Reference crop evapotranspiration (ETo) is an important component of the hydrological cycle that is used for water resource planning, irrigation, and agricultural management, as well as in other hydrological processes. The aim of this study was to estimate the ETo based on limited meteorological data using an artificial neural network (ANN) method. The daily data of minimum temperature (Tmin), maximum temperature (Tmax), mean temperature (Tmean), solar radiation (SR), humidity (H), wind speed (WS), sunshine hours (Ssh), maximum global radiation (gradmax), minimum global radiation (gradmin), day length, and ETo data were obtained over the long-term period from 1969 to 2019. The analysed data were divided into two parts from 1969 to 2007 and from 2008 to 2019 for model training and testing, respectively. The optimal ANN for forecasting ETo included Tmax, Tmin, H, and SR at hidden layers (4, 3); gradmin, SR, and WS at (6, 4); SR, day length, Ssh, and Tmean at (3, 2); all collected parameters at hidden layer (5, 4). The results showed different alternative methods for estimation of ETo in case of a lack of climate data with high performance. Models using ANN can help promote the decision-making for water managers, designers, and development planners.

The goals of our study were to evaluate the historical aspects of maize (Zea mays L.) production in Hungary, and to provide a prognosis for the yield for 2050 based on the trends of temperature, precipitation, and climatic water balance changes. Different climate zones for the period of 1970–2019 were investigated by means of correlation analyses, normality tests, time series analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis. Two well-distinguishable linear trends in the yields were found, the first representing large-scale farming, and the second starting with the change of the socio-economic system in 1989. The annual amount of precipitation showed high variations both spatially and temporally, although no significant change was identified for the last five decades. In the period 1990–2019, not only were higher temperatures characteristic, but the frequency of extreme high temperature values (Tmax > 30 °C) also increased. We quantified the heat stress, expressing it in heat stress units (HSU, °C) derived from the heat-sum of the daily maximum air temperature values above 30 °C. By 2050, the average increase in HSUs may reach 35 °C. Increasing HSU causes yield depression; according to our estimations, a 1 °C increase in HSU results in a 23 kg ha−1 yield depression of maize. Taking the unfavorable effect of heat stress and technological development into consideration, the average domestic yield of maize will be 8.2 t ha−1. Our study revealed that without taking technological development into consideration, prediction models may overestimate the adverse effect of climate change on crop production.

The research work was started on the preliminary knowledge that the risk of secondary salinization is high in the hobby gardens around Karcag as the water of the aquifers used for irrigation is saline, nevertheless irrigation in the drought periods is essential for vegetable production. A complex experiment was set up in 12 simple drainage lysimeters at the lysimeter station of the Research Institute of Karcag in 2012 in order to simulate the conditions of irrigation characteristic in the region with the goal of finding a solution to mitigate the harmful effects by means of optimization of irrigation. In 2017–2018 three approaches were applied for the scientific establishment of the problem studying the effect of different irrigation frequencies, different irrigation water qualities, and soil conditioning on the moisture content and the salt profile of the soil. The soil conditioner (Neosol) applied was found to have a positive effect on the water and salt regime of the soil, partly by creating a more favourable vertical distribution of the soil water, and partly preserving more moisture in the soil.

Soil compaction and degradation due to improper tillage are problems involving significant natural and economic damages. On compacted soils, suitable cultivation can be implemented only with higher energy and traction force input. In our study, the effect of a soil conditioner (Neosol) was examined on the penetration resistance of the soil and the traction power demand for ploughing in the experiment set up in the East-Slovak Plain in 2017 ‒ 2018 to justify several preliminary results showing that long-term soil conditioning results in enhanced root system, improved soil structure, cultivability, water- and salt regime. We found a positive effect of Neosol application with both investigated parameters and its long-term effect was also justified. The penetration resistance values of the soil of the untreated plot were 17 ‒ 23% higher, while the traction power demand values were 9 ‒ 32% lower in comparison with the Neosol treated plot in the first and the second year of the study, respectively. We assume the cumulative positive effect of soil conditioning on the physical soil properties in the study area, therefore the long-term application of Neosol is recommended for farms having similar soil properties.

In Egypt, the traditional transplanting method of rice planting is substituted by broadcasting and dibbling recently. This paper studies the effects and the changes occur in different rice varieties due to different methods on grain quality and amino acids of rice. Three Egyptian rice cultivars belonging to japonica, japonica/indica and indica subspecies were investigated for grain quality, protein and amino acid composition under three planting methods, i.e., broadcasting, seedling transplanting and dibbling. A strip plot design with three replications was used; the investigated three rice cultivars occupied the horizontal main plot, while three planting methods were devoted to the vertical main plot. The method of planting did not affect significantly the grain dimension, but it affected significantly the milling characters and the 1,000-grain weight. The highest milling characters and 1,000-grain weight came from transplanting, while the lowest one from the dibbling method. There was no significant difference between transplanting and broadcasting in milling characters and 1,000-grain weight. The chemical and cooking characters of grains showed no significant differences in moisture content and gelatinization temperature characters, while the differences in protein content and elongation were significant among the varieties and planting methods. The interaction between the planting method and rice had significant effect on the protein content. The most important essential amino acids according to the FAO/WHO pattern were not affected significantly by the different methods of planting. This means that the biological value of rice grains is not affected by different methods of planting.