIS-ES program and the designed spreadsheet regarding pump power. The regression coefficient (R2) was 0.9983 between EFSIS-ES program and SSSDPS Expert regarding total dynamic head (TDH). It could be indicated high correlation (R2 = 0.9979) between EFSIS-ES program and SSSDPS Expert regarding pump discharge output.In this research, a rule-based expert system named EFSIS-ES (Engineering Factors of Sprinkler Irrigation System -Expert System) had been built, verified and validated. Therefore, the aims of this research were to build, verify and validate an expert system for making a decision for the normal user to maximize system efficiency of sprinkler irrigation. The inputs data included location data, climate data, pump data, crop data, soil data and sprinkler system data. The outputs of the expert system were number of the sprinklers on a lateral, number of laterals in the irrigation system, length of each lateral, main line length, irrigation frequency, required pump power, total dynamic head (TDH) and pump discharge output. Results showed high correlation (R2 = 0.9927) between the EFSIS-ES program and the designed spreadsheet in regard to irrigation frequency. It could be indicated high correlation (R2 = 0.9999) between the EFSIS-ES program and the designed spreadsheet regarding pump power. The regression coefficient (R2) was 0.9983 between EFSIS-ES program and SSSDPS Expert regarding total dynamic head (TDH). It could be indicated high correlation (R2 = 0.9979) between EFSIS-ES program and SSSDPS Expert regarding pump discharge output.