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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
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Irrigated cropland • Water is the most limiting resource for most producers in many regions. • The law of minimum • Limiting factor
Irrigatedacreage • In 2008 US farmers and ranchers irrigated 54.9 million acres of farmland.
Irrigationtypes • 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
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
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-NevTo&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=cXhB6A-p3R8&feature=player_embedded