scholarly journals Crop Row Detection through UAV Surveys to Optimize On-Farm Irrigation Management

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 1967
Author(s):  
Giulia Ronchetti ◽  
Alice Mayer ◽  
Arianna Facchi ◽  
Bianca Ortuani ◽  
Giovanna Sona
Keyword(s):  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Row Crops ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Water Users ◽  
Irrigated Crops ◽  
Crop Types ◽  
Efficient Water Use ◽  
On Farm

Climate change and competition among water users are increasingly leading to a reduction of water availability for irrigation; at the same time, traditionally non-irrigated crops require irrigation to achieve high quality standards. In the context of precision agriculture, particular attention is given to the optimization of on-farm irrigation management, based on the knowledge of within-field variability of crop and soil properties, to increase crop yield quality and ensure an efficient water use. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) imagery is used in precision agriculture to monitor crop variability, but in the case of row-crops, image post-processing is required to separate crop rows from soil background and weeds. This study focuses on the crop row detection and extraction from images acquired through a UAV during the cropping season of 2018. Thresholding algorithms, classification algorithms, and Bayesian segmentation are tested and compared on three different crop types, namely grapevine, pear, and tomato, for analyzing the suitability of these methods with respect to the characteristics of each crop. The obtained results are promising, with overall accuracy greater than 90% and producer’s accuracy over 85% for the class “crop canopy”. The methods’ performances vary according to the crop types, input data, and parameters used. Some important outcomes can be pointed out from our study: NIR information does not give any particular added value, and RGB sensors should be preferred to identify crop rows; the presence of shadows in the inter-row distances may affect crop detection on vineyards. Finally, the best methodologies to be adopted for practical applications are discussed.

Deep drainage through Vertosols in irrigated fields measured with drainage lysimeters

Soil Research ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 343 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. A. Gunawardena ◽  
D. McGarry ◽  
J. B. Robinson ◽  
D. M. Silburn
Keyword(s):  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Deep Drainage ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Irrigated Crops ◽  
Spray Irrigation ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Efficient Water Use

Rising groundwater and salinity are potential risks across irrigated agricultural landscapes. Water is scarce in many areas that will benefit from efficient water use. Excessive deep drainage (DD, mm) beneath irrigated crops is undesirable because it may cause salinity and decrease water-use efficiency. Nine irrigated, commercial cotton fields (eight furrow-irrigated and one spray, lateral-move irrigated) were selected in the upper Murray–Darling Basin, on Vertosols with a wide range of clay contents (38–75%). The lysimeters used, described as ‘confined, undisturbed, constant tension, non-weighing’, were installed to capture water passing 1.5 m depth at three in-field positions: (i) near the head ditch, (ii) mid-way between head and tail ditches, and (iii) close to the tail ditch. At two sites, infiltration along the length of the field was monitored in two seasons using furrow advance-SIRMOD methods. Seasonal DD values of up to 235 mm (2.4 ML/ha.season) were measured (range 1–235 mm), equivalent to 27% of the irrigation applied at that location in that season. Individual DD events >90 mm accounted for 15 of 66 measured values from 26 furrow irrigations. DD varied strongly along the length of each field, with DD commonly reducing from the head ditch to the tail ditch. SIRMOD simulation mirrored this trend, with large decreases in infiltration amounts from head to tail. Greater DD at head locations was attributed to long periods of inundation, especially early in the season when siphons (in-flows) were allowed to run for up to 24 h. Most of the DD occurred during pre-irrigation and the first two or three in-crop irrigations. Inter-season variation in DD was large; limited water supply in drought years led to fewer irrigations with smaller volumes, resulting in little or no DD. The DD under lateral-move, spray irrigation was almost zero; only one irrigation event in 4 years resulted in DD. Control of DD under furrow irrigation can be achieved by changing irrigation management to lateral-move, spray irrigation, which minimises DD and greatly increases water-use efficiency with no yield (cotton) penalty. Across all of the lysimetry sites, high salinities of the DD leachate indicated that large amounts of salt were being mobilised. The fate and impacts of this mobilised and leached salt are uncertain.

scholarly journals A Technical Study on UAV Characteristics for Precision Agriculture Applications and Associated Practical Challenges

