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Information on actual consumptive water use and water productivity of wine grape vineyards grown with high-wire cordon (HWC) and vertical shoot position (VSP) trellis systems is limited, but it is critical to inform the selection of resource-efficient grapevine training systems and irrigation water management practices. This article describes an applied-research study conducted in the Central Valley of Chile to determine the actual evapotranspiration (ETa), actual crop coefficients (Ka), water productivity (WP), and water footprint (WFP) of microirrigated wine grape vineyards operated for commercial production with HWC and VSP trellis systems. ETa and Ka were determined using the residual of the energy balance (REB) method from micrometeorological measurements collected at the study vineyards with a combination of surface renewal and eddy covariance equipment. Field measurements of other biophysical parameters were also collected at each study site to characterize the soil water status in multiple locations across the vineyards at various soil depths using moisture tension–monitoring units, vine water status using midday stem water potential (ΨSTEM) , and fraction of photosynthetically active radiation (fPAR) intercepted by the vine canopy at different times during the growing season. Finally, the fruit yield was determined from grape samples collected at the HWC and VSP vineyard blocks during commercial harvest operations. The study was conducted over the course of two consecutive growing seasons (2019–2020 and 2020–2021). A reduction of 37% in the available water supply occurred during the 2019–2020 season with respect to the average water supply. Findings from the research study showed that when the water supply was less limited, the HWC trellis had 12% higher seasonal cumulative ETa than the VSP trellis, whereas the HWC system appeared more affected by water stress than the VSP trellis during the water-limited season. The analysis of the data sets also showed that the HWC enabled wine grape growers to achieve significantly higher fruit yield and water productivity, and lower water footprint per unit of wine grapes produced during the water-limited season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In California, daily crop evapotranspiration (ETc) is commonly estimated using near-real-time, standardized reference evapotranspiration (ETo) calculated from ground-based meteorological data and crop coefficient (Kc) values that adjust for the difference between ETo and ETc. However, using ETo calculated from forecast rather than near-real-time meteorological data provides more timely information to growers, farm managers, urban water users, irrigation practitioners, and water purveyors to anticipate water demand for the upcoming days. This is particularly important for water allocation and delivery planning and for irrigation scheduling decisions. Forecast ETo is also relevant for scientific research for developing methods and tools enabling more resource-efficient water use for agricultural production and urban landscapes. Verifying the reliability of ETo forecast models for various climatic conditions is crucial for promoting the broad adoption and use of ETo predictions for weather-based adaptive water management and prospective irrigation scheduling. The US National Weather Service (NWS) has released a product called forecast reference evapotranspiration (FRET) that provides ETo forecasts at a 2.5-km grid resolution for the entire continental US. In this study, comparisons were made between ETo forecasts from FRET and observed ETo values from the California Irrigation Management Information System (CIMIS) for a total of 78 days during the peak irrigation water demand period of 2019, which corresponded to the midseason period for major crops. FRET ETo forecasts and CIMIS ETo observations (calculated from measured weather parameters) were compared for 15 CIMIS station locations to represent a variety of weather conditions of some major agricultural production and urban areas in California. Air temperature, dew point temperature, wind speed, and solar radiation data were collected from NWS and CIMIS and analyzed to assess the accuracy of predicted weather variables and FRET ETo forecasts. The FRET data consisted of 1, 3, 5, and 7-day forecasts of weather parameters and calculated ETo values; these were compared with the corresponding observed daily weather and ETo data from CIMIS in order to statistically evaluate FRET performance. The comparison among forecast and measured weather variables revealed a good match for maximum air temperature (R2 between 0.98 and 1.00), minimum air temperature (R2>0.91), dew point temperature (R2 between 0.7 and 1.00), and wind speed (R2 between 0.66 and 0.99); less accurate results were obtained for solar radiation (R2 between 0.21 and 0.87). The analysis also showed a good correlation between FRET ETo forecast data and observed CIMIS ETo data (R2 between 0.93 and 1.00 and root mean square error (RMSE) was less than 1 mm·day−1) for the majority of the selected stations, with some differences that were likely due to the climatic conditions of specific locations. This suggests that FRET ETo forecasts provide reliable information for predicting near-future water demand and improving irrigation water management in California. The comparisons showed a good match for most of the 15 CIMIS stations, and the FRET model may potentially provide accurate ETo forecasts in similar semiarid and subhumid areas elsewhere. Weekly irrigation schedule examples are provided in the Appendix to illustrate the use of FRET ETo forecasts in combination with site-specific information on soil hydraulic properties and irrigation system performance for prospective irrigation scheduling of some specialty crops and urban landscapes. The information provided in this article can help improve the water management efficiency of high-frequency agricultural irrigation systems and urban sprinkler systems in California and other locations with similar climates. It also offers a less expensive method to obtain ETo data in countries that do not have ETo station networks, because it offers an alternative to installing and maintaining ETo stations in agricultural and urban areas where it is difficult to find acceptable surfaces for developing reliable ETo information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preventing dementia onset is one of the global public health priorities: around 35% of dementia cases could be attributable to modifiable risk factors. These estimates relied on secondary data and did not consider the concurrent