0 / SPK / specialcollections@tulane.edu

Water scarcity has quickly become one of the most pressing issues in the 21st century. Knowledge of the stress consumption places on water supply is therefore necessary for improved resource management. This research leverages monthly facility level withdrawal and discharge data from two different sources to provide important observations of consumptive water use across several spatial scales and water use sectors in Virginia between 2010-2016. Consumptive water is defined as water which is withdrawn and not returned to a water resource system. Consumption was estimated on statewide, watershed, county, and facility levels. The agriculture/irrigation, aquaculture, commercial, industrial, energy, and municipal sectors were considered for analysis. Facilities were matched between the two data sources by narrowing potential matches by distance and then by facility name using an approximate string distance mechanism. This analysis revealed that inconsistent discharge reporting affects estimates of consumption through time and any errors at finer spatial scales are ultimately masked at coarser levels. Statewide energy consumption in Virginia was found to be between 4-20% considering all available data and 0.4-4% across matched facilities. Non-energy consumption was an estimated 37-51% considering all available data and only 28-33% across matched facilities. Inconsistent reporting of discharge made it difficult to determine if consumption trends truly exist in Virginia, but monthly consumption appears to be persistent through time and slightly increasing in non-energy sectors. Industrial consumption in Virginia was also found to be higher than literature values. Results from this study are beneficial for water supply modeling and planning by providing more refined estimates of the actual stress withdrawals place on water supply. / This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Geological Survey under Cooperative Agreement No. G17AC00322. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the author and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions or policies of the U.S. Geological Survey. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by the U.S. Geological Survey. / Master of Science / Water scarcity has quickly become one of the most pressing issues in the 21st century. Improved water resource management is critical for sustainable development, especially in historically water-rich states that have not had an urgency to improve water planning. This research provides key information about the impact consumption has on water supply in Virginia, using water use data from two different sources between 2010-2016. Consumptive water is defined as water which is withdrawn and not returned to a water resource system. This includes losses through evaporation, transpiration, conveyance, and incorporation into products and animals. Consumption was estimated on statewide, watershed, county, and facility levels. It was also estimated for the agriculture/irrigation, aquaculture, commercial, industrial, energy, and municipal sectors. Facilities were matched across the two data sources by narrowing potential matches by distance and then by facility name. This study revealed that statewide energy consumption in Virginia is between 4-20% considering all available data and 0.4-4% across matched facilities. Non-energy consumption is then between 37- 51% considering all available data and only 28-33% across matched facilities. Inconsistent reporting of return flow data made it difficult to determine if consumption trends truly exist in Virginia, but consumption appears to be persistent through time and slightly increasing in non-energy sectors. Results also suggest that industrial consumption in Virginia may be higher than published literature values. This study ultimately introduces a feasible method for water managers to estimate consumption using data from multiple sources. Results from this approach are beneficial for predicting future water demand and long-term resource planning by providing more knowledge of the actual stress withdrawals place on water supply.

Studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of plant health protectants Pageant (pyraclobstrobin + boscalid), Regalia (extract of Reynoutria sachalinensis) and MBI-501 (an anti-transpirant) on drought, heat and cold tolerance. To measure effects on drought tolerance, Pageant, Regalia or MBI-501 were foliar applied to impatiens at four rates (0.0×, 0.5×, 1.0×, and 1.5×) based on the label rates of 0.228 g·L-1 (Pageant), 10 mL·L-1 (Regalia) and 2 mL·L-1 (MBI-501) and to tomato plants at two rates (0.0× and 1.0×) based on the label rates of 0.559 g·L-1 (Pageant), 10 mL·L-1 (Regalia) and 2 mL·L-1 (MBI-501) grown with different target substrate volumetric water contents (TVWC). Pageant applied at the 1.0× rate to well-watered impatiens, had greater shoot dry weight compared to water stressed plants. Regalia application increased root dry weight, leaf chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate of impatiens and tomato plants. However, results tended to be in the higher TVWC (Pageant and Regalia) to moderately stressed conditions (Regalia). To evaluate heat tolerance in Impatiens walleriana ‘Super Elfin XP White’ (impatiens), Pageant (0.228 g·L-1), Regalia (10 m·L-1) or MBI-501 (2 mL·L-1) were applied prior to the heat event. Photosynthetic rate was less with impatiens exposed to the heat event compared to plants not exposed to the heat event. However, there was no indication Pageant, Regalia or MBI-501 improved heat tolerance. To evaluate heat tolerance in Solanum lycopersicum ‘BHN 640’ (tomato) plants, Regalia was foliar applied at the 1.0× rate at 24 h or 1 h before the heat event. There was no indication Regalia improved heat tolerance. Fragaria ×ananassa ‘Camarosa’ (strawberry) plants were evaluated for chilling tolerance following application of Regalia at the 1.0× rate in a growth chamber. Results indicated no increase in chilling tolerance of strawberry plants compared to plants receiving no Regalia or chilling treatments. Citrus unshiu ‘Owari’ (satsuma) leaves were evaluated for freeze tolerance after application of Regalia at 1.0× (10 mL·L-1) rate in a programmable ultra-low freezer. Results indicated no increased freeze tolerance in satsuma leaves compared to leaves from plants receiving no Regalia or freezing treatment.

