Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Global Climate Change01:50

Global Climate Change

28.9K
Throughout its ~4.5 billion year history, the Earth has experienced periods of warming and cooling. However, the current drastic increase in global temperatures is well outside of the Earth’s cyclic norms, and evidence for human-caused global climate change is compelling. Paleoclimatology, the study of ancient climate conditions, provides ample evidence for human-caused global climate change by comparing recent conditions with those in the past.
28.9K
Design Example: Design of an Irrigation Channel01:27

Design Example: Design of an Irrigation Channel

835
Trapezoidal channels are widely used in irrigation systems due to their cost-effectiveness and efficiency in conveying water. Trapezoidal channels feature a flat bottom and sloping sides, making them stable and easier to construct compared to other shapes. The bottom width and side slope ratio are determined based on the required flow capacity and site conditions. The side slope is kept gentle for unlined channels to prevent soil erosion.Hydraulic parameters in channel design include the flow...
835
What is Energy?04:10

What is Energy?

59.0K
The universe is composed of matter in different forms, and all forms of matter contain energy.  The different forms of energy on Earth originate from the Sun — the ultimate energy source. Plants capture light energy from the Sun, and, via the process of photosynthesis, convert it into chemical energy. This stored energy from plants can be harnessed in many ways. For example, eating plant products as food provides energy for our body to function, and burning wood or coal (fossilized...
59.0K
Free Energy01:21

Free Energy

52.0K
Free energy—abbreviated as G for the scientist Gibbs who discovered it—is a measurement of useful energy that can be extracted from a reaction to do work. It is the energy in a chemical reaction that is available after entropy is accounted for. Reactions that take in energy are considered endergonic and reactions that release energy are exergonic. Plants carry out endergonic reactions by taking in sunlight and carbon dioxide to produce glucose and oxygen. Animals, in turn, break...
52.0K
Light as Energy01:35

Light as Energy

95.9K
The energy required to carry out photosynthesis is light— typically electromagnetic radiation from the sun. The range of all possible wavelengths is known as the electromagnetic spectrum.
Photons
A photon is a discrete electromagnetic particle or bundle of energy. Photons are characterized by their frequency, wavelength, and amplitude, similar to the properties of a wave. Waves with higher frequencies transmit more energy and have shorter wavelengths than longer wavelengths that transmit...
95.9K
Specific Heat01:16

Specific Heat

67.5K
The specific heat capacity of a substance refers to the energy required to increase the temperature of one gram of that substance by one degree Celcius. Specific heat capacity is often represented in calories (cal), grams (g), and degrees Celsius (oC), but can also be expressed in joules (J), kilograms (kg), and Kelvin (K), among other units.
For example, increasing the temperature of one gram of water by 1°C requires one calorie of heat energy and can be written as 1 cal/g-°C, or...
67.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

More than mitigation: The role of forests in climate adaptation.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same author

More than three-quarters of environmental migration in Somalia is driven by water deficiency for food and livestock production.

Nature food·2026
Same author

China's animal-protein-rich diets are increasingly reliant on Brazil's land and water resources.

Nature food·2025
Same author

Downscaled global 60-meter resolution estimates of irrigation water sources (2000-2015).

Scientific data·2025
Same author

The AIDA 1 km resolution crop-specific rainfed and irrigated areas and green and blue water demands for Italy.

Scientific data·2025
Same author

Deepening water scarcity in breadbasket nations.

Nature communications·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 4, 2026

Measuring Crop Motility and Food Passaging in Drosophila
06:13

Measuring Crop Motility and Food Passaging in Drosophila

Published on: May 9, 2020

6.3K

Global crop-specific energy demand for irrigation.

Davide Danilo Chiarelli1, Paolo D'Odorico2, Aldo Fiori3

  • 1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy. davidedanilo.chiarelli@polimi.it.

Nature Communications
|February 2, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Global irrigation expansion significantly impacts agricultural productivity and energy demands. This study quantifies crop-specific irrigation energy consumption worldwide, crucial for sustainable food production planning.

More Related Videos

Surface Renewal: An Advanced Micrometeorological Method for Measuring and Processing Field-Scale Energy Flux Density Data
09:55

Surface Renewal: An Advanced Micrometeorological Method for Measuring and Processing Field-Scale Energy Flux Density Data

Published on: December 12, 2013

9.2K
Förster Resonance Energy Transfer Mapping: A New Methodology to Elucidate Global Structural Features
07:09

Förster Resonance Energy Transfer Mapping: A New Methodology to Elucidate Global Structural Features

Published on: March 16, 2022

3.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 4, 2026

Measuring Crop Motility and Food Passaging in Drosophila
06:13

Measuring Crop Motility and Food Passaging in Drosophila

Published on: May 9, 2020

6.3K
Surface Renewal: An Advanced Micrometeorological Method for Measuring and Processing Field-Scale Energy Flux Density Data
09:55

Surface Renewal: An Advanced Micrometeorological Method for Measuring and Processing Field-Scale Energy Flux Density Data

Published on: December 12, 2013

9.2K
Förster Resonance Energy Transfer Mapping: A New Methodology to Elucidate Global Structural Features
07:09

Förster Resonance Energy Transfer Mapping: A New Methodology to Elucidate Global Structural Features

Published on: March 16, 2022

3.0K

Area of Science:

  • Agricultural Engineering
  • Hydrology
  • Energy Systems

Background:

  • Global agricultural expansion is increasing irrigation, yet its energy demands are not fully understood.
  • Quantifying crop-specific energy use is vital for sustainable agricultural intensification.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a global framework for estimating crop-specific irrigation energy consumption.
  • To assess the impact of irrigation expansion on energy demand, particularly in rainfed areas.

Main Methods:

  • A spatially distributed, physically based framework was used to estimate energy consumption.
  • Global data at 10 km resolution was analyzed for six major crops.
  • Irrigation system type, pumping depth, and climatic aridity were considered.

Main Results:

  • Current global irrigation energy consumption is approximately 1.38 × 10⁹ gigajoules annually.
  • Surface irrigation systems account for three-quarters of total energy use.
  • Expanding irrigation in rainfed areas could increase energy consumption by 17%, primarily in the Global South.

Conclusions:

  • Irrigation energy demand is influenced by system type, pumping depth, and climate.
  • Understanding these energy costs is essential for linking productivity gains with sustainable food production.
  • This research supports integrated planning for climate-resilient agriculture.