Using computational optics for agricultural monitoring with an emphasis on irrigation management zones

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Klapp ◽  
O. Brand ◽  
P. Yafin ◽  
S. Papini ◽  
N. Oz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Management Zones ◽  
Computational Optics

scholarly journals Irrigation Management Scale and Water Application Method to Improve Yield and Water Productivity of Field-Grown Strawberries

Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillaume Létourneau ◽  
Jean Caron
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Variability ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Water Productivity ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Richards Equation ◽  
Water Application ◽  
Experimental Site ◽  
Management Zones ◽  
Rock Fragments ◽  
Application Method

Improvements in water productivity are of primary importance for maintaining agricultural productivity and sustainability. Water potential-based irrigation management has proven effective for this purpose with many different crops, including strawberries. However, problems related to spatial variability of soil properties and irrigation efficiency were reported when applying this management method to strawberries in soils with rock fragments. In this study, a field-scale experiment was performed to evaluate the impacts of three irrigation management scales and a pulsed water application method on strawberry yield and water productivity. An analytical solution to Richards’ equation was also used to establish critical soil water potentials for this crop and evaluate the effects of the variability in the soil properties. Results showed that spatial variability of soil properties at the experimental site was important but not enough to influence crop response to irrigation practices. The studied properties did not present any spatial structure that could allow establishing specific management zones. A four-fold reduction in the size of the irrigation management zones had no effect on yield and increased the water applications. Pulsed application led to significant yield (22%) and water productivity (36%) increases compared with the standard water application method used by the producer at the experimental site.

scholarly journals Delineation of irrigation management zones in a Quartzipsamment of the Brazilian semiarid region

2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (9) ◽  
pp. 1283-1294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henrique Oldoni ◽  
Luís Henrique Bassoi
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Clustering Algorithm ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Optimal Number ◽  
Semiarid Region ◽  
Management Zones ◽  
Distribution Maps ◽  
Management Zone ◽  
Brazilian Semiarid ◽  
Fuzzy C Means Clustering

Abstract The objective of this work was to delineate irrigation management zones using geostatistics and multivariate analysis in different combinations of physical and hydraulic soil properties, as well as to determine the optimal number of management zones in order to avoid overlaping. A field experiment was carried out in a Quartzipsamment, for two years, in an irrigated orchard of table grape, in the Senador Nilo Coelho Irrigation Scheme, in the municipality of Petrolina, in the state of Pernanbuco, Brazil. Soil samples were collected for the determination of soil physico-hydraulic properties. A portable meter was used to measure soil apparent electrical conductivity. Spatial distribution maps were generated using ordinary kriging. Management zones for five different combinations of soil properties were defined using the fuzzy c-means clustering algorithm, and two indexes were applied to determine the optimal number of management zones. Two combinations of soil properties can be used in the management zone planning in order to monitor soil moisture.

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.

scholarly journals Maximising the value of irrigation through improved use of soil resources and sensor technology

2019 ◽  
pp. 223-230
Author(s):  
John J. Drewry ◽  
Carolyn B. Hedley ◽  
Jagath Ekanayake
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Smart Phone ◽  
Sensor Technology ◽  
Management Zones ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
First Case ◽  
Soil Moisture Monitoring

This paper presents a case-study approach focussing on variability of soils, soil physical properties, and how the use of proximal sensor surveys and soil moisture monitoring can be used to improve irrigation management at fine spatial scales (<10 m). Proximal sensor survey data have been used to map soil variability and statistically derive management zones, which are then correlated with S-map siblings using soil moisture release curves. At the first case study site, soil moisture monitoring of these management zones showed the poorly drained soil had wetter conditions than the other zones, which is likely to have been a factor contributing to reduced barley yield. Less irrigation could therefore have been applied to the poorly drained soil, with a saving in cost and yield penalty. In the second case study, we provide an overview of research focussing on practical applications of near real-time soil moisture monitoring and visualisation through smart phone apps, enabling new irrigation software and hardware to be matched to specific farm circumstances, so soils and crops can be managed to reduce water and nutrient losses.

Characterizing spatial variability in soil water content for precision irrigation management

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 418-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. de Lara ◽  
R. Khosla ◽  
L. Longchamps
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Soil Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Field Scale ◽  
Management Zones ◽  
Mean Differences ◽  
Precision Irrigation

One among many challenges in implementing precision irrigation is the reliable characterization of the soil water content (SWC) across spatially variable fields. For this purpose, commercial retailers are employing apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa) to create irrigation prescription maps. The accuracy of this method at the field scale has received little attention from the scientific community. Hence, the objective of this study was to characterize spatial distribution of soil water content at the field scale for the purpose of precision irrigation management. Results showed mean SWC to be different across ECa derived management zones, indicating that soil ECa was able to characterize mean differences in SWC across management zones.

