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Agronomy
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Producer Perceptions and Adoption of Irrigation Best Management Practices in...
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Producer Perceptions and Adoption of Irrigation Best Management Practices in the Lower Mississippi River Basin

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Water Use and Irrigation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2022) | Viewed by 11062

Special Issue Editors

Dr. L Jason Krutz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Water Resources Institute, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA
Interests: irrigation; groundwater; alluvial aquifer; water conservation adoption; row crops; MIRI; nutrient transport; precision agriculture; Lower Mississippi River Valley; hypoxia; water use efficiency
Dr. Paul B. DeLaune

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Environmental Soil Science, Texas AgriLife Research, 11708 HWY 70 South, P.O. Box 1658, Vernon, TX 76385, USA
Interests: cotton cropping systems; wheat cropping systems; irrigation management; soil organic carbon and soil function
Dr. Joseph Harry Massey

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Delta Water Management Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Washington, DC, USA
Interests: irrigation
Dr. Michele L. Reba

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Delta Water Management Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Washington, DC, USA
Interests: water quality; agriculture; groundwater; water resources; greenhouse gases; evaporation
Prof. Dr. Wesley M. Porter

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CAES Campus, University of Georgia, Crop and Soil Sciences, 2360 Rainwater Road, Tifton, GA 31793, USA
Interests: cotton; precision-irrigation; water quality; yield monitoring; extension guidance and mentoring
Dr. Nicolas Quintana Ashwell

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Agricultural Economics, National Center for Alluvial Aquifer Research, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA
Interests: economics of natural resources and agricultural sustainability
Dr. Allen Berthold

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College Station, Texas Water Resources Research Institute, Texas A&M University, 400 Bizzell St, TX 77843, USA
Interests: agriculture and irrigation; surface water; water conservation; water management; water quality

Special Issue Information

Fellow scientists,

The Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer (MRVAA) underlies the Lower Mississippi River Basin (LMRB) and is the primary water source for the irrigation of row-crops in the bootheel of Missouri and the Delta Regions of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Aquifer decline in this region began in the 1950s and continues to accelerate due to increasing global demand for grains. In addition to the impending water quantity crisis, hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico raises concerns and urgency with respect to the quality of irrigation and pluvial runoffs capable of transporting nutrients that exacerbate the problem. To combat these threats, it is imperative to identify environmentally sustainable and economically sound production systems along with the factors that motivate producers to adopt such production strategies and technologies.

The Special Issue “Producer Perceptions and Adoption of Irrigation Best Management Practices in the Lower Mississippi River Basin” focuses on research, review, and opinion articles that pertain to how producers, agricultural industry representatives, or the general public perceive water quantity and quality issues in the Lower Mississippi River Basin (LMRB). Article submissions based on analyses of stakeholder surveys or bridging experimental research and producer experience are welcome.

Dr. L Jason Krutz
Dr. Paul B. DeLaune
Dr. Joseph Harry Massey
Dr. Michele L. Reba
Prof. Dr. Wesley M. Porter
Dr. Nicolas Quintana Ashwell
Dr. Allen Berthold
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

irrigation

groundwater

alluvial aquifer water conservation adoption

row crops

MIRI

nutrient transport

precision agriculture

Lower Mississippi River Valley

hypoxia

water use efficiency

 

