Xing et al. (2025) Responses of Soil Water Infiltration and Recharge to Irrigation Methods in the Semi‐Arid Farming–Pastoral Ecotone of Northern China

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Identification

• Journal: Irrigation and Drainage
• Year: 2025
• Date: 2025-11-18
• Authors: Zhenguo Xing, Ruimin He, Jie Fang, Mei Lei, Lu Bai, Xuejia Li, Xiaoqing Liu, Gang Liu, Ming Zhao
• DOI: 10.1002/ird.70071

Research Groups

[Information not available in the abstract]

Short Summary

This study investigated soil water transport mechanisms in maize fields under drip and flood irrigation in a farming-pastoral ecotone of northwest China. It found that drip irrigation significantly reduces water loss and improves water use efficiency compared to conventional flood irrigation, and identified optimal groundwater depths for maximizing recharge efficiency under both regimes.

Objective

• To examine soil water transport mechanisms in maize fields under different irrigation regimes (drip vs. flood irrigation) and identify optimal groundwater depths for maximizing recharge efficiency in a representative farming-pastoral ecotone.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Maize fields in a representative farming-pastoral ecotone in northwest China.
• Temporal Scale: 2023 growing season (June–September).

Methodology and Data

• Models used: HYDRUS-1D
• Data sources: Field monitoring

Main Results

• Compared to conventional flood irrigation, drip irrigation substantially reduced water loss.
• Under drip irrigation, total infiltration was 358 mm, with 196 mm contributing to deep percolation.
• Under flood irrigation, total infiltration was 588 mm, with 288 mm contributing to deep percolation.
• Drip irrigation reduced deep percolation by 39% and improved irrigation water use efficiency by 12%.
• Optimal groundwater depth for drip irrigation was identified as 1.5 m, yielding an irrigation infiltration coefficient of 0.46.
• Optimal groundwater depth for flood irrigation was identified as 2.0 m, yielding an irrigation infiltration coefficient of 0.65.

Contributions

• Provides a scientific basis for developing efficient irrigation strategies and sustainable groundwater management practices in water-limited farming-pastoral ecotones of northern China.
• Quantifies the benefits of drip irrigation over flood irrigation in terms of water loss reduction and water use efficiency improvement.
• Identifies specific optimal groundwater depths for maximizing recharge efficiency under different irrigation methods.

Funding

[Information not available in the abstract]

Citation

@article{Xing2025Responses,
  author = {Xing, Zhenguo and He, Ruimin and Fang, Jie and Lei, Mei and Bai, Lu and Li, Xuejia and Liu, Xiaoqing and Liu, Gang and Zhao, Ming},
  title = {Responses of Soil Water Infiltration and Recharge to Irrigation Methods in the Semi‐Arid Farming–Pastoral Ecotone of Northern China},
  journal = {Irrigation and Drainage},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.1002/ird.70071},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/ird.70071}
}