28
C. M. Flores-Cayuela et al.
needs during the first fortnight and reduced irrigation to 33% of the crop needs during
the last 10 days.
3.2 Inventory of Orange and Tomato Water Footprint
The calculation of the WF C inventory components of the studied crops has been
made applying the procedure shown in Fig. 4. The results are presented in Table 1.
The term CWU blue for orange and tomato crops was determined from the records
of the water meters installed on each farm. The estimate of CWU green for the crop
grown outdoors is based on the estimation of the rainwater amount available for the
crop obtained from the measurements of the soil moisture sensors.
The suitability of the irrigation applied to the crops under study during the
2019/2020 season has been evaluated by means of the RIS indicator, in which the
irrigation applied for the development of the crop is compared with its theoretical
irrigation needs.
The production data of the study campaign were provided by the farm managers:
16.50 t/ha (oranges) and 109.6 t/ha (tomatoes). Although the principles of industrial
agriculture were applied to both crops, both farms are classified as organic farms,
prioritizing in its production objectives the quality of the product, resulting from
a sustainable production process, with respect to the quantity. These same crops
produced under non-organic (conventional) agricultural conditions can reach higher
values.
The water used in the production of oranges was 7348 m
3 /ha, of which 4966 m
3 /ha
correspond to the water used for irrigation and other cultivation practices necessary
to obtain 16.5 t/ha, as shown in Fig. 7. This figure identifies irrigation of important
magnitude and frequency between 51 and 200 of the year DOY that led the soil
to a level of moisture depletion Dr of 0, being unable to store more water for the
crop. A better distribution of irrigation water between DOY 256 and 316 could have
prevented the RAW level of water depletion in the soil from being reached, thus
avoiding possible production losses.
The water applied was lower than the water allowance (5000 m
3 /ha), being also
considerably lower than the theoretical irrigation needs of the crop (7112 m
3 /ha), as
indicated by a RIS of 0.7 (deficit irrigation).
The resulting WF orange is 445 m
3 /t, being 68% of WF blue .
The production of tomatoes was not affected by rainwater, so CWU green was
zero. With regard to the volume of blue water used (5576 m
3 /ha), this is less than
the theoretical needs of the crop when it is expected to exceed them as a result
of inefficiencies in the application of water and water used in various agricultural
practices. These figures indicate deficit irrigation on a campaign scale, as confirmed
by the RIS of 0.91. But on analyzing the daily data in Fig. 8, there are periods in
which the irrigation water applied to tomatoes is greater than their needs (farmer
management), even if it has been applied at the recommended timing. It is important
to analyze the daily evolution of CWA blue to improve the efficiency of irrigation
C. M. Flores-Cayuela et al.
needs during the first fortnight and reduced irrigation to 33% of the crop needs during
the last 10 days.
3.2 Inventory of Orange and Tomato Water Footprint
The calculation of the WF C inventory components of the studied crops has been
made applying the procedure shown in Fig. 4. The results are presented in Table 1.
The term CWU blue for orange and tomato crops was determined from the records
of the water meters installed on each farm. The estimate of CWU green for the crop
grown outdoors is based on the estimation of the rainwater amount available for the
crop obtained from the measurements of the soil moisture sensors.
The suitability of the irrigation applied to the crops under study during the
2019/2020 season has been evaluated by means of the RIS indicator, in which the
irrigation applied for the development of the crop is compared with its theoretical
irrigation needs.
The production data of the study campaign were provided by the farm managers:
16.50 t/ha (oranges) and 109.6 t/ha (tomatoes). Although the principles of industrial
agriculture were applied to both crops, both farms are classified as organic farms,
prioritizing in its production objectives the quality of the product, resulting from
a sustainable production process, with respect to the quantity. These same crops
produced under non-organic (conventional) agricultural conditions can reach higher
values.
The water used in the production of oranges was 7348 m
3 /ha, of which 4966 m
3 /ha
correspond to the water used for irrigation and other cultivation practices necessary
to obtain 16.5 t/ha, as shown in Fig. 7. This figure identifies irrigation of important
magnitude and frequency between 51 and 200 of the year DOY that led the soil
to a level of moisture depletion Dr of 0, being unable to store more water for the
crop. A better distribution of irrigation water between DOY 256 and 316 could have
prevented the RAW level of water depletion in the soil from being reached, thus
avoiding possible production losses.
The water applied was lower than the water allowance (5000 m
3 /ha), being also
considerably lower than the theoretical irrigation needs of the crop (7112 m
3 /ha), as
indicated by a RIS of 0.7 (deficit irrigation).
The resulting WF orange is 445 m
3 /t, being 68% of WF blue .
The production of tomatoes was not affected by rainwater, so CWU green was
zero. With regard to the volume of blue water used (5576 m
3 /ha), this is less than
the theoretical needs of the crop when it is expected to exceed them as a result
of inefficiencies in the application of water and water used in various agricultural
practices. These figures indicate deficit irrigation on a campaign scale, as confirmed
by the RIS of 0.91. But on analyzing the daily data in Fig. 8, there are periods in
which the irrigation water applied to tomatoes is greater than their needs (farmer
management), even if it has been applied at the recommended timing. It is important
to analyze the daily evolution of CWA blue to improve the efficiency of irrigation