No description available.

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / Assessing groundwater-surface water interaction as a decision-making tool licensing water use South Africa: Case study area of Gevonden Farm is the title of the current study with the context that arises from the use of GRAII methodology which uses quaternary catchment boundaries for groundwater abstraction water use licence application assessment during decision making. The problem is that the quaternary catchment scale approach does not provide the scientific bases for site specific scale. The current study argues that such approach provides realistic, practical information at site specific scale and therefore informs the issuing of licences more accurately. The aim of the current study is to improve understanding of how the assessment of groundwater abstraction water use licence should be carried out at a site specific scale to improve decision making during licence issuance. The objective of the study is to outline the scientific study and demonstrate how the investigation that leads to the decision making can be conducted. The study was carried out using hydraulic methods such as pumping test and geochemical analysis method. Hydraulic properties were determined and chemical elements were analysed for and compared with the SANS 241 water quality standards for domestic and agricultural use. Hydraulic properties such as hydraulic conductivity (K), transmissivity (T), yield and storativity (S) were determined. Major and minor ions that are required to be analysed for domestic and agricultural water use were analysed. Piper diagrams and FC method were used to analyse data. The piper diagrams plotted indicated that surface water is mixing with groundwater and that means there is connection between groundwater and surface water. The chemical elements analysed for were compared with SANS 241 water quality standards for domestic and agricultural use. The water quality on the investigated site can be categorized as having good water quality. A sustainable yield estimated from the two boreholes (BH03 and BH05) which was 1.02 Ɩ/s. The available drawdown estimated with reference to the boreholes water strikes that were determined by EC profiling were 135 mbgl from both boreholes. The study recommends the issuance of water use licence with conditions that chemistry of water should be analysed for once a quarter and boreholes water levels should be analysed for once a month.

Understanding the effects of water stress on wheat growth, yield and quality is essential for good irrigation management. In South Africa most of the wheat production areas are vulnerable to drought stress during crop development. That causes substantial reduction in grain yield, depending on the developmental stage at which water stress occurred. Supplemental irrigation is the main strategy for adaptation and stabilisation of yield under water stress. However, agriculture is the leading single water-use sector locally, consuming about 60% of total available water. Therefore, the need to improve water use efficiency (WUE) in crop production is clear, since South Africa is classified as a water-scarce country. Experiments were conducted under a rain shelter at Hatfield Experimental Farm, University of Pretoria, in the 2010 and 2011 seasons. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of water stress at different stages on growth, yield, and quality of three wheat cultivars, namely Duzi, Steenbras and SST 843. Water stress was imposed by withholding water at either of three growing stages. The first treatment was stressed during tillering stages to flag leaf (stem elongation (SNN)), followed by water stress from flag leaf to the end of flowering (flowering stage (NSN)), and lastly water stress from grain filling to physiological maturing (grain-filling stage (NNS)), whereas optimal supply of water was maintained throughout the season by weekly irrigating to field capacity for the control treatment (NNN). Irrigation treatments and cultivars influenced growth, yield and quality, depending on the developmental stage at which irrigation was withheld. The control treatment (NNN) and the treatment stressed in the flowering stage (NSN) had highest and lowest grain yield respectively in both seasons. Water stressed treatment NSN reduced grain yield by 33% and 35% in the 2010 and 2011 seasons respectively, when compared with the control treatment (NNN). Reduction of grain yield due to stress in the flowering stage (NSN) was ascribed to reduction in the number of seeds per ear, number of ears per unit area, ear length, and flag-leaf photosynthesis rate (Pn). In the flowering stage (NSN) water stress reduced Pn by 59% which was due to increased leaf temperature because of lower transpiration (E) and stomatal conductance (gs). The water stress treatment NSN reduced transpiration by 72% and stomatal conductance by 84% in the flowering stage. Plant height was reduced by 23% because of water stress imposed in the flowering stage (NSN), which consequently decreased biomass yield by 29% in the 2011 season. Growth and yield parameters showed dramatic recovery when stress was terminated during the flag-leaf stage (SNN). The cultivar Steenbras had lower yield reduction under stress, whereas Duzi and SST 843 had higher yield potential under the well-watered conditions (NNN). In the 2011 season SST 843 had higher WUE of 14.2 kg ha-1 mm, which corresponded to higher grain yield of 7210 kg ha-1 and higher ET of 509 mm. Water-stress treatment SNN gave the highest WUE of 14.9 kg ha-1 mm, which corresponded to a total water use (ET) of 451 mm and grain yield of 6738 kg ha-1. Water stress treatments SNN and NNS reduced ET by 27% and 17%, respectively, which translated to 173 mm and 105 mm water saved by each treatment correspondingly. Grain protein content (GPC) was reduced most by the treatment exposed to stress in the stem elongation stage (SNN). However, the GPC was acceptable (>12%) in all treatments in both seasons. Hectolitre mass was reduced most by water stress imposed during grain filling (NNS). Water stress treatment NNS lowered the hectolitre mass by 3% and 4% in the 2010 and 2011 seasons respectively. Generally all quality parameters in the present study were acceptable for all irrigation treatment and cultivars. The hypothesis that water stress in the stem elongation and grain-filling stages will have little effect on yield and improve WUE was accepted. Therefore it can be recommended that supplemental irrigation should be applied from flag leaf to end of flowering (NSN) stages of wheat in order to minimise grain yield losses in the absence of rainfall. Further research should focus on extrapolation of these results to other production regions using crop models. / Dissertation (MInstAgrar)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Plant Production and Soil Science / unrestricted

