RESEARCH PROJECTS
Multi-lag stochastic differential dynamic programming for multi-reservoir systems The
proposed stochastic DDP algorithm is formulated to have the capability
to use inflows which are serially correlated. One version of the algorithm
handles inflows which are correlated to the previous month’s inflows and
follow the lag-one autocorrelation (PAR-1) model. Another version of the
algorithm is modified so that it can handle inflows which are correlated
to the two preceding months’ inflows and follow the lag-two autocorrelation
model (PAR-2). Temporal correlations between inflows of the same reservoir,
as well as spatial cross correlation among inflows of different reservoirs,
are considered. The algorithm was formulated and developed to solve several
cases. These cases, which deal with independent as well as lagged random
variables, were classified according to their matrix condition requirement
in the solution procedure. The computer coding is still going on at this
stage, using the MATLAB environment for its very powerful capabilities
especially in matrix applications. F. A. El-Awar. (Supported by
URB.)
Irrigation supply system design for optimal cropping pattern: a case study in Lebanon The
problem of optimal allocation of a limited water supply for irrigation
of several crops, grown in the same area, is addressed. Both intraseasonal
and interseasonal competition for water between crops are considered. Ghazzah,
a village in the South Bekaa, Lebanon, has been chosen as a pilot study
area. A linear programming (LP) mathematical model is developed to solve
the problem of water allocation. The objective function of the formulated
model is to maximize net returns from a cropping pattern selected from
crops grown in South Bekaa. Two different scenarios, based on different
constraints, are tested within the model. Results obtained from the LP
model indicate that the current cropping pattern is not optimal and should
be replaced by another one. Water distribution systems for the two scenarios
are designed to meet the irrigation requirements of the cropping patterns.
Finally, the recommended scenario is that having the highest net benefit
to distribution system cost ratio. F. A. El-Awar, M. R. Darwish, M.
N. Nimah and R. M. Mtierek. (Supported by Friends of Ibrahim
Abdel-Al Association, Beirut, Lebanon)
Planning and designing a new irscheme: strategies for the Awali-Zahrani area Two
alternatives for an irrigation project in the area between the Awali and
Zahrani rivers are proposed, based on the following concepts: conjunctive
use of surface and ground water, supply of water on modified demand basis
and land consolidation. The two alternatives for irrigation water distribution
in the area are first, storing water released from Lake Qaroun and using
this in conjunction with groundwater in the area to a consolidated 559
hectares located between the Awali and the Zahrani rivers. Second, storing
the water delivered from the Qasmieh Ras El-Ain project according to the
present operation of the project, and reusing the stored water in conjunction
with groundwater to irrigate a total of 468 hectares located between the
Zahrani and Sidon. The delivery schedule will be on a modified basis. It
was concluded that the first alternative is more feasible when compared
to the second, on economical, technical, and environmental bases. M.N.
Nimah, F.A. El-Awar and F. Jaber. (Supported by SIM Department.)
Deficit irrigation and fertigation effect on potato production Potato
is of major importance in Lebanon; 90% of the potato crop is produced in
the Bekaa valley. This area is characterized by a semi-arid climate where
irrigation is a must for potato to grow. The objective of this research
is to delineate the optimum water-N-fertilizer combination. An experiment
was designed using a sprinkler point source to produce a decreasing gradient
of water and fertizer from the sprinkler out. The results will focus on
yield versus water use efficiency, yield versus fertilizer use efficiency,
and yield versus water and fertilizer water use efficiency. M.N. Nimah
and L. Darwish. (Supported by SIM Department.)
Potato yield as affected by fertigation using N15 Fertigation
is a method of adding fertilizers in the irrigation water. Thus, fertigation
helps in applying fertilizers piecemeal to the plant, providing efficient
use of water and fertilizer and helping in protecting the environment.