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 39141 KiB  
Article
Irrigation Water Management Tools and Alternative Irrigation Sources Trends and Perceptions by Farmers from the Delta Regions of the Lower Mississippi River Basin in South Central USA
by Nicolas Quintana-Ashwell, Drew Gholson, Gurpreet Kaur, Gurbir Singh, Joseph Massey, L. Jason Krutz, Christopher G. Henry, Trey Cooke III, Michele Reba and Martin A. Locke
Agronomy 2022, 12(4), 894; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12040894 - 07 Apr 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1869
Abstract
This article describes the opinions and perceptions of farmers on water management tools that conserve groundwater and on alternative sources of water for irrigation. The analysis is based on a survey of producers (N=466) across the Lower Mississippi River [...] Read more.
This article describes the opinions and perceptions of farmers on water management tools that conserve groundwater and on alternative sources of water for irrigation. The analysis is based on a survey of producers (N=466) across the Lower Mississippi River Basin (LMRB) areas of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Missouri. Summary statistics of practice usage across the region and for each state are presented. A Poisson count model is applied to the data to identify factors that influence the number of groundwater-conserving practices employed. The number of irrigated acres, years of farming, annual income level, perception of groundwater problems, and participation in conservation programs have statistically significant association with the number of practices employed. Years of farming experience is the only factor negatively associated with the number of practices employed, while participation in conservation programs has the largest magnitude effect on that number. These results provide evidence that sponsored conservation programs increase the number of conservation practices adopted by farmers. This insight is useful for producer collectives, policy makers, and program managers to design and target of conservation programs across the LMRB. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Producer Perceptions and Adoption of Irrigation Best Management Practices in the Lower Mississippi River Basin)
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10 pages, 837 KiB  
Article
Perceptions of Irrigation Water Management Practices in the Mississippi Delta
by Carson Roberts, Drew M. Gholson, Nicolas Quintana-Ashwell, Gurpreet Kaur, Gurbir Singh, L. Jason Krutz and Trey Cooke
Agronomy 2022, 12(1), 186; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12010186 - 13 Jan 2022
Viewed by 1683
Abstract
The Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer (MRVAA) is being depleted, and practices that improve water stewardship have been developed to reduce drawdown. This study assesses how Mississippi Delta producers changed their perceptions of these practices over time. The analysis employs data from two [...] Read more.
The Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer (MRVAA) is being depleted, and practices that improve water stewardship have been developed to reduce drawdown. This study assesses how Mississippi Delta producers changed their perceptions of these practices over time. The analysis employs data from two surveys carried-out in 2012 and 2014 of all Mississippi permittees who held an agricultural well permit drawing from the MRVAA. Focusing on water-saving practices, this study found that producer perception of the usability of flowmeters improved over time. About 80% and 90% more producers growing corn and soybeans, respectively, felt that computerized hole selection was highly efficient. In 2014, 38% of corn and 35% of soybean producers believed that shortened furrow length was a highly efficient practice—up from 21% in corn and 24% in soybean producers in 2012. Approval of irrigation automation, moisture probes, and other irrigation technology rose from 75% of producers in 2012 to 88% by 2014. Favorability toward water-saving practices increased overall between the survey years. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Producer Perceptions and Adoption of Irrigation Best Management Practices in the Lower Mississippi River Basin)
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18 pages, 3498 KiB  
Article
A Quantitative Review of Irrigation Development in the Yazoo–Mississippi Delta from 1991 to 2020
by Tsz Him Lo and H. C. (Lyle) Pringle III
Agronomy 2021, 11(12), 2548; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11122548 - 15 Dec 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1933
Abstract
The Yazoo–Mississippi Delta is one of the regions within the Lower Mississippi River Basin where substantial irrigation development and consequent groundwater depletion have occurred over the past three decades. To describe this irrigation development, a study was conducted to analyze existing geospatial datasets [...] Read more.
The Yazoo–Mississippi Delta is one of the regions within the Lower Mississippi River Basin where substantial irrigation development and consequent groundwater depletion have occurred over the past three decades. To describe this irrigation development, a study was conducted to analyze existing geospatial datasets and to synthesize the results with those of past government surveys. The effort produced a quantitative review characterizing three aspects of irrigation development from 1991 to 2020. First, the expansion of irrigated area was tracked in terms of absolute area and in terms of fraction relative to total land or cropland area. Second, trends in irrigated land cover were traced in terms of irrigated crop mix, irrigated fractions of main crops, and comparisons with non-irrigated land. Third, changes in irrigation systems were examined in terms of water sources, energy sources, and application methods. Original findings of this study for the end of 2020 included moderate positive spatial autocorrelation in the density of irrigated areas; a higher irrigated crop preference for soybean and rice over cotton and corn in highly hydric soils; and 91% and 3% of permitted areas studied being respectively under groundwater withdrawal permits exclusively and under surface water diversion permits exclusively. By compiling such information, this paper can serve as a convenient reference on the recent history and status of irrigation development in the Yazoo–Mississippi Delta. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Producer Perceptions and Adoption of Irrigation Best Management Practices in the Lower Mississippi River Basin)