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1204
Author(s):  
Nadia Delavarpour ◽  
Cengiz Koparan ◽  
John Nowatzki ◽  
Sreekala Bajwa ◽  
Xin Sun
Keyword(s):  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Radiometric Correction ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
The Past ◽  
Field Crops ◽  
Advanced Technologies ◽  
Technical Study ◽  
Agricultural Operations

The incorporation of advanced technologies into Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) platforms have enabled many practical applications in Precision Agriculture (PA) over the past decade. These PA tools offer capabilities that increase agricultural productivity and inputs’ efficiency and minimize operational costs simultaneously. However, these platforms also have some constraints that limit the application of UAVs in agricultural operations. The constraints include limitations in providing imagery of adequate spatial and temporal resolutions, dependency on weather conditions, and geometric and radiometric correction requirements. In this paper, a practical guide on technical characterizations of common types of UAVs used in PA is presented. This paper helps select the most suitable UAVs and on-board sensors for different agricultural operations by considering all the possible constraints. Over a hundred research studies were reviewed on UAVs applications in PA and practical challenges in monitoring and mapping field crops. We concluded by providing suggestions and future directions to overcome challenges in optimizing operational proficiency.

scholarly journals Impacts of Legal and Institutional Changes on Irrigation Management Performance: A Case of the Gezira Irrigation Scheme, Sudan

Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Elshaikh ◽  
Shi-hong Yang ◽  
Xiyun Jiao ◽  
Mohammed Elbashier
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Water Supply ◽  
Irrigation System ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Institutional Arrangements ◽  
Institutional Changes ◽  
Management Performance ◽  
Water Users ◽  
Water Surplus ◽  
The Right

This study aims to offer a comprehensive assessment of the impacts of policies and institutional arrangements on irrigation management performance. The case study, the Gezira Scheme, has witnessed a significant decrease in water management performance during recent decades. This situation led to several institutional changes in order to put the system on the right path. The main organizations involved in water management at the scheme are the Ministry of Irrigation & Water Resources (MOIWR), the Sudan Gezira Board (SGB), and the Water Users Associations (WUAs). Different combinations from these organizations were founded to manage the irrigation system. The evaluation of these organizations is based on the data of water supply and cultivated areas from 1970 to 2015. The measured data were compared with two methods: the empirical water order method (Indent) that considers the design criteria of the scheme, and the Crop Water Requirement (CWR) method. Results show that the MOIWR period was the most efficient era, with an average water surplus of 12% compared with the Indent value, while the most critical period (SGB & WUAs) occurred when the water supply increased by 80%. The other periods of the Irrigation Water Corporation (IWC), (SGB & MOIWR), and (WUAs & MOIWR) had witnessed an increase in water supply by 29%, 63%, and 67% respectively. Through these institutional changes, the percentage of excessive water supply jumped from 12% to 80%. Finally, the study provides general recommendations associated with institutional arrangements and policy adoption to improve irrigation system performance.

scholarly journals Inclusive participation, self-governance, and sustainability: Current challenges and opportunities for women in leadership of communal irrigation systems

2020 ◽  
pp. 251484862093471
Author(s):  
Laura Imburgia ◽  
Henny Osbahr ◽  
Sarah Cardey ◽  
Janet Momsen
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Women In Leadership ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Leadership Roles ◽  
Irrigation Systems ◽  
Representation Of Women ◽  
Water Users ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Current Water

Genuine inclusive participation in the self-governance of communal irrigation systems remains a challenge. This article analyses the mechanisms of participation in irrigation water users’ associations (WUAs) with focus on women as leaders of those organizations by drawing on cases from a comparative, multicase mixed-method study in Ethiopia and Argentina. After having being a topic for decades in gender and development debates, in many irrigated areas of the world, WUAs continue to be male dominated at all levels, especially in influential positions. Findings in this article suggest that despite large socio-economic and cultural differences, the current water management systems in both research locations reinforce problems of unequal gender participation; women have more obstacles and constraints in establishing equal access in membership, participation, and decision making in irrigation management. The lack of inclusive participation and the low representation of women in leadership roles lead to WUAs being poorly rooted in their community of users. Incomplete social rootedness of WUAs jeopardizes their effectiveness and equality in water management and, as a result, affects long-term sustainability. Through analysis of empirical data of communal small-scale irrigation systems in both countries, the article discusses who participates, how and why they participate, and the reasons for low numbers of women in leadership roles within the WUAs. Finally, the article reflects on possible enabling conditions that could foster inclusive participation, increase the quantity and capacity of women in management and leadership roles, and the benefits this may bring to sustainable irrigation systems.

