Precision Irrigation By Steven Calhoun Irrigated cropland Water

Precision Irrigation By Steven Calhoun

Irrigated cropland • Water is the most limiting resource for most producers in many regions. • The law of minimum – Limiting factor

Irrigated acreage • In 2008 US farmers and ranchers irrigated 54. 9 million acres of farmland.

Irrigation types • Surface • Drip/micro • Pivot

Flood/Furrow • Uses gravity to transport water • management practices to consider include precision land leveling • Auto steer rows/channels • Hard to control

Flood/Furrow • Water lost to runoff/evaporation • Soil erosion • Conventional tillage

Surface Irrigation

Drip/Micro • High efficiency • Well suited to automation • Less labor intensive • Precise application

Drip/Micro • Problems • Water quality is very important • Limited from deep tillage • Initial cost

Drip/mirco

Drip/Micro

Pivot • Even application over field • More efficient application • Less runoff/evaporation

Pivot • Maintenance • Tracks • Move for field operations

Variable Rate Irrigation • provides precision control of all sprinklers on a pivot • individually pulsing sprinklers • http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=es_yv. Nev. To&feature=player_embedded

Variable Rate Software • Rate management – Soil type – Dual crops • Arial photo/Soil map • Soil samples • GPS recordings

Variable Rate Irrigation • Central controller • Node • Valve • Easy to apply

Variable Rate Irrigation • http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=c. Xh. B 6 Ap 3 R 8&feature=player_embedded

Questions?