The field experiments were conducted during 2019-20 and 2021-22 to study the effect of soil hydrothermal regimes under different mulching materials on growth and yield of the tomato. It was planted on four dates (25-October, 14-November, 3-December and 8-January) with the three mulch treatments, i.e., non-mulch (M0), rice straw (M1), and black polythene (M2). The results revealed that the crop planted on 14th November had highest yield under all mulch treatments. The yield under black polythene (392.6 q ha-1) increased by 47.8% than the non-mulch (265.7 q ha-1) treatment. Based on the findings from the first crop season, a mid-term correction was implemented in the 2021–22 field experiment by planting tomatoes at the optimum time (14 November) and applying four mulch treatments, including the three used in the previous year along with an additional transparent polythene mulch (M3). Across seasons, mulching significantly altered soil temperature and moisture regimes during the critical growth period, thereby influencing the growth and yield of the crop. The highest and statistically at par yields were recorded under M2 (370.6 q ha-1) and M3 (374.6 q ha-1), which decreased significantly under M1 (336.1 q ha-1) and M0 (249.3 q ha-1). Polythene mulches considerably increased the weekly mean night soil temperature (by up to 1.84°C in 2019–20 and 5.1°C in 2021–22), which alleviated the adverse effects of prolonged exposure to sub-optimal (<10°C) night temperatures and contributed to higher yields of tomato under black and transparent polythene mulches (M2 and M3).
The Iraqi Marshlands are among the most important wetland ecosystems in the Middle East, due to their significant environmental, economic, and social role. However, in recent decades, they have faced increasing challenges resulting from climate change and human activities, which have directly impacted their water resources. This study aims to assess the hydrological drought and vegetation cover trend in the Iraqi Marshlands using remote sensing data, focusing on the Land Surface Water Index (LSWI) and the Normalized Difference Vegetation (NDVI) extracted from Sentinel 2 and Landsat satellite images for the period 1984–2024. The results showed a significant decline in water surface and vegetation cover area over the studied period, with severe droughts recorded in the last two decades. This reflects the interaction between climate change and human-induced pressures, such as dam construction and reduced water supplies. These results highlight the seriousness of the ongoing hydrological drought and its impact on the marsh ecosystem, and underscore the need to adopt integrated water resource management strategies and develop long-term environmental monitoring programs using remote sensing techniques.
With the dramatically increasing global urbanization, cities have evolved as a leading Greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions contributor. In this regard, urban parks are important carbon sinks as trees absorb Carbon Dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere through photosynthesis that helps in achieving climate sustainability. The current study aimed to evaluate the sequestered CO2 by urban trees in a park in Baghdad called Al- Umma Park. The estimate was based on field measurements of each tree for six dominant species of 236 individual: Acacia spp., Ficus religiosa, Ficus benghalensis, Albizia lebbeck, Phoenix dactylifera, and Syzygium cumini. CO2 sequestration were estimated using allometric equations. Results showed that Phoenix dactylifera had the highest average annual CO2 sequestration (38.39 ± 9.87 kg/year per tree). While Acacia spp. obtained the least (1.73 ± 0.47 kg/year per tree). The total annual sequestration for all trees was 4047.2 kg/year. Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that tree structural attributes strongly explain variations in annual CO2 sequestration (R² = 0.97, p < 0.001). Tree diameter emerged as the primary predictor of sequestration potential, while tree height contributed a secondary but significant effect. Overall, results highlight the relevance of urban parks to improving carbon balance locally and contribute to urban sustainability.
Winter wheat is a critical strategic crop for Egypt's food security. The accurate simulation of its production is therefore fundamental for future planning and evidence-based policy. This study applies the World Food Studies (WOFOST) crop simulation model to estimate winter wheat yield across Lower Egypt (Nile Delta). Following sensitivity analyses to determine the optimal model configuration, WOFOST was calibrated using data from 14 growing seasons (2000–2014) and validated for the period 2015–2020. Model performance, evaluated using relative bias (rbias) and root mean square error (RMSE), showed reasonable agreement with observed yields (RMSE: 0.33–0.39; rbias: 0.4–5.8%). A strong negative correlation was identified between yield and air temperature in the Nile Delta, with Pearson correlation coefficients exceeding -0.75 for maximum temperature (Tmax) and -0.85 for both mean (Tmean) and minimum temperature (Tmin). Sensitivity experiments imposing temperature perturbations (±0.5°C and ±1.0°C) revealed that a 1.0°C increase in mean daily temperature reduced the total weight of storage organs (TWSO), total above-ground biomass (TAGP), and straw yield (STR) by 5.8–11.4%, 6.22–12.12%, and 6.54–12.76%, respectively, while the harvest index (Hind) increased marginally (0.43–0.81%). Conversely, a 1.0°C cooling increased TWSO, TAGP, and STR by 6.1–11.7%, 6.4–12.92%, and 6.68–14.04%, respectively, accompanied by a slight decrease in Hind (0.27–1.11%). The retrieved results demonstrate the efficacy of the WOFOST model in simulating winter wheat production under variable climatic conditions, supporting its potential application for future climate scenario assessments.
