Iraq has been suffering from decreasing Euphrates discharge due to the construction of dams within upstream countries and the use of surface irrigation systems. The country is facing a problem with meeting the increasing demand for water as a result of population growth and development in the industrial and agricultural sectors. Therefore, a simulation modelling was applied for western Iraq (Ramadi city as a case study) using the Water Evaluation and Planning System (WEAP) for the period 2018–2035. This research follows a four-step approach that involves: (i) evaluating the available water of the Euphrates River under declined water imports caused by the construction of dams in Turkey and Syria, (ii) assessing present and future water demands of the domestic, industrial, and agricultural sectors, (iii) improving water productivity (WP) by means of saving more water, (iv) estimating the economic returns under improved water use. The results showed that Iraq would face a serious problem in the coming years, represented by the limited storage of Haditha Dam, which is considered the strategic water storage site for the central and southern regions of Iraq. The study indicated the necessity of finding alternative sources of water supply by adopting new water management strategies to reduce the water deficit.

Abiotic stressors contribute to growth restriction and developmental disorders in plants. Early detection of the first signs of changes in plant functioning is very important. The objective of this study was to identify chlorophyll fluorescence parameters that change under phosphorus deficiency stress in cucumber. In this work, a trail to study the early changes caused by phosphorus deficiency in cucumber plants by analysing their photosynthetic performance is presented. Chlorophyll- a fluorescence (ChF) parameters were measured every 7 days for a period of 28 days. Measurements were made separately on young and old leaves and on cucumber fruit. Parameters that decreased during the stress were: p2G, PI _abs, PI _total, RE_o/CS _o, and TR_o/CS_o. P deficiency decreased total electron carriers per RC ( EC_o/RC), yields ( TR_o/ABS ( F_v/F_m), ET_o/TR_o, RE_o/ET_o, ET_o/ABS and RE_o/ABS), fluxes ( RE_o/RC and RE_o/CS_o) and fractional reduction of PSI end electron acceptors, and damaged all photochemical and non-photochemical redox reactions. Principal component analysis revealed a group of ChF parameters that may indicate early phosphorus deficiency in cucumber plants. Our results are used in the discovery of sensitive bioindicators of phosphorus deficiency in cucumber plants. Most JIP test parameters are linked to mathematical equations, so we recommend using of advanced statistical tools, such as principal component analysis, which should be considered very useful for stress identification. It has also been shown to be more effective in multivariate methods compared to univariate statistical methods was demonstrated.