Precision Irrigation and Precision Irrigation and FertigationFertigation

What is Irrigation?What is Irrigation?

Irrigation is the application of water to a Irrigation is the application of water to a crop for assisting the production of a crop.crop for assisting the production of a crop.

What is precision?What is precision?

A degree of mutual agreement among a A degree of mutual agreement among a series of individual measurements, values, series of individual measurements, values, or results.or results.

What are we looking for in precision What are we looking for in precision irrigation?irrigation?

Irrigation Efficiency and/or Uniform CoverageIrrigation Efficiency and/or Uniform Coverage Plus site-specific applicationPlus site-specific application

Efficiency is what you get out, for what you put in.Efficiency is what you get out, for what you put in.

Efficiency = output / inputEfficiency = output / inputOR OR Water stored in root zone / water delivered to the fieldWater stored in root zone / water delivered to the field

Wind Drift

Evaporation

Evaporation from vegetation

Evaporation from soil surface

Runoff

Infiltration

Deep percolation

Decreased Efficiency

Drip

Flood

Furrow Spray

Spray IrrigationSpray Irrigation Evaporation (Major Loss)Evaporation (Major Loss)

Wind speedWind speed HumidityHumidity Air temperatureAir temperature Canopy densityCanopy density Sprinkler evaluationSprinkler evaluation Sprinkler pressure Sprinkler pressure

Deep Percolation (Minor Loss)Deep Percolation (Minor Loss) System uniformitySystem uniformity Total application depthTotal application depth

Runoff (Minor Loss)Runoff (Minor Loss) Application rateApplication rate SlopeSlope Vegetation DensityVegetation Density

Furrow IrrigationFurrow Irrigation

Evaporation (Minor Loss)Evaporation (Minor Loss) Wind speedWind speed HumidityHumidity Air temperatureAir temperature

Deep percolation (Major Loss)Deep percolation (Major Loss) Unit flow rateUnit flow rate Field lengthField length Soil textureSoil texture Field slopeField slope Total application depthTotal application depth

Runoff (Major Loss)Runoff (Major Loss) Unit flow rateUnit flow rate Field slopeField slope Soil textureSoil texture

Drip IrrigationDrip Irrigation

Evaporation (Minor Loss)Evaporation (Minor Loss) Minor soil surface evaporation for dripMinor soil surface evaporation for drip

Deep percolation (Minor Loss)Deep percolation (Minor Loss) System uniformitySystem uniformity Total application depthTotal application depth

Runoff (Minor Loss)Runoff (Minor Loss)

How to Improve Irrigation SystemHow to Improve Irrigation System

Night Irrigation – Low temp, low wind, high Night Irrigation – Low temp, low wind, high humidityhumidity

Lower operating pressure – bigger droplet Lower operating pressure – bigger droplet sizesize

Low drift nozzles – bigger droplet sizeLow drift nozzles – bigger droplet size New TechnologyNew Technology

Low Energy Precision Application Low Energy Precision Application (LEPA)(LEPA)

Irrigates with the plant rowsIrrigates with the plant rows Drops water in the furrowDrops water in the furrow

Approximately 90% application efficiency

Efficiency Efficiency

Standard Multi SprinklerStandard Multi Sprinkler 75-80%75-80% Moving Multi SprinklerMoving Multi Sprinkler

LEPALEPA 90+%90+% High Pressure GunHigh Pressure Gun 60-75%60-75% Standard FloodStandard Flood 40-70%40-70% Drip IrrigationDrip Irrigation 90%90%

A high efficient irrigation system will help increase the precision of the application of water and nutrients to the plant.

Fertigation / ChemigationFertigation / Chemigation

The use of an irrigation system to apply the The use of an irrigation system to apply the necessary application of nutrients or necessary application of nutrients or chemicals to the crop.chemicals to the crop.

ManagementManagement

Need to know and understand the Need to know and understand the equipment.equipment.

AdvantagesAdvantages

Uniformity of applicationUniformity of application Prescription applicationsPrescription applications Economics - expenseEconomics - expense TimelinesTimelines Incorporation and ActivationIncorporation and Activation Reduced CompactionReduced Compaction Operator hazardOperator hazard

DisadvantagesDisadvantages

Calibration of equipmentCalibration of equipment Additional equipmentAdditional equipment Environmental HazardEnvironmental Hazard Increased application timesIncreased application times Unnecessary Water ApplicationsUnnecessary Water Applications

Why use Fertigation?Why use Fertigation?

Your irrigation system does the work.Your irrigation system does the work. Overfeeding and Underfeeding is Overfeeding and Underfeeding is

decreased.decreased. Dry applications need water to dissolve Dry applications need water to dissolve

the granules.the granules. With precise application, the overall With precise application, the overall

amount of chemicals applied is reduced amount of chemicals applied is reduced vs. the dry application.vs. the dry application.

The use of fertigation or chemigation with site-specific The use of fertigation or chemigation with site-specific technology.technology.

TechnologyTechnology GPS – locate soil type, water holes, weeds, obstructions, and GPS – locate soil type, water holes, weeds, obstructions, and

boundariesboundaries GIS (Geographical Information System) works with data captured GIS (Geographical Information System) works with data captured

from spatial reference points.from spatial reference points. VRT (Variable-rate controllers) System “Brain” sets the rate of VRT (Variable-rate controllers) System “Brain” sets the rate of

application dependent on soil type, slopes, ponds…etc.application dependent on soil type, slopes, ponds…etc. Weather Station / Mesonet (ET rate)Weather Station / Mesonet (ET rate) Green Seeker / Weed Seeker Green Seeker / Weed Seeker

• NIR (Near Infrared Band)NIR (Near Infrared Band)• Red (Red Band)Red (Red Band)• Thermo sensorThermo sensor

Precision IrrigationPrecision Irrigation

Site Specific Irrigation/FertigationSite Specific Irrigation/Fertigation

Pivot AnimationPivot Animation

SourcesSources www.florence.ars.usda.gov/www.florence.ars.usda.gov/ www.betterpivots.com/how.htmlwww.betterpivots.com/how.html http://weather.nmsu.edu/http://weather.nmsu.edu/ www.nrw.gld.gov.au/www.nrw.gld.gov.au/ www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/abeng/www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/abeng/ www.fertigationsystems.comwww.fertigationsystems.com http://msucares.com/pubs/pulications/p1551.htmhttp://msucares.com/pubs/pulications/p1551.htm Dr. Kizer. Oklahoma State University. April 18, 2008Dr. Kizer. Oklahoma State University. April 18, 2008

Questions?Questions?