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21 pages, 302 KiB  
Article
Peer Irrigators and the Choice of Field Management and Water Control Practices for Irrigation in Arkansas
by Victoria Bailey, Kent Kovacs, Christopher Henry, Qiuqiong Huang and Larry J. Krutz
Agronomy 2021, 11(12), 2473; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11122473 - 04 Dec 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1679
Abstract
We examined how irrigation techniques in use by family and friends influence the use and share of land utilizing different irrigation techniques by Arkansas producers. A bivariate sample selection model simultaneously estimated how farm characteristics determine the use and explain the share of [...] Read more.
We examined how irrigation techniques in use by family and friends influence the use and share of land utilizing different irrigation techniques by Arkansas producers. A bivariate sample selection model simultaneously estimated how farm characteristics determine the use and explain the share of a farm that utilizes an irrigation technique. We found that the irrigation techniques in use by family and friends do affect the irrigation techniques a producer uses and the share of acres utilizing different irrigation techniques. A producer with a family or friend that uses end-blocking irrigation is 41% more likely to use end-blocking themselves. Having a family or friend who uses pivot irrigation technology tends to decrease the share of irrigated acres that utilizes end block irrigation by 0.211. We also found that when the irrigation techniques in use by family and friends interact with variables such as location and participation in a regional conservation partnership program, the effects on the producer’s decision vary. The share of irrigated acres that use cutback irrigation decreases by 0.21 for a producer who has a peer that uses irrigation scheduling. However, if the producer lives along Crowley’s Ridge and has a peer that uses irrigation scheduling, the share of irrigated acres that use cutback irrigation decreases by an additional 0.54. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Producer Perceptions and Adoption of Irrigation Best Management Practices in the Lower Mississippi River Basin)
8 pages, 737 KiB  
Communication
Implications of Experimental Design on Predicting Economic Optimum Nitrogen Rates in Rice
by Richard Lee Atwill, Larry Jason Krutz, Gene Dave Spencer, Jason A. Bond, Kambham Raja Reddy, Jeffrey Gore, Timothy W. Walker and Debbie Boykin
Agronomy 2021, 11(11), 2296; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11112296 - 12 Nov 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1355
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) response studies in rice (Oryza sativa L.) are conducted to provide grower recommendations with economically optimum N rates (EONRs). This study was conducted to determine if experimental design alters the predicted EONR for rice. The effects of experimental design and [...] Read more.
Nitrogen (N) response studies in rice (Oryza sativa L.) are conducted to provide grower recommendations with economically optimum N rates (EONRs). This study was conducted to determine if experimental design alters the predicted EONR for rice. The effects of experimental design and soil texture on predicted EONR were investigated near Arcola, Greenville, Minter City, and Shaw, MS on soil textures ranging from sandy loam to clay. The response of rice grain yield to seven N fertilizer rates was fitted with a quadratic equation, and the quadratic trend was compared between the randomized complete block (RCB) and split-plot (SP) designs. No differences were detected between RCB and SP designs for rice grain yield response to N rate; therefore, either design, RCB or SP, would be appropriate for use in N response studies for rice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Producer Perceptions and Adoption of Irrigation Best Management Practices in the Lower Mississippi River Basin)
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15 pages, 2644 KiB  
Article
Positive Mathematical Programming to Model Regional or Basin-Wide Implications of Producer Adoption of Practices Emerging from Plot-Based Research
by Nicolas Quintana-Ashwell, Gurpreet Kaur, Gurbir Singh, Drew Gholson, Christopher Delhom, L. Jason Krutz and Shraddha Hegde
Agronomy 2021, 11(11), 2204; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11112204 - 30 Oct 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1679
Abstract
A method for calibrating models of agricultural production and resource use for policy analysis is proposed to leverage multidisciplinary agricultural research at the National Center for Alluvial Aquifer Research (NCAAR). An illustrative example for Sunflower County, MS, is presented to show how plot-level [...] Read more.
A method for calibrating models of agricultural production and resource use for policy analysis is proposed to leverage multidisciplinary agricultural research at the National Center for Alluvial Aquifer Research (NCAAR). An illustrative example for Sunflower County, MS, is presented to show how plot-level research can be extended to draw systemic region or basin wide implications. A hypothetical improvement in yields for dryland soybean varieties is incorporated into the model and shown to have a positive impact on aquifer outcomes and producer profits. The example illustrates that a change in one practice-crop combination can have system-wide impacts, as evidenced by the change in acreages for all crops and practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Producer Perceptions and Adoption of Irrigation Best Management Practices in the Lower Mississippi River Basin)
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