A Study On Water Saving Non-Engineering Techniques In Agriculture In Shanxi

Shanxi lacks of water resources for that it ranks the 29th place in per capita and per hectare water resources list of 31 provinces/ municipalities of China. With development of national economy and society, population increase and city establishment will speed up so that water consumption in industry and city life and ecological construction will greatly increase, which makes water shortage in Shanxi worse. One of key solutions to Shanxi water shortage is to save water, especially in Shanxi agriculture because agricultural irrigation consumes enormously water. Researches and extension of agricultural water saving techniques will ensure realization of sustainable water consumption, and will play a important role in improvement of crop production, ensurence of national food security, and increase of farmers'income, and will improve sustainable development of economy and society, and of new socialistic rural areas.Based on procedures of systematic analysis, qualitative and quantitative analysis, and inductive and deductive methods, the present paper reviewed worldwide agricultural water saving researches, evaluated water consumption statuses in Shanxi, and examined Shanxi agricultural water savings. Further, three non- engineering water saving techniques were put forward to be applied in Shanxi. These 3 key techniques were analyzed with aspect to water saving and crop improving effects, and will serve as guidelines to agricultural water saving activities in Shanxi.Main conclusions are as follows:(1) Non- engineering techniques are one of important components of agricultural water saving technology. These techniques are internally able to reduce water uses. They are involved in water saving in crop itself, temporal and spatial layout of crops, and farmland, therefore, are key factors for sustainable action of water saving irrigation engineering.(2) Non- engineering techniques proves to be suitable for current economic conditions in Shanxi for they require low investment, instant effects, are easy for farmers to accept and master, and to be applied and extended into large rural area. They are more important in range rainfed agriculture and limited irrigation agriculture. (3) Three agricultural non- engineering techniques were brought forward, namely, agronomic water saving, biological water saving, and managing water saving. Their effects of water saving and crop yield increasing were analyzed in terms of water production rate and water utilization rate.