Research

Sustainable use of irrigation water is crucial to securing agricultural production and conserving water resources. Modern technologies and innovative strategies offer promising approaches to increasing irrigation efficiency while reducing water consumption. Since 2018, various irrigation systems and methods have been tested at the Obersiebenbrunn Agricultural College, with weather data, soil and plant water status, and yield data being recorded. As part of this research project, data from the 2025 and 2026 growing seasons will be analyzed to investigate how different irrigation strategies affect water distribution in the soil, plant water stress, and yields. In addition, the practical suitability of the sensors used for precise irrigation control will be evaluated. The aim is to develop innovative solutions for resource-saving and efficient irrigation that meet the challenges of climate change.

Agricultural production in Austria is heavily influenced by water availability and climate change, which pose significant challenges, particularly during periods of drought. In some regions of Austria, irrigation of agricultural crops is a crucial factor in compensating for insufficient rainfall and ensuring agricultural productivity. Projections suggest that irrigation demand could nearly double by 2050 compared to current levels. To safeguard agricultural productivity while sustainably managing natural resources, adaptation measures are essential. In particular, efficient and water-saving solutions must be developed in the field of irrigation. The Austrian Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change recommends the use of modern technologies to optimize irrigation systems in terms of timing and quantity. Support measures under the CAP Strategic Plan promote investments in innovative irrigation systems, but their efficiency and impact must be evaluated. As part of an evaluation study, key research questions need to be addressed: How can the efficiency of irrigation measures be assessed? What data are required to demonstrate the water-saving potential of irrigation systems? And how can a state-of-the-art standard for new irrigation systems be defined?

Groundwater is one of the most important sources of drinking water. The use of groundwater as drinking water is mainly made possible by ecosystem services in aquifers. These include natural water purification, which can lead to a reduction in pollutants. These pollutants are mainly introduced into the groundwater by anthropogenic activities. These pollutants also include nitrate, which endangers the groundwater quality in many aquifers, but which can be converted by the ecosystem service of denitrification and thus removed from the groundwater in a natural way. To date, however, this service has been insufficiently taken into account in the management of aquifers and in guidelines, partly because there is a lack of instruments that can be used to clearly determine the potential for denitrification. In addition, denitrification can be spatially and temporally variable and is dependent on changing hydrogeochemical conditions, which are often unknown. Therefore, the main objective of this project is to identify processes and properties that lead to denitrification in groundwater. To achieve this goal, we investigate nitrate sources and denitrification processes in groundwater using isotope techniques. In addition, we identify hydrogeochemical situations that influence denitrification. For this purpose, we carry out monitoring at selected field sites in Austria, France and Denmark as well as controlled experiments under laboratory conditions. For different land use sites, we will investigate effects such as water level, temperature, redox conditions, organic carbon concentrations and chemical pollution on denitrification in groundwater. Together with national and international project partners in France, Denmark and Austria, we are developing a toolbox to better characterize aquifers with regard to their denitrification potential and to develop new protocols that could eventually be integrated into groundwater quality monitoring guidelines. This FWF-funded project is part of the Water4All project “DeepThought” of the Joint Transnational Call “Aquatic Ecosystem Services”.