improving irrigation management

IMPROVING IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT

Earl Vories, Agricultural EngineerUSDA-ARS Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research UnitPortageville, MO

Translating Missouri USDA-ARS Research and Technology into Practice A training session provided by USDA-ARS-CSWQRU, 10-11 October

2012, Columbia, MO

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Mention of trade names or commercial products is solely for purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.


2012, Columbia, MO

Improving Irrigation Management for Humid and Subhumid Climates


2012, Columbia, MO

GoalOur goal is to develop solutions to broad water management problems with application to humid and sub-humid areas in the USA and the world.

Participating Scientists

Agricultural Research ServiceEarl Vories - Lead Scientist

John SadlerKen Sudduth


2012, Columbia, MO

Participating ScientistsUniversity of Missouri

Joe Henggeler - Principal Investigator

Allen ThompsonGene StevensDavid Dunn

Andrea JonesTranslating Missouri USDA-ARS Research and Technology into Practice A training session provided by USDA-ARS-CSWQRU, 10-11 October

2012, Columbia, MO

Lower Mississippi (WRA 08) Portions of Missouri, Kentucky,

Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana

11.4 million acres of farmland Primarily subhumid climate Average annual rainfall > 40

inches

Mid-South


2012, Columbia, MO

49% furrow 29% flood 21% center

pivot

Mid-South irrigation methods


2012, Columbia, MO

Top Mid-South states in 2008 irrigated area

Arkansas 4.5 million acres (4th) 675,000 acre 10-year increase (2nd largest)

Mississippi 1.5 million acres (12th) 259,000 acre 10-year increase (4th largest)

Missouri 1.2 million acres (13th) 279,000 acre 10-year increase (3rd largest)


2012, Columbia, MO

Missouri - 97% Mississippi - 95% Tennessee - 81% Arkansas - 80% Louisiana - 76% Kentucky - 61%

Most Mid-South irrigation water from groundwater


2012, Columbia, MO

Improving Irrigation Management for Humid and Subhumid Climates

Objectives:1. Evaluate and optimize production

systems to optimize water use efficiency under variable weather conditions.

2. Evaluate the suitability of variable-rate center pivot irrigation (part of multi-location effort).

3. Evaluate the quality of runoff from irrigated cropland.Translating Missouri USDA-ARS Research and Technology into Practice

A training session provided by USDA-ARS-CSWQRU, 10-11 October 2012, Columbia, MO

Minimizing water use for rice production: rice field water monitoring sprinkler irrigated rice comparing production systems developing and refining crop coefficients determining water/yield relationship


2012, Columbia, MO

Mid-South farmers grew 60% of total US rice crop in 2003 (USDA-NASS, 2004) Mostly produced in flooded culture Generally requires more irrigation water

than other crops produced in the region Published estimate for Arkansas: 760 mm,

based on several years of on-farm observations

Vories et al. (2006) reported 460 - 1435 mm for 33 Arkansas fields during 2003 through 2005

Smith et al. (2006) reported 382 - 1034 mm in Mississippi in 2003 and 2004


2012, Columbia, MO

Floodwater depth sensor

Float-switch type sensors used in 2008 (high or low).

Other experimental sensors will be tested to provide information about actual depth of water, not just high or low.

Sensors being developed as part of another project (e.g., fuel flow, dynamic water table depth) will be included.

Prototype depth sensorTranslating Missouri USDA-ARS Research and Technology into Practice


Conclusions – surface irrigation monitoring

Remote monitoring could aid farmers in managing surface irrigation.

Ag conditions/environment present challenges for designing/constructing sensors that will last whole season (preferably multiple seasons).

Testing/improving with rice has continued. Working with furrow again.


2012, Columbia, MO

Center pivot rice production

Rice production under center pivot irrigation investigated in 1980's Problems precluded adoption

poor weed control disease (blast) towers got stuck low yield (maybe due to others)Translating Missouri USDA-ARS Research and Technology into Practice


Center Pivot Rice Production

renewed interest, US and internationally improved cultivars and hybrids additional herbicides and fungicides improved tower/sprinkler

arrangements


2012, Columbia, MO

If we grow rice like other crops, we have to consider irrigation scheduling

Irrigation scheduling more difficult in sub-humid regions than arid Clouds, rainfall, temperature swings all

complicate irrigation scheduling Weather conditions vary greatly year to

year and within year Most scheduling methods measure or

estimate soil water content highly variable soils limited measurementsTranslating Missouri USDA-ARS Research and Technology into Practice


Basal Rice Crop Coefficient, Short Grass ReferenceFAO 56 - assuming 5 days planting to emergence

