scholarly journals Identifying Advantages and Disadvantages of Variable Rate Irrigation: An Updated Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 837-852 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan A O’Shaughnessy ◽  
Steven R. Evett ◽  
Paul D. Colaizzi ◽  
Manuel A Andrade ◽  
Thomas H. Marek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Conservation ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Nutrient Management ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Sprinkler Irrigation ◽  
Variable Rate ◽  
Economic Returns ◽  
Irrigation Systems ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Variable Rate Irrigation

Abstract. Variable rate irrigation (VRI) sprinklers on mechanical move irrigation systems (center pivot or lateral move) have been commercially available since 2004. Although the number of VRI, zone or individual sprinkler, systems adopted to date is lower than expected there is a continued interest to harness this technology, especially when climate variability, regulatory nutrient management, water conservation policies, and declining water for agriculture compound the challenges involved for irrigated crop production. This article reviews the potential advantages and potential disadvantages of VRI technology for moving sprinklers, provides updated examples on such aspects, suggests a protocol for designing and implementing VRI technology and reports on the recent advancements. The advantages of VRI technology are demonstrated in the areas of agronomic improvement, greater economic returns, environmental protection and risk management, while the main drawbacks to VRI technology include the complexity to successfully implement the technology and the lack of evidence that it assures better performance in net profit or water savings. Although advances have been made in VRI technologies, its penetration into the market will continue to depend on tangible and perceived benefits by producers. Keywords: Center pivots, Crop water use efficiency, Irrigation, Management zones, Moving sprinkler irrigation systems, Precision irrigation, Sensor based systems.

scholarly journals Potential Water Conservation Using Site-Specific Variable Rate Irrigation

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 881-888
Author(s):  
Kenneth C Stone ◽  
Philip J Bauer ◽  
Gilbert C Sigua
Keyword(s):  
Water Conservation ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Field Capacity ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Variable Rate ◽  
Water Usage ◽  
Site Specific ◽  
Management Zones ◽  
Water Holding ◽  
Variable Rate Irrigation

Abstract. Site-specific variable-rate irrigation (VRI) systems can be used to spatially manage irrigation within sub-field-sized zones and optimize spatial water use efficiency. The goal of the research is to provide farmers and consultants a tool to evaluate the potential benefits of implementing VRI. The specific objective of this research is to evaluate the potential water savings using VRI management compared with uniform irrigation management to maintain soil water holding capacity above 50% depletion using two irrigation scenarios: 1) a standard 12.5 mm irrigation per application; and 2) an application to refill the soil profile to field capacity. A 21-year simulation study was carried out on a selected field with varying degrees of soil and topographic variability. The simulated field had 12 soil mapping units with water holding capacities in the top 0.30-m ranging from 42 to 70 mm. The 21-year simulation covering all weather conditions for each soil produced only two significantly different irrigation management zones for scenario 1, and for scenario 2 only one management zone. However, when the 21-year period was divided into periods with different ratios of rainfall to reference evapotranspiration, the simulations identified 1 to 5 management zones with significantly different irrigation requirements. These results indicate that variable rate irrigation system design and management should not be solely based on long term average weather conditions. Years with differing weather conditions should be used for potentially identifying management zones for VRI systems. Irrigation application depths between management zones ranged from 17 to 38 mm. However, when the actual soil areas of the study field were utilized to calculate the total volume of irrigation water applied, it resulted in an increase in water usage in the 2 and 4 management zones ranging from -1.2% to 5.8%. Water usage with VRI over uniform irrigation was greater by -1.6% to 6.8% in the 12.5 mm irrigations and by -1.2% to 2.2% for the field capacity irrigations Keywords: Management zones, Precision farming, Variable-rate irrigation, Water conservation.

The Variable Rate Irrigation Management Challenge

2018 ◽  
pp. 724-738
Author(s):  
James Lowenberg-DeBoer
Keyword(s):  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Sprinkler Irrigation ◽  
Variable Rate ◽  
Industrialized Countries ◽  
Water Control ◽  
Scarce Water ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Management Challenge ◽  
Variable Rate Irrigation

The potential for variable rate irrigation (VRI) is an approach to making better use of scarce water. Intuitively it makes sense to apply irrigation water when and where it will provide the most benefit, but implementing that simple insight is complicated because water control is costly. Experience with mechanically movable sprinklers suggests that current VRI technology can allocate water accurately in time and space, but knowledge of how to profitably manage such systems is lacking. The variable rate fertilizer experience suggests that farmers, public sector researchers, and the irrigation equipment industry should collaborate in on-farm trials that would determine profitable management with current technology and the improvements needed to make VRI standard practice for irrigators. Simultaneous with the on-farm analysis of VRI profitability on sprinkler irrigation in the industrialized countries, research should start on adapting VRI technology to smallholder farmers in the developing world.

