Experimental and numerical investigation of laboratory scale sheetpipe-typed automatic subsurface irrigation

Sheet pipe is a type of perforated pipe used for drainage designed initially for drainage but has the potential for sub-surface irrigation. The objectives of this study were to experiment and observe the performance of the sub-surface irrigation control system with sheet pipe. This investigation covered the observation of water table control and its effect on soil moisture. The detailed process of water flow during the setting of the water table was numerically modeled in 2 dimensions to observe the distribution of soil moisture, soil pressure, and flux. The results showed that the system successfully controlled the water table at the desired level in the experiment. The developed two-dimensional numerical simulation showed the distribution of soil moisture in the model center as a response to the water table increase, represented by the variable head. The soil wetting advances toward soil surface driven by the water table, which was increased gradually and reached saturation at the height of water table setpoint.

Design of Intelligent Water-Saving Irrigation Control System Based On Rainfall Forecast

Based on the current research on lack of water resources and irrigation in China, on the basis of this paper puts forward a intelligent water-saving irrigation system based on rainfall forecast, designed with sensors and the wireless communication module of sensor nodes, the smart irrigation control system, introduced the local weather forecast, the water demand for crops is analyzed, Determine the optimum soil moisture during the growing season and extend irrigation time; Considering whether it will rain in two days, by the matlab fuzzy logic toolkit, designed the fuzzy controller and fuzzy controller, the rainfall tests show that system can independently according to the crop water requirement and weather forecast information to drive the solenoid valve to complete intelligent irrigation, at the same time send farmland environmental information remote control center to set, broke through the regional restriction, It is of great significance for farmers to check farmland soil moisture information to improve the utilization rate of water resources in China.

Reviewing Mini-lysimeter Controlled Irrigation in Container Crop Systems

This study reviews how mini-lysimeters have been used effectively to optimize irrigation control in container horticulture production. Lysimeters are devices that measure evapotranspiration (ET) from the water balance of a fixed soil volume. The primary components of lysimeter-controlled irrigation are load cell sensors, a multiplexer, a data logger, a controller, and solenoid valves. The two common mini-lysimeter systems are platform lysimeters and suspension lysimeters. In these systems, a bending-beam single-point load cell is fastened between two plates, and a container is placed directly on the top platform. Platform lysimeters are commonly used for smaller pot sizes, and suspension lysimeters have been used for large shade trees up to 2.8 m tall and weighing 225 kg. Mini-lysimeters have been used for decades to calibrate ET models and create on-demand irrigation control programs that replenish plant daily water use or maintain deficit conditions. Research has demonstrated that lysimeter-based irrigation can respond more effectively to seasonal and diurnal variations in water demand, increasing irrigation cycles when evaporative demand is high, and decreasing irrigation cycles when demand is low. A strength of these systems is that for containerized plants, such as nursery production systems, mini-lysimeters capture whole-plant water use, which presents a more holistic measure compared with soil moisture sensors or leaf moisture sensors.

A WiFi-Based Sensor Network for Flood Irrigation Control in Agriculture

The role of agriculture in society is vital due to factors such as providing food for the population, is a major source of employment worldwide, and one of the most important sources of revenue for countries. Furthermore, in recent years, the interest in optimizing the use of water resources has increased due to aspects such as climate change. This has led to the introduction of technology in the fields by means of sensor networks that allow remote monitoring and control of cultivated lands. In this paper, we present a system for flood irrigation in agriculture comprised of a sensor network based on WiFi communication. Different sensors measure atmospheric parameters such as temperature, humidity, and rain, soil parameters such as humidity, and water parameters such as water temperature, salinity, and water height to decide on the need of activating the floodgates for irrigation. The user application displays the data gathered by the sensors, shows a graphical representation of the state of irrigation of each ditch, and allows farmers to manage the irrigation of their fields. Finally, different tests were performed on a plot of vegetables to evaluate the correct performance of the system and the coverage of the sensor network on a vegetated area with different deployment options.

Will the Adoption of Early Fertigation Techniques Hinder Famers’ Technology Renewal? Evidence from Fresh Growers in Shaanxi, China

Fertigation technology is key to solve water pollution and inefficient fertilizer use. However, some early techniques cannot adapt to the current situation of labor shortages and large-scale planting. Therefore, it is necessary to consider farmers’ willingness to adopt more adaptive techniques. Specifically, we focus on whether early technology adoption will hinder technology renewal and whether the factors affecting the adoption of early and latest techniques are consistent. Through theoretical analysis and a survey, we find that farmers’ endowments such as income and labor force only affect the adoption intentions to the high-cost technique (Intelligent Irrigation Control System), but not early techniques (Venturi injector and Differential pressure tank), while farmers’ information processing ability and information acquisition channels affect both. Finally, the results of Propensity Score Matching show that early technology adoption will not become an obstacle to technology renewal.