effect of non-modifiable factors and death. Here, we aimed to estimate the potential reduction of dementia incidence due to modifiable risk factors elimination, controlling for non-modifiable risk factors and for the competing risk of death. Methods: Participants from the InveCe.Ab population-based prospective cohort (Abbiategrasso, Italy) without a baseline dementia diagnosis and attending at least one follow-up visit were included (N = 1100). Participants underwent multidimensional assessment at baseline and after 2, 4, and 8 years, from November 2009 to January 2019. Modifiable risk factors were low education, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, depression, smoking, physical inactivity, hearing loss, loneliness, heart disease, stroke, head injury, and delirium. Non-modifiable risk factors were age, sex, and APOE ε4 genotype. The primary endpoint was dementia diagnosis within the follow-up period (DSM-IV criteria). We performed competing risk regression models to obtain sub-hazard ratio (SHR) for each exposure, with death as competing risk. The exposures associated with dementia were included in a multivariable model to estimate their independent influence on dementia and the corresponding population attributable fraction (PAF). Results: Within the study period (mean follow-up, 82.3 months), 111 participants developed dementia (10.1%). In the multivariable model, APOE ε4 (SHR = 1.89, 95% CI 1.22–2.92, p = 0.005), diabetes (SHR = 1.56, 95% CI 1.00–2.39, p = 0.043), heart disease (SHR = 1.56, 95% CI 1.03–2.36, p = 0.037), stroke (SHR = 2.31, 95% CI 1.35–3.95, p = 0.002), and delirium (SHR = 8.70, 95% CI 3.26–23.24, p < 0.001) were independently associated with increased dementia risk. In the present cohort, around 40% of dementia cases could be attributable to preventable comorbid diseases. Conclusions: APOE ε4, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and delirium independently increased the risk of late-life dementia, controlling for the competing risk of death. Preventive intervention addressed to these clinical populations could be an effective approach to reduce dementia incidence. Further studies on different population-based cohort are needed to obtain more generalizable findings of the potential of dementia prevention in the real-world setting. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01345110. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with the need for sustainable management of water resources in line with the problem of global warming. An overview of how electrical energy can lead to improved management of annually renewable water is presented. The benefits from better management of renewable water resources such as precipitation, groundwater and streamflow are discussed. A comparison of the potential of hydropower and wind power is outlined.

California farmers who use reduced-disturbance tillage and winter cover cropping can boost production and improve soil health. However, some farmers are hesitant to try these conservation practices due to uncertainty about whether planting winter cover crops will deplete soil moisture in already drought-stricken regions. Our study addresses these concerns by looking at how long-term reduced-disturbance tillage and winter cover cropping, compared to fallowed soils with standard tillage, affected soil moisture. Although we found a statistical difference in total soil water content, the difference was only about 0.3 inches of water per foot of soil. On average, the soil water content of the top 0-96 inches was highest for the reduced-disturbance fields with winter cover crops. This was especially evident during our driest field season, from November 1, 2017, to March 15, 2018, when cumulative rainfall was only 1.9 inches. Our findings show that winter cover cropping and reduced-disturbance tillage can improve soil without depleting soil water levels in row crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet the requirements of California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, there is a critical need for crop production strategies with less reliance on irrigation from surface and groundwater sources. One strategy for improving agricultural water use efficiency is reducing tillage and maintaining residues on the soil surface. We evaluated high residue no-till versus standard tillage in the San Joaquin Valley with and without cover crops on the yields of two crops, garbanzo and sorghum, for 4 years. The no-till treatment had no primary or secondary tillage. Sorghum yields were similar in no-till and standard tillage systems while no-till garbanzo yields matched or exceeded those of standard tillage, depending on the year. Cover crops had no effect on crop yields. Soil cover was highest under the no-till with cover crop system, averaging 97% versus 5% for the standard tillage without cover crop system. Our results suggest that garbanzos and sorghum can be grown under no-till practices in the San Joaquin Valley without loss of yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Doll therapy is a non-pharmacological intervention for people with dementia aimed to reduce distressing behaviours. Reliable results on the efficacy of Doll therapy for people with dementia are needed. The concept of attachment theorised by Bowlby has been proposed to explain the Doll therapy process, but it has not been proven to influence the response to doll presentation.Methods/design: This single-blind, randomised controlled trial will involve people with dementia living in nursing homes of the Canton Ticino (Switzerland). Participants will be randomised to one of two interventions: Doll Therapy Intervention or Sham Intervention with a non-anthropomorphic object, using a 1:1 allocation ratio. The two interventions will consist of 30 daily sessions lasting an hour at most, led by a trained nurse for an hour at most. We will enrol 64 participants per group, according to power analysis using an estimated medium effect size (f = 0.25), an alpha level of 0.05, and a power of 0.8. The primary goal is to test the efficacy of the Doll Therapy Intervention versus the Sham Intervention as the net change in the following measures from baseline to 30 days (blinded outcomes): the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Nursing Home administered by a trained psychologist blinded to group assignment, the professional caregivers' perceived stress scale of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Nursing Home, patients' physiological indices of stress (salivary cortisol, blood pressure and heart rate) and interactive behaviours. The secondary goal is to assess the relationship between attachment styles of people with dementia (detected by means of the Adult Attachment Interview to the patients' offspring) and their caregiving behaviours shown during the Doll Therapy Intervention.Discussion: This is the first single-blind, randomised controlled trial on the efficacy of Doll therapy for dementia and an explanatory model of the response of people with dementia to doll presentation.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT03224143. Retrospectively registered on 21 July 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