scholarly journals USABILITY, STRENGTH AND PRACTICALITY OF THE UPCOMING HYSPIRI IN DETECTING MAIZE GRAY LEAFY SPOT IN RELATION TO SENTINEL-2 MSI, VENμS AND LANDSAT 8 OLI SPECTRAL BAND-SETTINGS

2019 ◽  
Vol XLII-4/W18 ◽  
pp. 1015-1022
Author(s):  
M. Sibanda ◽  
O. Mutanga ◽  
T. Dube ◽  
J. Odindi ◽  
P. L. Mafongoya
Keyword(s):  
Disease Progression ◽  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Spectral Band ◽  
Maize Yield ◽  
Gray Leaf Spot ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Landsat 8 ◽  
Landsat 8 Oli ◽  
To Come ◽  
Sentinel 2

Abstract. Considering the high maize yield loses that are caused by diseases incidences as well as incomprehensive monitoring initiatives in the crop farming sector of agriculture, there is a need to come up with spatially explicit, cheap, fast and consistent approaches for monitoring as well as forecasting food crop diseases, such as maize gray leaf spot. This study, therefore, we sought to investigate the usability, strength and practicality of the forthcoming HyspIRI in detecting disease progression of Maize Gray leafy spot infections in relation to the Sentinel-2 MSI, Landsat 8 OLI spectral configurations. Maize Gray leafy spot disease progression that were discriminated based on partial least squares –discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) algorithm were (i) healthy, (ii) intermediate and (ii) severely infected maize crops. Comparatively, the results show that the HyspIRI’s simulated spectral settings slightly performed better than those of Sentinel-2 MSI, VENμS and Landsat 8 OLI sensor. HyspIRI exhibited an overall accuracy of 0.98 compared to 0.95, 0.93 and 0.89 exhibited by Sentinel-2 MSI, VENμS and Landsat 8 OLI sensor sensors, respectively. Further, the results showed that the visible section the red-edge and NIR covered by all the four sensors were the most influential spectral regions for discriminating different Maize Gray leafy spot infections. These findings underscore the added value and potential scientific breakthroughs likely to be brought about by the upcoming hyperspectral HyspIRI sensor in precision agriculture and forecasting of crop disease epidemics to ensure food security.

Irrigation Management and Water Pricing in Turkey

2012 ◽  
pp. 73-86
Author(s):  
Erol H. Cakmak
Keyword(s):  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Water Pricing ◽  
Irrigated Agriculture ◽  
Water Users ◽  
Total Water Consumption ◽  
Water Charges ◽  
Almost All

Irrigated agriculture in Turkey currently consumes 75 percent of the total water consumption, which corresponds to about 30 percent of the renewable water supply. Unfavorable future global climate and economic conditions will increase the stress in the water sector. The operation and maintenance (O&M) of almost all large surface irrigation schemes developed by the state has been transferred to irrigation associations governed by the farmers. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of irrigation management practices and an evaluation of irrigation water pricing after the transfer using price data at the association level since 1999. Results indicate that both irrigation water charges and collection rates increased following the transfer. However, the recuperation of investment costs for irrigation development from the users has remained minimal. The price of the irrigation water continued to be on per hectare basis, and farmers using pumping water face 2.5 times higher water charge per hectare then the gravity water users. The uptake of more efficient water application technology accompanied by pricing mechanisms reflecting scarcity value of water will certainly ease the adjustment burden of the irrigation sector in the future.

Introduction to Precision Agriculture

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Akalpita Tendulkar
Keyword(s):  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Farm Management ◽  
Global Positioning ◽  
Soil Variation ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Field Variability ◽  
Global Population ◽  
The Internet Of Things ◽  
Yield Monitoring

The global population is increasing at a tremendous speed; thus, the demand for safe and secure food to meet this population is in demand. Therefore, traditional farming methods are insufficient to meet this demand; thus, the next revolution in agriculture is required, which is Precision Agriculture (PA), the Fourth Agriculture Revolution. PA is a technology where the concept of farm management is based on observation, measuring, and responding to inter- and intra-field variability in crops. The technologies used for performing precision agriculture are mapping, global positioning system (GPS), yield monitoring and mapping, grid soil sampling application, variable-rate fertilizer application, remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS), quantifying on farm variability, soil variation, variability of soil water content, time and space scales, robots, drones, satellite imagery, the internet of things, smartphone, and machine learning. Hence, the current chapter will be emphasizing the overview, concepts, history, world interest, benefits, disadvantages, and precision farming needs.