An experiment was designed in 1995, using drip irrigation, to study the
effect of fertigation on potato yield. Three levels of N fertilizers were
used (73.3, 110, and 146.6 PPM). The nitrogen was continuously injected
in the drip system of each irrigation. N15 was also used to
study the dynamic of nutrient uptake by the crop. Yield, tuber and leaf
samples were collected at different stages for analysis. The preliminary
results showed that the middle treatment, 110 PPM, which was equivalent
to 360 kg/ha-n, gave the highest yield. In comparison with conventional
treatment, fertigation significantly increased the marketable tuber, although
the yield was not significantly higher. M.N. Nimah, T. Darwish*
and L. Darwish. (Supported by LNCSR.)
Corn yield as affected by deficit irrigation Deficit
irrigation might be a potential solution in meeting the ever-increasing
demand for water, and can also play a role in conserving water and preserving
the environment. An experiment was designed, and implemented in the 1995
and 1996 growing seasons, at the Agricultural Research and Educational
Center of AUB, utilizing sprinkler line sources for corn irrigation. The
sprinkler line sources produced a decreasing gradient of water application
from the sprinkler head out. The results of the experiment showed a highly
significant yield variation with the water depth application (R2 =0.95).
This high correlation confirmed the linear relationship between actual
evapotranspiration and corn biomass production. The relationship is described
as follows: Y= 13.14 x -196.1 on fresh weight basis. Moreover, the study
showed that by adopting deficit irrigation, water application can be reduced
(or percent saving) below estimated evapotranspiration by 15% without significantly
reducing the dry and fresh biomass of corn. M.N. Nimah, M. Dimashkiah
and N. Mohtar. (Supported by LNCSR).
Guide for crop irrigation water requirements in Lebanon The
scarcity of water for irrigation in Lebanon, especially in the agricultural
regions of the country where it is most needed, requires an improvement
in its efficient use in both physical and economic terms. One of the basic
methods used to improve on-farm irrigation water use is to determine the
crop water requirement as a function of time, climatic factors, and irrigation
method during the growing season. The objectives of this study are first,
to collate all climatic data available in time and space in Lebanon; second,
to assess software pertaining to the calculation of irrigation needs for
crops and develop software to that effect; third, to calculate actual water
requirements for the major crops grown in each climatic zone in Lebanon;
and fourth, to relate water needs to irrigation methods and leaching requirements
if necessary. The result of this two-year project was the development of
an irrigation scheduling software called IRRIWAT, and dividing the climate
into 29 climatic zones. Progress on the calculation of irrigation water
requirement is in its final stage. M.N. Nimah and M.N. Hamed.
(Supported by URB.)
Optimizing water resources utilization by estimating water need for daily food requirement Besides
climate, water and land are the most essential natural resources for agricultural
production. Optimizing productivity per unit of water is becoming a must
in order to sustain agriculture and partially meet the increasing demand.
The objectives of this study are, first, to estimate the crop production
efficiency, i.e. units of production per unit of water; and second, to
model the crop water production efficiency in a daily balanced diet. A
guide for a daily balanced diet was chosen for this study. A linear mathematical
model is defined and developed; its objective function is to minimize water
use for a number of food items in the balanced food diet. Another integer
program was defined, NAPSACK, to select different food combinations of
the food items that will meet the minimum water required and the constraints
of a balanced diet. Prices and calories of the different food items will
be included as a constraints for the objective function, and different
scenarios will be considered. M.N. Nimah and M.N. Hamed.
(Supported by LNCSR).
Effect of soil compaction on surface irrigation parameters The
area under surface irrigation still constitutes more than 60% of the irrigated
area in the world, and Lebanon is no exception. The overall impact on farm
surface irrigation efficiency is less than 50%. Farm cultural practices
affect the soil physical properties, namely the bulk density, porosity,
infiltration rate and soil moisture holding capacity at the surface. Induced
compacting might improve water movement in the furrow, and thus reduce
the advance time, causing a better distribution uniformity. This research
is conducted with the following objectives: first, to study the impact
of conventional ploughing on soil physical parameters; second, the effect
of induced compacting on furrow irrigation distribution uniformity; and
third, to determine the variation of the constant coefficients and exponents
under compacting in furrow intake formula. To achieve the mentioned objectives
an experiment was designed to measure the infiltration rate, resistance
to penetration, advance flow time, and distribution uniformity under conventional,
one compacting, and two furrow compacting. M.N. Nimah and G.