Arkansas Irrigation Scheduler beta version


2012, Columbia, MO

Center Pivot Rice Study Area Showing Soil Mapping Units

Soil Mapping UnitsDd = Dundee sandy loamDe = Dundee silt loamRe = Reelfoot loamRf = Reelfoot sandy loamTp = Tiptonville silt loam

Water savings (relative to flood) not always goal; sometimes goal to bring rice into crop rotation


2012, Columbia, MO

Real-time Weather at University of Mo. Fisher Delta Research Center

Marsh Farm (http://agebb.missouri.edu/weather/realtime/porta

geville.asp)


2012, Columbia, MO

Estimated SWD, rainfall and irrigation between emergence and final irrigation - 2009

Irrigationfirst: 6/19final: 9/1134 d - 414 mm

Rain during irrigation period

31 d -296 mm


2012, Columbia, MO

Watermark sensors - 2009


2012, Columbia, MO

Summary & Conclusions

AIS appeared to respond as expected and yields from different studies suggested crop not drought stressed

AIS and Watermark data suggested more irrigation water may have been applied than necessary for optimal crop growth


2012, Columbia, MO

Summary & Conclusions

Current phase uses beta version of AIS to schedule irrigations

Soil moisture sensors to indicate how well the AIS describes soil moisture

Data should indicate whether current crop coefficient is adequate


2012, Columbia, MO

• “Off-the-shelf” and aftermarket systems available for variable rate (VR) application of seed, lime, fertilizer, pesticides, plant growth regulators, and defoliants.• Cannot realize the full potential of those benefits if we do not properly manage water.

Precision irrigation


2012, Columbia, MO

Irrigation Management Approaches (non site-specific) Ensure that the smallest water holding

capacity receives adequate water Match the needs of the average (or

largest) soil water conditions Limit applications to avoid

overwatering the wettest areas In all cases, parts of the field are either

over- or under-irrigated


2012, Columbia, MO

0.8”1.2”

1”

0.5”

1”

1”

change travel speed; unable to vary application rate along pipeline

Some VR capability “off the shelf”


2012, Columbia, MO

VR Irrigation Potential Benefits Improve irrigation management/efficiency (don’t

under- or over-water) Reduce nutrient leaching/runoff (not over-

watering) Reduce disease (not stressing portions of field) Increase yields Optimize pumping costs; save water/energy Future regulatory benefits

Can we have site-specific management (precision agriculture) for irrigation?


2012, Columbia, MO

Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI)

University of Georgia, with Farmscan (Australia), developed a distributed control system – Variable-Rate Irrigation

Valmont and Lindsay both have VRI systems Use pneumatic (Georgia), hydraulic (Valmont),

or electric (Lindsay) valves to vary sprinklers from 100% (always on) to 0% (always off) or used pulsing for rates in between


2012, Columbia, MO

• Layout center pivot configuration

• Determine fixed or variable length zones

• Layout control zones

• Review hydraulics

Develop Zone Control Package


2012, Columbia, MO

On-farm VRI field

ECa (mS/m)

DualEM “Deep” (0 - ~9’)


2012, Columbia, MO

Valley VRI Zone Control Prescription


2012, Columbia, MO


2012, Columbia, MO

Field on May 9, 2011

Working toward real-time VRI

soil moisturesensor

thermocouple orother temperature

sensor

datalogger, transmitter

interrogator

pivot point


2012, Columbia, MO

Global Positioning System

Infrared Thermometer(canopy temperature)

Crop Circle

GreenSeeker

Air Temperature and

Relative Humidity

Pyranometer

(sunlight)

Ultrasonic(crop

height)

Instrumentation for Sensing Drought and Nutrient Stresses


2012, Columbia, MO

Potential Roadblocks For Implementing VRI

Cost (in today’s economic situation) Farm Bill includes potential cost-share funds

Potential for lightning damage Technology is new Fairly steep learning curve Pressure fluctuations when sprinklers or end gun

cycled - pumps need to match changing conditions (steep vs. flat pump curves)

Age / diversity of current pivot systems


2012, Columbia, MO

Determining nutrient content of runoff from surface drained land


2012, Columbia, MO

• Irrigated crops, especially rice•Surface, rather than subsurface drainage that has been studied more

•Do controlled drainage principles from surface drainage apply in this region?

•Exploratory work began in January 2006

•Current effort started in June 2011

Why Southeast Missouri?


2012, Columbia, MO

Findings


2012, Columbia, MO

Future Plans – runoff monitoring

• Refine ratings curves• Define watersheds• Begin event sampling

After a year like 2012, easy to forget that irrigation is just one component in the production system

Also have to optimize• drainage• cultivar selection• weed control• fertility

Final thought: Irrigation alone is not enough!


2012, Columbia, MO

improving irrigation management

Documents

training session

mo missouri

portions of missouri

midsouth irrigation

inches midsouth

rate center pivot irrigation

acres 4th675

acres 12th259