PhD candidate Sílvia Cufí, from the University of Girona, delivered a seminar as part of the seminar series organized by the RAMA research group (Irrigation, Agronomy and Environment). The seminar focused on improving irrigation management in Mediterranean rice fields based on results obtained using the DSSAT crop model. The seminar took place on April 30, 2026, in the assembly hall of the Aragon Agri-Food Research and Technology Centre.
Her research, based on experimental data collected in the rice fields of Pals (Baix Ter, Girona) during the 2020–2024 period and on the use of agro-hydrological models, shows that combining practices such as early field drying or dry seeding can reduce water use by up to 30%, although with potential impacts on crop yield and nitrogen leaching. The study highlights the need to balance productivity and sustainability in rice farming through the appropriate joint management of irrigation and fertilization.
The study was funded by the FPU Program of the Spanish Ministry of Universities (reference FPU20/01123), the Catalonia Rural Development Programme (PDR Catalunya 2014–2022, Technological Transfer operation, reference 56 30128 2021 5A), and two PRIMA projects: MEDWATERICE and PROMEDRICE (references PCI2019-103738 and PCI2023-103738, respectively).