MSCAGR (Plant Production) / Department of Plant Production / Agricultural production under rain-fed conditions is largely dependent on the availability of water stored in the soil during rainfall events. The production of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) under rain-fed conditions in the north-eastern part of South Africa is constrained by low and erratic rainfall events. Improving cassava production in the area requires the use of cassava varieties which are efficient in the use of limited soil moisture. The current climate change and increasing population growth on the planet will place more pressure on agriculture to produce more food using less water. Therefore, previously under-researched and underutilised crop like cassava could be used to bridge the food gap in the future. Although the crop currently occupies low levels of utilisation in South Africa and it is cultivated by smallscale farmers in the Low-veld of Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Kwazulu-Natal provinces using landraces with no improved varieties available in the country. Information on the actual pattern of water extraction, water use and water use efficiency of cassava landraces grown in the dry environments of South Africa is limited. Therefore, the objective of the study was to determine the differences in water use efficiency, gaseous exchange and yield among four cassava landraces grown under rain-fed conditions. Two field experiments were conducted during the wetter (2016/2017) and drier (2017/2018) cropping season at the University of Venda's experimental farm. The trials were laid in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) consisting of four cassava landraces (ACC#1, ACC#2, ACC#3, and ACC#4) replicated three times. Mature cassava stem cuttings of 30 cm long, were planted manually at a spacing of 1 m x 1 m in both seasons. Each experimental unit consisted of six plant rows of 6 m length (36 m2) and 8 rows of 8 m length (64 m2) in the 2016/17 and 2017/2018 cropping season, respectively. The experiments were under rain-fed conditions without fertilizer additions and the plots were kept weed-free throughout the experimental period. Data collected in the field included soil moisture content, gaseous exchange parameters (net leaf ܥܱଶ uptake, stomatal conductance, and intracellular carbon dioxide concentration), chlorophyll content index (CCI), maximum photochemical quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm), effective quantum yield of PSII (ФPSII) and photosynthetic active radiation (PAR). Yield and yield components (root length (cm), root girth (cm), number of storage roots and mean root weight (g plant-1), root yield and aboveground biomass), as well as water use efficiency (WUE), were determined at harvest. Soil moisture content was measured at seven-day interval from sowing until harvest using a neutron probe. Soil moisture data were used to determine crop water use using the water balance approach. There was no variation in the root yield and yield components amongst the landraces in 2017/2018 cropping season but, genotypes affected aboveground biomass, root girth, number of roots per plant and root yield in 2016/2017 cropping season. There was a significant difference (P<0.01) in number of roots (per plant) 81% and 62% greater in ACC#3 and ACC#2 (6.7 & 6.0, respectively) compared with ACC#1 and ACC#4, which both recorded 4 roots per plant. Similarly, root girth was greater in ACC#3 (17.8 cm) and ACC#2 (18.2 cm) compared to ACC#1 (14.1 cm) and ACC#4 (12.9 cm), which were statistically the same. In contrast, total biomass (P<0.01) and root yield (P<0.05) were greater in ACC#3 (20.7 and 11.9 t ha-1, respectively) and ACC#1 (22.0 and 11.3 t ha-1, respectively) compared to ACC#2 and ACC#4 with root yields of 10.2 and 9.5 t ha-1, biomass of 17.1 and 16.3 t ha-1, respectively. Although the genotype x cropping season interaction did not affect root yield and yield components, root yield (by 33.8%; 2.7 t ha-1) and yield components were greater in the wetter compared to the drier season as expected. Water use efficiency of root yield (WUErt) and water use efficiency of biomass production (WUEb) varied with landraces in season I from 37.0 kg ha-1 mm-1 (ACC#4) to 46.60 kg ha-1 mm-1 (ACC#3), and between 71.30 kg ha-1 mm-1 (ACC#2) and 86.0 kg ha-1 mm-1 (ACC#1), respectively. Landraces did not differ in their water use and soil moisture extraction in both seasons but differed in season. However, there was a significant positive correlation between water use efficiency of root yield (WUErt) (0.963***) and water use efficiency of biomass production (WUEb) (0.847***). WUE of biomass production was greater in the drier than the wetter season partly because of dry matter accumulation per evapotranspiration within the landraces. Photosynthesis did not vary with landraces, however, stomatal conductance varied with landraces from 0.08 mmol m-2 s-1 (ACC#4) to 0.2 mmol m-2 s-1 (ACC#2). In contrast, ACC#1 and ACC#3 recorded the same value of stomatal conductance, which is 0.1 mmol m-2 s-1. The effective quantum yield of PSII photochemistry (ΦPSII) did not vary with landraces but the maximum photochemical quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm) varied with landraces from 0.652 (ACC#4) to 0.792 (ACC#3) in season II. The proportion of intercepted radiation was affected by landraces in 2017/2018 cropping season. Highest proportion of intercepted radiation was observed in ACC#3 and the lowest in ACC#2. Proportion of intercepted radiation varied with landraces from 22.62% (ACC#2) to 86.45% (#ACC#3). There were significant genotypic variations in chlorophyll content recorded in both season. Chlorophyll content varied with landraces from 33.1 CCI (ACC4) to 55.4 CCI (#ACC3) in the 2016/2017, and in 2017/2018 cropping season chlorophyll content varied with landraces from 36.9 CCI (ACC4) to 78.7 CCI (#ACC3). The highest genotypic variation in chlorophyll content was observed in ACC#3, whilst the lowest chlorophyll content was recorded in ACC#4 in both seasons. / NRF

