Capturing spatial variability of factors affecting the water allocation plans-a geo-informatics approach for large irrigation schemes.

The livelihoods of poor people living in rural areas of Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS) of Pakistan depend largely on irrigated agriculture. Water duties in IBIS are mainly calculated based on crop-specific evapotranspiration. Recent studies show that ignoring the spatial variability of factors affecting the crop water requirements can affect the crop production.

Modelling soil salinity effects on salt water uptake and crop growth using a modified denitrification-decomposition model: A phytoremediation approach.

Soil salinization is a widespread problem affecting global food production. Phytoremediation is emerging as a viable and cost-effective technology to reclaim salt-affected soil. However, its efficiency is not clear due to the uncertainty of plant responses in saline soils.

Modeling the effect of salt-affected soil on water balance fluxes and nitrous oxide emission using modified DNDC.

Soil salinity restricts plant growth, affects soil water balance and nitrous oxide (NO) fluxes and can contaminate surface and groundwater. In this study, the Denitrification Decomposition (DNDC) model was modified to couple salt and water balance equations (SALT-DNDC) to investigate the effect of salinity on water balance and NO fluxes. The model was examined against four growing seasons (2008-11) of observed data from Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.

Modelling spatio-temporal patterns of soil carbon and greenhouse gas emissions in grazing lands: Current status and prospects.

The sustainability of grazing lands lies in the nexus of human consumption behavior, livestock productivity, and environmental footprint. Due to fast growing global food demands, many grazing lands have suffered from overgrazing, leading to soil degradation, air and water pollution, and biodiversity losses. Multidisciplinary efforts are required to understand how these lands can be better assessed and managed to attain predictable outcomes of optimal benefit to society.

Optimizing farmyard manure and cattle slurry applications for intensively managed grasslands based on UK-DNDC model simulations.

Fertilizer applications can enhance soil fertility, pasture growth and thereby increase production. Nitrogen fertilizer has, however, been identified as a significant source of nitrous oxide (NO) emissions from agriculture if not used correctly and can thereby increase the environmental damage costs associated with agricultural production. The optimum use of organic fertilizers requires an improved understanding of nutrient cycles and their controls.

Modelling of nitrification inhibitor and its effects on emissions of nitrous oxide (NO) in the UK.

Global food demand requires increased uses of fertilizers, leading to nitrous oxide (NO) and nitrate leaching due to overuse of fertilizers and poor timing between fertilizer application and plant growth. Using nitrification inhibitors (NIs) can reduce the NO emissions but the effectiveness of NIs strongly depend on environmental conditions, and their benefits have been limited due to less than optimal nitrogen rates, timing, quantity, and placement of NIs. Process-based modelling can be helpful in improving the understanding of nitrogen fertilizer with NIs and their effects in different environmental conditions and agricultural practices.