Document Type : Special Issue: New Approaches to Water and Soil Management and Modeling
Authors
1
Ph.D. Candidate of Watershed Management Sciences and Engineering, Department of Reclamation of Arid & Mountainous Regions, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
2
Professor, Department of Reclamation of Arid & Mountainous Regions, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
3
Assistant Professor, International Desert Research Center, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
4
Associate Professor, Department of Irrigation and Reclamation, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
5
Associate Professor, Department of Natural Resources and Member of Water Management Research Center, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
6
Ph.D. of Watershed Management Sciences and Engineering, Natural Resources and Watershed Management Organization of Alborz Province, Karaj, Iran
Abstract
Optimal crop patterns improve both profitability and sustainability in land resource management. This study assessed current crop patterns in the Baliqlu Chay River Basin using water productivity, efficiency, labor, and net profit indices. Data from Ardabil, Nir, and Sareyn (2022–2023) show that potato is the most water- and labor-intensive crop (~6,000 m³/ha and >30 person-days/ha) but yields the highest net profit (~2.67 billion IRR/ha). Wheat has the lowest profit (0.5–0.6 billion IRR/ha) due to lower input requirements. Barley, alfalfa, and canola are more suitable for water-limited conditions. Spatially, Ardabil accounts for 91.8% of basin profits, while Nir and Sareyn contribute less than 5%, indicating strong regional disparities. The results show that expanding cultivated area alone does not ensure higher returns; instead, adaptive water management and efficient use of inputs are crucial. Crop performance was further assessed using water productivity indicators, including PWP, GEWP, and NEWP. Despite its relatively high water requirement, potato exhibits the highest water productivity among the studied crops, with PWP values ranging from approximately 5.0 to 5.8 kg/m³, GEWP from 454 to 527 thousand IRR/m³, and NEWP from 348 to 526 thousand IRR/m³. Wheat, although characterized by lower physical productivity (PWP≈1.1-1.9 kg/m³), remains a strategic staple crop with comparatively favorable economic water productivity (NEWP≈133-250 thousand IRR/m³). In contrast, barley, canola, and particularly alfalfa demonstrate lower water productivity levels, with alfalfa exhibiting the lowest net economic water productivity (NEWP≈38-79 thousand IRR/m³). This lower efficiency indicates alfalfa’s agro-ecological role in fodder production and soil improvement rather than economic water productivity. The results support adaptive cropping systems that combine economic and hydrological indicators to reduce water stress while improving watershed-scale sustainability.
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