Crop Yield and Water Use Efficiency as Affected by Different Soil-Based Management Methods for Variable-Rate Irrigation in a Semi-Humid Climate

2018 ◽  
Vol 61 (6) ◽  
pp. 1915-1922
Author(s):  
Xiumei Li ◽  
Weixia Zhao ◽  
Jiusheng Li ◽  
Yanfeng Li
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Variable Rate ◽  
Summer Maize ◽  
Humid Climate ◽  
Management Zones ◽  
Center Pivot ◽  
Use Efficiency

Abstract. To improve the management of variable-rate irrigation (VRI) systems in semi-humid climates, three different soil-based irrigation management methods were evaluated on their potential for reducing irrigation water use and maximizing crop yield and water use efficiency (WUE) during the 2016 and 2017 growing seasons of summer maize in the North China Plain. The three irrigation management methods evaluated were soil water balance modeling (SWB), measured soil water content (SWC), and a combination of SWB and the rain forecast for the next three days (RF). The experiments were implemented on four management zones delineated by available soil water holding capacity of a center-pivot VRI system. A similar irrigation trigger point (70% of field capacity) was used for the three irrigation management methods in the four management zones. In the two seasons, the total water application in the SWC treatments varied in a larger range among the management zones, and the irrigation water applied was 22% and 21% less than in the SWB and RF treatments, respectively. Similar yields were obtained among the irrigation management methods in both seasons. The maximum WUE was always observed with the SWC treatments for the four management zones in the 2017 season. The WUE with the SWC treatments was 36% and 23% higher than with the SWB and RF treatments, respectively. Considering the amount of irrigation water applied, yield, and WUE, our results demonstrated that the SWC method was more suitable for VRI management than the SWB and RF methods in this semi-humid climate. Keywords: Center pivot, Soil water balance, Soil water content, Rain forecast, Summer maize, Yield.

Future approaches to facilitate large-scale adoption of thermal based images as key input in the production of dynamic irrigation management zones

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 546-550 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Cohen ◽  
N. Agam ◽  
I. Klapp ◽  
A. Karnieli ◽  
O. Beeri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Resolution ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Water Status ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Atmospheric Conditions ◽  
Management Zones ◽  
Financial Investments ◽  
Coarse Spatial Resolution ◽  
Aerial Platforms

To use VRI systems, a field is divided into irrigation management zones (IMZs). While IMZs are dynamic in nature, most of IMZs prescription maps are static. High-resolution thermal images (TI) coupled with measured atmospheric conditions have been utilized to map the within-field water status variability and to delineate in-season IMZs. Unfortunately, spaceborne TIs have coarse spatial resolution and aerial platforms require substantial financial investments, which may inhibit their large-scale adoption. Three approaches are proposed to facilitate large-scale adoption of TI-based IMZs: 1) increase of the capacity of aerial TI by enhancing their spatial resolution; 2) sharpening the spatial resolution of satellite TI by fusing satellite multi-spectral images in the visible-near-infrared (VIS-NIR) range; 3) increase the capacity of aerial TI by fusing satellite multi-spectral images in the VIS-NIR range. The scientific and engineering basis of each of the approaches is described together with initial results.

scholarly journals Mapping Management Zones Based on Soil Apparent Electrical Conductivity and Remote Sensing for Implementation of Variable Rate Irrigation—Case Study of Corn under a Center Pivot

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 3427
Author(s):  
João Serrano ◽  
Shakib Shahidian ◽  
José Marques da Silva ◽  
Luís Paixão ◽  
Francisco Moral ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽  
Hydrological Cycle ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Travel Speed ◽  
Variable Rate ◽  
Management Zones ◽  
Variable Rate Irrigation

Climate change, especially the trend towards global warming, will significantly affect the global hydrological cycle, leading to a general reduction of the water available for agriculture. In this scenario, it is essential that research should focus on the development of ‘water saving’ techniques and technologies. This work summarizes the methodology followed in a project for large scale implementation of variable rate irrigation (VRI) systems using center pivots in corn crop. This is based on technologies for monitoring (i) soil electrical conductivity (ECa) and altimetry, (ii) soil moisture content, (iii) vegetation indices (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, NDVI) obtained from satellite images, and automatic pivot travel speed control technologies. ECa maps were the basis for the definition of first homogeneous management zones (HMZ) in an experimental corn field of 28 ha. NDVI time-series were used to establish the subsequent HMZ and the respective dynamic prescription irrigation maps. The main result of this study was the reduction of spatial yield variability with the VRI management in 2017 compared to the conventional irrigation management. This study demonstrates how a relatively simple approach could be designed and implemented on a large scale, which represents an important and sustainable contribution to the resolution of practical farmer issues.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document