Ignacio Sánchez-Cohen

Water use efficiency and productivity of habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.) based on two transplanting dates

Habanero pepper production was assessed with drip irrigation and plastic mulch, based on two transplanting dates. The objectives of the study were: (i) to evaluate the effect of two transplanting dates and the use of plastic mulch on water productivity and habanero pepper fruit yield under drip irrigation conditions; and (ii) to determine the profitability and economic viability of the product in the regional market. The work was conducted in the municipality of Huimanguillo, state of Tabasco, Mexico, in loam soils classified as Eutric Fluvisol. The Jaguar variety of habanero pepper, developed by INIFAP and possessing better genetic and productive characteristics, was used. Two transplanting dates were studied, (i) 30 January 2013 and (ii) 15 February 2013, with and without plastic mulch. The conclusions were: (i) application of irrigation depths based on crop evapotranspiration (ETc) and plastic mulch transplanted on 30 January increased the fruit yield of the crop and improved the benefit-cost ratio of the production system; and (ii) water use efficiency based on the 30 January transplanting date was 8.68 kg m⁻³ of water applied with plastic mulch, 6.51 kg m⁻³ without plastic mulch, and 3.65 kg m⁻³ for the 15 February transplanting date with plastic mulch.

Inducción de lluvia mediante sembrado de nubes con yoduro de plata en la región norte-centro de México en la temporada de lluvia 2012

1INIFAP Campo Experimental Zacatecas, km 24.5 Carretera Zacatecas-Fresnillo, Calera, Zacatecas, 98600, Mexico. (echavarria.francisco@inifap.gob.mx). 2INIFAP Campo Experimental Cotaxtla, km 34.5 Carretera Veracruz-Cordoba, Medellin de Bravo, Veracruz, Mexico. (diaz.gabriel@inifap.gob.mx). 3INIFAP Campo Experimental Centro-Altos de Jalisco, km 8 Carretera libre Tepatitlan-Lagos de Moreno, Tepatitlan, Jalisco, 47600, Mexico. (ruiz.ariel@inifap.gob.mx). 4INIFAP Sitio Experimental Metepec, km. 4.5 Carretera Toluca-Zitacuaro, Vialidad Adolfo Lopez Mateos s/n, Zinacantepec, Estado de Mexico, 51350, Mexico. (soria.jesus@inifap.gob.mx). 5INIFAP CENID RASPA, km 6.5 margen derecha canal Sacramento, Gomez Palacio, Durango, 35140, Mexico. (sanchez.ignacio@inifap.gob.mx). §Autor para correspondencia: medina.guillermo@inifap.gob.mx.

Forage Water Footprint in the Comarca Lagunera

This chapter presents the bovine milk production status in the Comarca Lagunera, arid region of north–central Mexico, which has had a major agricultural/livestock and industrial development, being livestock the activity that stands out. In 2011, 2,274,797 l of milk were produced, which represented 21.2 % of the national production. This production is developed intensively, in an area characterized by shortages and water quality. The objective of the chapter is to determine bovine milk water footprint and the pressure of this production on water resources in the region.

Water Demand of Major Crops: A Methodology

An algorithm to compute crop water requirements in the irrigation districts of Mexico is presented based on climatological data from where irrigation needs are obtained. The method relies on the soil water balance where the main inputs are rainfall and irrigation and the outputs are deep drainage or deep percolation, and crop evapotranspiration. The method to compute each variable of the soil water balance is outlined as well as irrigation needs. A computer program was utilized, DRIEGO1, from where crop’s water needs are deduced. The drought index and evapotranspiration data for the main irrigation districts of the country are presented in both graphical and tabular ways. According to the results it can be seen that the crop evapotranspiration is strongly dependent on the climatology showing significant difference for the same crop for different places.