Variable-Rate Irrigation Uniformity Model for Linear-Move Sprinkler Systems

2021 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 1295-1302
Author(s):  
Junping Liu ◽  
Umair Gull ◽  
Daniel H. Putnam ◽  
Isaya Kisekka
Keyword(s):  
Simulation Model ◽  
Irrigation System ◽  
Sprinkler Irrigation ◽  
Application Rate ◽  
List Type ◽  
Variable Rate ◽  
Irrigation Systems ◽  
Sprinkler Systems ◽  
Irrigation Uniformity ◽  
Variable Rate Irrigation

HighlightsUsing different nozzle sizes on a linear-move sprinkler irrigation system is a simple method for implementing VRI.This study established a variable-rate sprinkler irrigation model for a linear-move system with different nozzles.Uniformity parameters were predicted for different tests, and prediction accuracy ranged from 1.6% to 13.0%.The simulation model can be applied to other sprinkler systems with variable-rate irrigation.Abstract. Variable-rate irrigation (VRI) can vary the application rate by either changing the amount of water flowing through sprinkler nozzles (zone control) or varying the speed of a moving irrigation system across parts of a field, referred to as speed/sector control. The uniformity of sprinkler irrigation in each management zone under VRI directly affects crop growth and yield. The use of different nozzle diameters on a linear-move sprinkler irrigation system is a simple and affordable method for achieving VRI. There are few studies on modeling the uniformity of VRI on linear-move sprinkler irrigation systems. In this study, a cubic spline difference-value model was used to simulate the variable-rate water distribution and uniformity of a linear-move system. Nine tests were designed to evaluate VRI uniformity with different nozzle diameters. A simulation and corresponding field experiments were carried out. The application rate of the simulation model was higher than the experimental values because of wind drift. The uniformity coefficients of the simulation with nozzle diameters of 1.98, 2.97, and 4.17 mm in tests 1, 2, and 3 were 86.56%, 85.24%, and 79.94%, respectively. The uniformity coefficients of the VRI simulations with combinations of nozzle diameters in tests 4 through 9 were 76.89%, 80.70%, 76.67%, 69.58%, 76.64%, and 81.87%, respectively. The smallest error between the simulation and experiment was 1.6%, and the largest error was 13.0%. The simulation model and prediction method can be applied to other sprinkler irrigation systems. Keywords: Linear move, Simulation model, Sprinkler irrigation, Uniformity, VRI.

scholarly journals Landscape diagnostic survey data of wheat production practices and yield in eastern India

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 20-26
Author(s):  
Anurag Ajay ◽  
Peter Craufurd ◽  
Sachin Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Nutrient Management ◽  
Census Data ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Open Data ◽  
Uttar Pradesh ◽  
Residue Management ◽  
Cluster Sampling ◽  
Wheat Production ◽  
Production Practices

Approximately 7,600 wheat plots were surveyed and geo-tagged in the 2017-18 winter or rabi season in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh (UP) in India to capture farmers’ wheat production practices at the landscape level. A two-stage cluster sampling method, based on Census data and electoral rolls, was used to identify 210 wheat farmers in each of 40 districts. The survey, implemented in Open Data Kit (ODK), recorded 226 variables covering major crop production factors such as previous crop, residue management, crop establishment method, variety and seed sources, nutrient management, irrigation management, weed flora and their management, harvesting method and farmer reported yield. Crop cuts were also made in 10% of fields. Data were very carefully checked with enumerators. These data should be very useful for technology targeting, yield prediction and other spatial analyses.

Variable Rate Irrigation Management for Humid Climates Using a Conventional Center Pivot System

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allen L Thompson ◽  
Kenneth A Sudduth ◽  
Joseph C Henggeler ◽  
Earl D Vories ◽  
Andrew D Rackers
Keyword(s):  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Variable Rate ◽  
Center Pivot ◽  
Variable Rate Irrigation

scholarly journals Adoption of site-specific variable rate sprinkler irrigation systems

2012 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 871-887 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert G. Evans ◽  
Jake LaRue ◽  
Kenneth C. Stone ◽  
Bradley A. King
Keyword(s):  
Sprinkler Irrigation ◽  
Variable Rate ◽  
Irrigation Systems ◽  
Site Specific ◽  
Specific Variable

Variable-rate irrigation management using an expert system in the eastern coastal plain

2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 167-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. C. Stone ◽  
P. J. Bauer ◽  
W. J. Busscher ◽  
J. A. Millen ◽  
D. E. Evans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Expert System ◽  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Variable Rate ◽  
Variable Rate Irrigation

Variable-Rate Irrigation Management for Peanut in the Eastern Coastal Plain

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth C Stone ◽  
Philip J Bauer ◽  
Warren J Busscher ◽  
Joseph A Millen ◽  
Dean E Evans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Variable Rate ◽  
Variable Rate Irrigation
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