PR | IFPRI3; ISI; CRP3.2; 4 Transforming Agricultural and Rural Economies | Development Strategies and Governance (DSG); Transformation Strategies | CGIAR Research Program on Maize (MAIZE)

This paper is an abstract of the operative program for water protection in the Republic of Serbia (Yugoslavia) for the next five-year period of time. There is a short review on the present water protection status, particularly status of wastewater treatment plants. It includes layouts of water protection solutions in different fields, by priorities, as well as assessment of necessary capital investments for their implementation.

This paper is an abstract of the operative program for water protection in the Republic of Serbia (Yugoslavia) for the next five-year period of time (2001-2005). There is a short review on the present water protection status, particularly status of wastewater treatment plants. It includes layouts of water protection solutions in different fields, by priorities, as well as assessment of necessary capital investments for their implementation.

Spacial Plan of Serbia (Yugoslavia) predicts the concept of water supply, which is based on exploitation of water from surface storages, formed or under construction. Usage of surface storages is profitable if exploitation of water takes place by protected capacity, during predicted period. Useful spaces of storages are endangered by fulfillment with erosional material, especially in hilly-mountainous region. By the way, particles of sediment are the carriers of pollutants from agricultural surfaces and products of wet and dry deposition from the atmosphere. In order to protect storages by fulfillment, primary tasks are decreasing the erosion production and stopping the existing quantities of sediment in the hydrographic system. Data about investments in erosion control works (period 1994-2000) are presented in the paper. It is necessary to increase level of investments, because the territory of Serbia (Yugoslavia) is region of high risk, in the sense of erosional material production.

The increased bioeconomy targets for the biomass share of renewable energy production across Europe should be met using land unsuitable for food production. Miscanthus breeding programs targeted the production of plants with a diverse range of traits allowing a wider utilization of land resources for biofuel production without competing with arable crops. These traits include increasing tolerances to drought, chilling, and to metal(loid)s excess. Two novel Miscanthus hybrids, GNT41 and GNT34, were compared against Miscanthus x giganteus (Mxg) on metal-contaminated arable land in Poland. This study aimed at evaluating their yield, biomass quality and quantifying seasonal differences in photosynthetic and transpiration parameters. A secondary objective was to identify key physiological mechanisms underlying differences in metal accumulation between the investigated plants. The new hybrids produced a similar yield to Mxg (13–15 t ha−1 yr−1), had shorter shoots, higher Leaf Area Index and stem number. Based on gas exchange measurements, GNT34 exhibited isohydric (water-conserving) behavior. The stomatal response to light of the new hybrids was at least twice as fast as that of Mxg, a trait that is often associated with increased seasonal water use efficiency. This contributed to the almost 40% reduction in shoot Pb and Cd concentrations for the new hybrids as compared to Mxg. This suggested that promoting stomatal regulation in conjunction with improved water conservation may be a target for improving plants for wider use on metals contaminated land.

In China, total Hg (HgT) and methylmercury (MeHg) were quantified in rice grain grown in three sites using water-saving rice cultivation methods, and in one Hg-contaminated site, where rice was grown under flooded conditions. Polished white rice concentrations of HgT (water-saving: 3.3±1.6ng/g; flooded: 110±9.2ng/g) and MeHg (water-saving 1.3±0.56ng/g; flooded: 12±2.4ng/g) were positively correlated with root-soil HgT and MeHg contents (HgT: r²=0.97, MeHg: r²=0.87, p<0.05 for both), which suggested a portion of Hg species in rice grain was derived from the soil, and translocation of Hg species from soil to rice grain was independent of irrigation practices and Hg levels, although other factors may be important. Concentrations of HgT and other trace elements were significantly higher in unmilled brown rice (p<0.05), while MeHg content was similar (p>0.20), indicating MeHg infiltrated the endosperm (i.e., white rice) more efficiently than inorganic Hg(II).

The application of reclaimed water for agricultural irrigation can effectively reduce the use of freshwater resources including groundwater, addressing the increasingly severe challenge of water shortage. However, reclaimed water irrigation will cause potential pollution risks to groundwater, which needs to be further studied to ensure the safety of reclaimed water irrigation. An integrated quantitative assessment system including the modified DRASTIC model was developed to evaluate the pollution risks caused by reclaimed water irrigation and scientific strategies were offered for the development of reclaimed water irrigation in water shortage areas to avoid groundwater pollution. The groundwater intrinsic vulnerability index, the hazards of the characteristic pollutants, and the groundwater values were quantified to obtain the pollution risks distribution map. In the Beijing plain of north China, the low groundwater pollution risk areas were located in the midstream of Chaobai river baisin, Beiyun river basin, and Yongding river basin, accounting for 48.3% of the total study area. These areas in low pollution risk can be considered as safety areas for reclaimed water irrigation. The moderate groundwater pollution risk areas accounting for 46.9% of the total study area were suggested to apply water-saving irrigation measures for preventing groundwater pollution. The reclaimed water irrigation should be prohibited in the high groundwater pollution risk areas, which accounted for 4.8% of the total study area. This study highlights the reasonable strategy for the development of reclaimed water irrigation in water shortage areas and lay a foundation for finding alternative water sources for agricultural irrigation.