California is a global leader in the agricultural sector and produces more than 400 types of commodities. The state produces over a third of the country's vegetables and two-thirds of its fruits and nuts. Despite being highly productive, current and future climate change poses many challenges to the agricultural sector. This paper provides a summary of the current state of knowledge on historical and future trends in climate and their impacts on California agriculture. We present a synthesis of climate change impacts on California agriculture in the context of: (1) historic trends and projected changes in temperature, precipitation, snowpack, heat waves, drought, and flood events; and (2) consequent impacts on crop yields, chill hours, pests and diseases, and agricultural vulnerability to climate risks. Finally, we highlight important findings and directions for future research and implementation. The detailed review presented in this paper provides sufficient evidence that the climate in California has changed significantly and is expected to continue changing in the future, and justifies the urgency and importance of enhancing the adaptive capacity of agriculture and reducing vulnerability to climate change. Since agriculture in California is very diverse and each crop responds to climate differently, climate adaptation research should be locally focused along with effective stakeholder engagement and systematic outreach efforts for effective adoption and implementation. The expected readership of this paper includes local stakeholders, researchers, state and national agencies, and international communities interested in learning about climate change and California's agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

California growers face challenges with water shortages and there is a strong need to use the least amount of water while optimizing yield. Timely information on evapotranspiration (ET), a dominant component of crop consumptive water use, is critical for growers to tailor irrigation management based on in-field spatial variability and in-season variations. We evaluated the performance of a remote sensing-based approach, Mapping Evapotranspiration at high Resolution with Internalized Calibration (METRIC), in mapping ET over an almond orchard in California, driven by Landsat satellite observations. Reference ET from a network of weather stations over well-watered grass (ETo) was used for the internal calibration and for deriving ET at daily and extended time period, instead of alfalfa based reference evapotranspiration (ETr). Our study showed that METRIC daily ET estimates during Landsat overpass dates agreed well with the field measurements. During 2009–2012, a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.53 mm/day and a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.87 were found between METRIC versus observed daily ET. Monthly ET estimates had a higher accuracy, with a RMSE of 12.08 mm/month, a R2 of 0.90, and a relatively small relative mean difference (RMD) of 9.68% during 2009–2012 growing seasons. Net radiation and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from remote sensing observations were highly correlated with spatial and temporal ET estimates. An empirical model was developed to estimate daily ET using NDVI, net radiation (Rn), and vapor pressure deficit (VPD). The validation showed that the accuracy of this easy-to-use empirical method was slightly lower than that of METRIC but still reasonable, with a RMSE of 0.71 mm/day when compared to ground measurements. The remote sensing based ET estimate will support a variety of State and local interests in water use and irrigation management, for both planning and regulatory/compliance purposes, and it provides the farmers observation-based guidance for site-specific and time-sensitive irrigation management [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Winter cover crops could contribute to more sustainable agricultural production and increase resiliency to climate change; however, their adoption remains low in California. This paper seeks to understand barriers to winter cover crop adoption by monetizing their long-term economic and agronomic impacts on farm profitability in two of California's specialty crop systems: processing tomatoes and almonds. Our modeling effort provides a present, discounted valuation of the long-term use of winter cover crops through a cost-benefit analysis. A net present value model estimates the cumulative economic value of this practice. We then explore how the long-term trade-offs associated with winter cover crops can affect an operation's profits under a spectrum of hypothetical changes in California's agricultural landscape. Our analysis sheds light on the barriers to adoption by reporting benefit-cost ratios that indicate profitability across several scenarios; however, benefits and costs accrue differently over time and with long planning horizons. At the same time, a small portion of gained benefits are external to the grower. Findings from this study reveal that winter cover crops in California can be profitable in the long-term, but the extent of profit depends on the cropping system, extent of irrigation savings due to improved soil function, access to financial subsidies and climate change. Winter cover crops can return positive net benefits to growers who have flexible contractual obligations, can wait for the long-term return on investment and manage cover crops as closely as cash crops. This analysis contributes to the study of conservation agriculture practices by explaining possible reasons for low adoption through an economic valuation of the implications of soil management choices and policy counterfactuals. • Net present value models were used to understand winter cover crop adoption in California. • Winter cover cropping can increase baseline profits in specialty crop systems sometimes. • The value of winter cover crops accrues over many planting seasons. • Reduced irrigation and increased subsidies can increase adoption of cover crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]