Hatem. (Supported by SIM Department.)
Evaluation of drip irrigation uniformity under pressure and manufacturer variation One
of the major factors affecting the application uniformity of a drip irrigation
system is the emission uniformity of its emitters. The higher the design
emission uniformity, the better is the irrigation system efficiency and
the more the potential crop yield is achieved. Emission uniformity is directly
related to the pressure variation and the manufacturer variation of the
emitters. The objectives of this research project are first, to test the
sensitivity of different types of emitters at different pressures; second,
to determine the discharge variation within a given lateral length for
diffemitters; third, to select the optimal emission uniformity of a drip
irrigation system for a given set of economical agricultural inputs. M.
N. Nimah and A. Kahawati. (Supported by SIM Department.)
Micro-irrigation flow uniformity Variations
in microsprinkler discharge rates were examined to evaluate the effects
of system operating pressure, length and diameter of the microtube on the
uniformity of discharge. The microirrigation system was operated at 190,
150, and 100 kpa; two different microtube diameters (4 and 6 mm) were used,
with lengths from 250 mm to 2000 mm with 250 mm increments. The results
showed that the discharge volume was significantly affected by each variable.
Fixing the diameter and pressure, the discharged volume decreased by 5%
in the 4 mm diameter tube and 2% in the 6 mm diameter tube, at 2000 mm
length; while, with constant diameter and length, the discharge volume
increased from 471 litres per hour (lph) to 66 lph, i.e. 40% with increase
in pressure from 100 kpa to 190 kpa. Moreover, the data did not reveal
any significant interaction between length and diameter variables. M.N.
Nimah, M. Sidahmad and M. Ghaddar. (Supported by SIM Department.)
Evaluation of hand-held sprayers used in Lebanon The
objective of this project was to evaluate the adequacy of commercially
available hand-held spraying equipment to meet the specific needs of farmers
in Lebanon. Horizontal and vertical spray patternators were built to facilitate
assessment, and work is in progress to investigate the performance of different
spray delivery systems. M. Sidahmed. (Supported by URB.)
Lentil harvesting in Lebanon The
objective of this study is to design and develop a harvester for local
varieties of lentils, which tend to grow short with pods close to the ground
surface. Preliminary studies to evaluate possible design schemes are underway.
M. Sidahmed.
The potential of vegetative parts of rootcrops as animal feed The
objective of this project is to examine the suitability of vegetative parts
of potato and sugar-beet as animal feed. The effect of time of cut before
harvest, and fermentation (with and without additives) period will be investigated.
M. Sidahmed.
The interactive effects of salinity and N source on the salt tolerance of chickpea An
investigation of the response of chickpea nodulation, N fixation and growth
under salinity confirmed that chickpea was very sensitive to salinity.
This salinity was exacerbated in symbiotic plants, and reduced by the addition
of mineral nitrogen. It was also shown that a wide genetic variability
for salt tolerance exists within both Rhizobia strains and chickpea cultivars.
R. Zurayk, M. Adlan, R. Baalkbaki and M. Saxena*. (Supported
by the International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas.)
The effect of irrigation, basic cations, phosphorus and field location on the cooking quality of chickpea This
research project investigated the “hard to cook” phenomenon in lentils.
It was found that irrigation, field location, seed basic cations and P
content affected the cooking time of field grown lentils, but that this
effect was not consistent. It appears that these parameters interact with
other parameters such as cultivar or environmental conditions to determine
the cooking quality of lentils. R. Zurayk, M. Adlan, R. Baalkbaki
and M. Saxena*. (Supported by the International Center for Agricultural
Research in Dry Areas.)
