The United Nations projects that the world’s population will grow from about 7.2 billion in 2013 to more than 9 billion by 2050.
In order to adequately feed that growing population, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) projects that food production will have to increase by 70 percent.
With fixed quantities of land and water, one way this can be accomplished is to achieve higher crop yields and more efficient use of water.
Converting to an efficient pivot irrigation system or retrofitting a high pressure system to low pressure can conserve precious water and boost productivity.
Dirk Lenie, vice president of global marketing for Lindsay Corporation, a leading provider of mechanical-move irrigation equipment, said new irrigation products and technology can help growers produce more and better crops while encouraging responsible stewardship of the world’s natural resources.
Sprinkler Efficiency
The proper sprinkler package and sprinkler selection is critical to efficient and productive irrigation. These sprinkler packages can be customized for new or existing systems based on crop, climate and other field conditions.
Rotating-spray sprinklers are designed for greater coverage on heavier soils or rolling terrain. Fixed-spray sprinklers are intended for use on lighter soils or flat terrain and can be adapted for in-furrow applications. Low Energy Precision Application (LEPA) sprinklers can be operated in both bubble and spray modes and are designed to reduce surface evaporation.
Other water efficiency considerations include sprinkler drops, offsets, pressure regulators and end guns.
Variable-Rate Irrigation
New variable-rate irrigation (VRI) technology allows for pinpoint application of water and chemicals to sugarbeet crops.
With easy-to-use mapping software, growers can define custom irrigation zones on their pivots and laterals. The zones can be defined by crop type, soil type and typography or field obstacles, such as a creek bed or rocky area. Using this information, the VRI controller works to turn sprinklers on or off or pulse at precise speeds to achieve full variable-rate water applications.
“Variable-rate irrigation technology allows growers to apply exactly the right amount of water or chemicals to each area of the field, providing full control over each square inch to maximize yields and efficiency,” Lenie said.
“Our Precision VRI product is extremely accurate and flexible because its software uses more zones, allowing more precise control of the sprinkler nozzles according to mapping data inputs.”
FieldNET
Lindsay’s award-winning FieldNET wireless irrigation management allows growers to control entire irrigation systems—from pivots and laterals to pumps and sensors—from virtually anywhere using a laptop, tablet or smartphone.
FieldNET’s real-time comprehensive system dashboard provides an overview of the entire irrigation operation. The map view organizes equipment to provide quick at-a-glance status.
Lindsay recently introduced FieldNET for wireless micro-irrigation management, allowing growers access and control of their entire irrigation operation at any time and from anywhere.
Flow Meters
Flow meters can help irrigators better manage and schedule irrigation.
Lenie said Lindsay recently added a new magnetic flow meter to its product line. Compared to propeller flow meters, the magnetic flow meter does not have any moving parts such as propellers or bearings that may break, causing interruptions in water measurement and resulting in extra costs.
“Flow meters help take the guess work out of water usage and save growers time, water, energy and money,” Lenie said.
Soil Moisture Sensors
Soil moisture monitors are simple to install and use and can help irrigators make better informed decisions to ensure irrigation is applied at the right amount and at the right time.
Probes can be placed at multiple depths to track the water in the full root zone. Soil moisture monitors minimize water stress, maximize potential yield and reduce operation costs.
Climate Stations
Each field has its own unique micro-climate. Professional-grade weather stations feature sensors for micro-climate, such as wind speed and direction, solar radiation, air temperature, relative humidity, precipitation and evapotranspiration rates.
Lenie said both the Lindsay soil moisture monitor and Lindsay weather station can be integrated into the company’s FieldNET irrigation management and control system for convenience and enhanced management capabilities.