<p>Irrigation with saline waters is an agricultural practicethat is becoming increasingly common as competition for freshwater increases. In this thesis the mechanisms behind salinityand drought stress has been studied using data from fieldexperiments in combination with a modelling tool, theCoupModel. Measurements from field experiments on salinity,boron toxicity and drought stressed tomatoes grown during twoclimatically different seasons in the Arava desert, Israel,showed a linear relationship between relative growth andevapotranspiration, for all treatments and seasons. Data fromthe spring was used to concurrently simulate growth andtranspiration, hence accounting for feedback mechanisms betweenthe plant and the environment. Salinity stress was modelled asan osmotic effect (reduction of water uptake at high soilsalinities, W approach) or a toxicity effect (direct reductionof photosynthesis with soil salinity, G approach). Goodagreement between simulated growth and transpiration wasachieved with both salinity stress approaches, with twoexceptions. When growth and transpiration were simulated withthe W approach at different salinity levels, transpiration wasunderestimated at high stress. The G approach resulted in anunderestimation of growth at high water stress under moderatesalinity. A direct decrease of photosynthesis leads to adecreasing water-use efficiency with salinity while water-useefficiency remains constant with salinity when the salinitystress is modelled as a reduction in water uptake. Measurementsshowed decreasing water-use efficiency for the salinitygradient, explaining why the W approach was not applicable. Itwas not possible to detect any considerable differences betweenthree different approaches for water uptake tested in thestudy.</p><p><b>Keywords:</b>Water-use efficiency; osmotic effect; iontoxicity; semi-arid.</p>

3 pp. / Similar Fact Sheets for Payson & Flagstaff / This publication is intended as a brief Fact Sheet that provides estimates of turfgrass consumptive use for Prescott.

3 pp. / Similar titles for Payson and Prescott / This publication is intended to be a brief Fact Sheet that provides estimates of turf consumptive use for the Flagstaff area. The publication should find utility in both irrigation management and water resource management and planning.