Growth, ionic relations and domestication of the halophyte Inula crithmoides (L) The
objective of this project was to evaluate the potential of a local halophyte
for use in agriculture, and the determination of its productivity under
different salinity levels. The results showed that I. crithmoides could
be domesticated for use as a salt tolerant forage crop as it was able to
produce a high protein biomass at 50% sea water salinity. R. Zurayk
and R. Baalbaki. (Supported by LNCSR.)
Salinity management for optimal cucumber production Plants
are known to exhibit different tolerance to salinity at different growth
stages. This project is an attempt to optimize water quality versus plant
growth stage in order to achieve maximum water savings. The study used
cucumber as a experimental crop. The results showed that varying salinity
levels at varying growing periods was not a successful strategy due to
the irreversible effect of salinity on cucumber, a salt sensitive plant.
The data was used to develop a model of plant response to salinity. R.
Zurayk, N. Mujaess, B. Hasbini* and R. Baalbaki. (Supported
by Al Ain University, UAE.)
A framework for a GIS-based land resources stress analysis This
project deals with the development of a GIS-based methodology for qualifying,
quantifying and locating stress in dryland ecosystems. The special case
of Irsal, in the North Bekaa, is considered. The method relies on the association
of a number of digital coverages obtained from primary or secondary sources
in order to delineate sensitive areas. R. Zurayk and S. Sadek.
(Supported by URB.)
Darwish, T*. and Zurayk, R.. Distribution and nature of red Mediterranean soils in Lebanon along an altitudinal sequence. Catena, 28, 191-202, 1997. Nimah, M.N., Efficient distribution and use of irrigation water and fertilizer. In: Fertigation, A. Hamdy (ed.), FAO/RNE, CIHEAM/ IAM-B and LU/FAS, 65-79, 1995. ———, Crop water requirement. In: Fertilization-Irrigation: Fertigation, A. Hamday, C. Lacirignala, and A. Mihri (Eds), INAT, CIHEAM/MAI-B and CEC-DGI, 85-111, 1996. Sidahmed, M.M., A theory for predicting the size and velocity of droplets from pressure nozzles. Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers, 39 (2), 385-391, 1996. ———, A model for predicting the droplet size from liquid sheets in airstreams. Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers, 39 (5), 1651-1665, 1996. Zurayk, R., Environmental concerns in agricultural technology transfer in Lebanon. In Transfer of Environmentally Sound Technologies, W. Rudel (ed.), 93-104. National Environmental Information and Education Program and Friedrich-Nauman Stiftung, 1995. ———, The natural environment of Lebanon. State of the Environment Report. World Bank-METAP and Ministry of the Environment, Lebanon, 1995. Zurayk, R. and Baalbaki, R., Inula crithmoides: a candidate plant for saline agriculture. arid soil research and rehabilitation. Journal of Native and Agricultural Environments, 10 (3), 213-223, 1996. Zurayk,
R. Nimah, M., Geha, Y. and Rizk, C., Phosphorus retention in the soil matrix
of constructed wetlands. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis,
28 (6-8), 521-535, 1997.
