Assessment of Precise Land Levelling on Surface Irrigation Development. Impacts on Maize Water Productivity and Economics

Qingfeng Miao, José M. Gonçalves, Ruiping Li, Diana Gonçalves, Tiago Levita and Haibin Shi
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Qingfeng Miao: College of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
José M. Gonçalves: Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra, Escola Superior Agrária de Coimbra, Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food—LEAF, 3045-601 Coimbra, Portugal
Ruiping Li: College of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
Diana Gonçalves: Independent Researcher, S. Martinho do Bispo, 3045-017 Coimbra, Portugal
Tiago Levita: Independent Researcher, S. Martinho do Bispo, 3045-017 Coimbra, Portugal
Haibin Shi: College of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 3, 1-20

Abstract: The new technologies of surface irrigation require the adoption of effective Laser-controlled precision land levelling (PLL) to reach the high irrigation performance standards, with significant benefits on water saving, salinity control, crop productivity, and farmer’s income. This study aimed to assess the performance and the impacts of PLL on surface irrigation systems, focusing the maize crop on the irrigation districts Hetao (China) and Lower-Mondego (Portugal). The experimental study at field scale assessed the PLL and evaluated the on-farm irrigation under precise levelled fields and well management practices. PLL operators have been inquired to improve the knowledge about hiring services. The design of surface irrigation scenarios allowed to explain the effects of field size and slope on irrigation and land levelling performance. The best practice to manage the PLL maintenance is an important issue to guarantee a high effectiveness of irrigation performance. The optimization of PLL appeals the application of best soil tillage practices and the monitoring of soil surface elevations with newest information technologies. Efficient operational guidelines to support the PLL planning, schedule, and operation, well trained operators and carefully adjusted equipment, are key factors to the improvement.

Keywords: surface irrigation; water saving; precise land levelling; irrigation modernization; hetao irrigation district; lower mondego irrigation district (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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