WatNitMED - management improvements of WUE [Water Use Efficiency] and NUE [Nitrogen Use Efficiency] of Mediterranean strategic crops (wheat and barley)

Slafer G.A., Karrou M., Karam F., Thabet C., Spiertz H.J., Dahan R., Foulkes J., Nogués S., Peltonen-Sainio P., Albrizio R., Ayad J.Y., Mellouli H.J.

Water is recognized as the most limiting factor in Mediterranean regions, though N shortages seem as important as water scarcity. The general objective of this proposal is to identify and transfer improvements in management of wheat and barley through increasing the capture and/or the use efficiency of water and N. The project is based on the premise that understanding the physiological bases of the responses to water x N shortages would allow the design of more consistent management practices to overcome the deficiencies explored, either by directly using the concepts in such strategic design or by being able to build up (or adapt an existing) robust simulation models based on this knowledge and then allowing the testing of different alternatives exploring a large degree of G x E interactions. We developed work-packages (WP) on plant and crop physiology (WP5-10, some more focus on root attributes, others on N/water economies of the canopy) designed to elucidate facts under the realistic (actual and near future) range of water x N deficiencies in the Region (established beyond the well known general pattern of Mediterranean conditions by WP1), so that the agronomic (WP11-12) and strategy design (WP4) works may be based on more solid bases, and the social impact and outreach activities (WP2) be made more confidently on the actual impacts of any proposed changes in management measured in the project.

Mots-clés    

AZOTE, CONDUITE DE LA CULTURE, EFFICACITE, HORDEUM, PHYSIOLOGIE VEGETALE, PROJET DE RECHERCHE, REPONSE DE LA PLANTE, TRITICUM, UTILISATION DE L'EAU, ZONE MEDITERRANEENNE

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Slafer G.A., Karrou M., Karam F., Thabet C., Spiertz H.J., Dahan R., Foulkes J., Nogués S., Peltonen-Sainio P., Albrizio R., Ayad J.Y., Mellouli H.J. WatNitMED - management improvements of WUE [Water Use Efficiency] and NUE [Nitrogen Use Efficiency] of Mediterranean strategic crops (wheat and barley). In : Lamaddalena N. (ed.), Bogliotti C. (ed.), Todorovic M. (ed.), Scardigno A. (ed.). Water saving in Mediterranean agriculture and future research needs [Vol. 3]. Bari : CIHEAM, 2007. p. 291-299. (Options Méditerranéennes : Série B. Etudes et Recherches; n. 56 Vol.III). Proceedings of the International Conference WASAMED Project (EU contract ICA3-CT-2002-10013), 2007/02/14-17, Valenzano (Italy). http://om.ciheam.org/om/pdf/b56_3/00800223.pdf