Irrigation Management and Water Pricing in Turkey

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 13-26
Author(s):  
Erol H. Cakmak
Keyword(s):  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Water Pricing ◽  
Irrigated Agriculture ◽  
Water Users ◽  
Total Water Consumption ◽  
Water Charges ◽  
Almost All

Irrigated agriculture in Turkey currently consumes 75 percent of the total water consumption, which corresponds to about 30 percent of the renewable water supply. Unfavorable future global climate and economic conditions will increase the stress in the water sector. The operation and maintenance (O&M) of almost all large surface irrigation schemes developed by the state has been transferred to irrigation associations governed by the farmers. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of irrigation management practices and an evaluation of irrigation water pricing after the transfer using price data at the association level since 1999. Results indicate that both irrigation water charges and collection rates increased following the transfer. However, the recuperation of investment costs for irrigation development from the users has remained minimal. The price of the irrigation water continued to be on per hectare basis, and farmers using pumping water face 2.5 times higher water charge per hectare then the gravity water users. The uptake of more efficient water application technology accompanied by pricing mechanisms reflecting scarcity value of water will certainly ease the adjustment burden of the irrigation sector in the future.

scholarly journals Multi-Spatial Resolution Satellite and sUAS Imagery for Precision Agriculture on Smallholder Farms in Malawi

2020 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brad G. Peter ◽  
Joseph P. Messina ◽  
Jon W. Carroll ◽  
Junjun Zhi ◽  
Vimbayi Chimonyo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chlorophyll Content ◽  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Multispectral Images ◽  
Green Band ◽  
Smallholder Farms ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Linear Regressions ◽  
Crop Health ◽  
Sentinel 2

A collection of spectral indices, derived from a range of remote sensing imagery spatial resolutions, are compared to on-farm measurements of maize chlorophyll content and yield at two trial farms in central Malawi to evaluate what spatial resolutions are most effective for relating multispectral images with crop status. Single and multiple linear regressions were tested for spatial resolutions ranging from 7 cm to 20 m using a small unmanned aerial system (<small>sUAS</small>) and satellite imagery from Planet, <small>SPOT</small> 6, Pléiades, and Sentinel-2. Results suggest that imagery with spatial resolutions nearer the maize plant scale (i.e., 14–27 cm) are most effective for relating spectral signals with crop health on smallholder farms in Malawi. Consistent with other studies, green-band indices were more strongly correlated with maize chlorophyll content and yield than conventional red-band indices, and multivariable models often outperformed single variable models.

scholarly journals High-Resolution Multisensor Remote Sensing to Support Date Palm Farm Management

Agriculture ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 26
Author(s):  
Maggie Mulley ◽  
Lammert Kooistra ◽  
Laurens Bierens
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Date Palm ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Tree Level ◽  
Individual Tree ◽  
Red Edge ◽  
Height Data

Date palms are a valuable crop in areas with limited water availability such as the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa, due to their hardiness in tough conditions. Increasing soil salinity and the spread of pests including the red palm weevil (RPW) are two examples of growing threats to date palm plantations. Separate studies have shown that thermal, multispectral, and hyperspectral remote sensing imagery can provide insight into the health of date palm plantations, but the added value of combining these datasets has not been investigated. The current study used available thermal, hyperspectral, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and visual Red-Green-Blue (RGB) images to investigate the possibilities of assessing date palm health at two “levels”; block level and individual tree level. Test blocks were defined into assumed healthy and unhealthy classes, and thermal and height data were extracted and compared. Due to distortions in the hyperspectral imagery, this data was only used for individual tree analysis; methods for identifying individual tree points using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) maps proved accurate. A total of 100 random test trees in one block were selected, and comparisons between hyperspectral, thermal and height data were made. For the vegetation index red-edge position (REP), the R-squared value in correlation with temperature was 0.313 and with height was 0.253. The vegetation index—the Vogelmann Red Edge Index (VOGI)—also has a relatively strong correlation value with both temperature (R2 = 0.227) and height (R2 = 0.213). Despite limited field data, the results of this study suggest that remote sensing data has added value in analyzing date palm plantations and could provide insight for precision agriculture techniques.

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