ABSTRACTS, CONFERENCES AND PROCEEDINGS Darwish, T.* and Nimah, M.N., Mineralogical composition of some Lebanese mountain Inceptisol. Proceedings of the Third International Meeting on Red Mediterranean Soils, Thessoliniki, Greece, 1995. ———, Nitrogen fertigated potato with the use of N15 under semi-arid climate in the Beqa’a valley, Lebanon. Proceedings of the Fourth International Meeting on Red Mediterranean Soils, Plovdi, Bulgaria, 1997. Darwish, T*. and Zurayk, R., Land degradation in the western aspect of the Anti-Lebanon range. Proceedings of the Fourth International Meeting on Red Mediterranean Soils, Plovdi, Bulgaria, 1997. Darwish, T*. Zurayk, R. and Masri, T*., High altitude rendzinas in Lebanon. Proceedings of the Third International Meeting on Red Mediterranean Soils, Thessoliniki, Greece, 1995. El-Awar, F.A., Fontane, D.G.* and Labadie, J.W.*, Use of additional hydrologic information with stochastic differential dynamic programming for reservoir management. Proceedings of the Eleventh International Conference on Computational Methods in Water Resources, Cancun, Mexico, 461-468, 1996. El-Awar, F.A., Ghannam, J.N, Azar, N.E.* and Nimah, M.N., Nahr Ibrahim basin water resources balance assessment. The Lebanese Abstracts, D-40, 1995. Nimah, M. N., Use of sewage water in irrigation agriculture (in Arabic). AUB/Alumni Conference: Bekaa Branch, Zahle, Lebanon, 1995. ———, Fertigation/Chemigation methods as a tool for controlled adverse environmental effects. Proceedings of FAO/RNE Office Conferand Workshop, Amman, Jordan, 1996. ———, IRRIWAT: A mathematical model and software for real-ltime irrigation scheduling. Proceedings of International Conference on Evapo-transpiration and Irrigation Scheduling, American Society of Agricultural Engineering, The Irrigation Assessment and the International Community on Irrigation and Drainage. St. Antonio, Texas, USA, 1996. ———, Fertigation and crop water requirements. Fertigation/ Management Workshop, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon, 1997. Zurayk, R. A., The environment of women and children in Lebanon. UNICEF country analysis document, UNICEF, Beirut, Lebanon, 1995. ———, Challenges in soil sciences education in the West Asia and North Africa region. Regional Soil Fertility Workshop, ICARDA, Aleppo, Syria 1995. ———, Drainage and salinity investigation techniques for the diagnosis of land degradation. Regional Workshop on the Management of Salt-Affected Soils in the Arab Gulf States, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 1995. ———, Soil-water-plant relationships in salt-affected soils. Regional Workshop on the Management of Salt-Affected Soils in the Arab Gulf States, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 1995. ———, Constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment and re-use. Inter-Country Workshop on Re-Use of Wastewater, UNDP and Abu Dhabi Municipality, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 1996. ———, Soil erosion and desertification in Lebanon. National Desertification Awareness Seminar, UNDP/FAO, 1997. ———, Facing change: the challenge of soil conservation in steeplands in Lebanon. Natural Resources Management Workshop, Cairo, Egypt (ICARDA), 1997. Zurayk, R., Baalbaki, R. and Talhouk, S., Production and use of chemical fertilizers and the environment in Lebanon. In Proceedings of the Seminar on Production and Use of Chemical Fertilizers and the Environment, M. M. El-Fouly and F.E. Abdalla (eds), 19-34. National Research Center (Egypt) and GTZ (Germany), 1995. Zurayk, R. and Darwish, T.*, Toposequential analysis of red Mediterranean soils in the Lebanese mountain ecosystem. Proceedings of the Third International Meeting on Red Mediterranean Soils, Thessoliniki, Greece, 1995. Zurayk,
R., Geha, Y. and Hawa, G*., Phosphorus removal dynamics in lime-amended
red soil. Proceedings of the Third International Meeting
on Red Mediterranean Soils, Thessoliniki, Greece, 1995.
Adlan, M., Response of chickpea nodulation, nitrogen fixation and growth to salinity (1995). Advisor: R. Zurayk. Ali, H., The effect of field location, basic cations, phosphorus and irrigation on the cooking quality of lentils (1995). Advisor: R. Zurayk. Dimashkia, M., Deficit irrigation assessment on corn biomass production (1996). Advisor: M. Nimah. Ghaddar, M., Micro-irrigation characteristic effects on microirrigation flow uniformity (1995). Advisor: M. Nimah. Jaber, F., New irrigation scheme planning and design strategies for the Awali-Zahrani area (1995). Advisors: M. Nimah, F.A. El-Awar. Moujaess, N., Salinity management for optimal cucumber production (1995). Advisor: R. Zurayk. Mtierek, R., Irrigation supply system design for optimal cropping pattern (1997). Advisor: F.A. El-Awar. Muhtar, N., Corn production function as affected by deficit irrigation (1996). Advisor: M. Nimah.
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