Low Volume Irrigation and
Crop Management
Technologies
Value of SDI Combined with CMT
National Sales Meeting
June 13-17, 2005
1/6/2003
Identify
Identify Issue/Need
Relate Product or Feature
that Solves Issue
Communicate Gains in
productivity, performance or
economics
Convert Benefits into gain
or pain eliminated
Translate into economic
terms
Translate
Convert
Relate
7/1/2016
Communicate
Economic Squeeze
Low Commodity Prices
Jim Phene -- Netafim USA
7/1/2016
Increasing Input Costs
Identify
Identify Issue/Need
Relate Product or Feature
that Solves Issue
Communicate Gains in
productivity, performance or
economics
Convert Benefits into gain
or pain eliminated
Translate into economic
terms
Translate
Convert
Relate
7/1/2016
Communicate
Dr. Claude J Phene--Retired USDA-ARS Copyright 2005--used by permission
7/1/2016
Identify
Identify Issue/Need
Relate Product or Feature
that Solves Issue
Communicate Gains in
productivity, performance or
economics
Convert Benefits into gain
or pain eliminated
Translate into economic
terms
Translate
Convert
Relate
7/1/2016
Communicate
Discovery of High Frequency &
Fertigation Effects
 Average Yield @ 29 Tons
 1st Year: 40% less water &
“N” Injected-- 48 Tons
 2nd Year: 40% less water &
“N & P” Injected-- 75 Tons
 3rd Year: “N-P-K” Injected-110Tons
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Mike Bartolo--CSU Extension
Equal Yields of 1500 Bags
Furrow requiring @6.9 ac-ft
Drip requiring @13 ac-in
@ Over 5 acre foot difference...
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What Makes Drip Work?
 Low volume water application
 Frequent irrigation: every day or several times a day
 Application of nutrients through system
 Wet only soil about roots
 Low operating pressure: 7-15 psi
 Highest efficiency & uniformity possible
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Water Use Efficiency
Evapotranspiration
or
ET
E T
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Water Use Efficiency
Best Described as
Unit of Production/Unit of Water
E T
Typically see 30 to 50%
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Improved Yield, Quality & Earliness
Optimal balance of water, air and nutrients
enhances top growth over root growth
Plant doesn’t wilt so
more sugars for
growth
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The Benefits of Drip- Fertility
Nutrients in
solution &
readily taken
up by roots
Meet
crop
nutrient
demands
P,K
NO3
NO3
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NO3
P
PK
P
NO3
NO3
NO3
K
NO3
K
NO3
NO3
 Less NO3 loss due to deep percolation
Typical Irrigation Methodology
“TOO WET”
“TOO DRY”
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High Frequency Irrigation Theory
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Typical Fertility Methodology
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High Frequency Fertigation Theory
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High Frequency Fertigation Method
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The Benefits of Drip: Fertigation
Majority
of Inputs
Injected
P
P
K
K
NO3
NO3
pH
pH
CHEMIGATION
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SDI on Farm
Advantages
+No evaporative losses
+More Flexibility
+Less Labor
+NPK in root zone
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+Dry Soil Surface
+Mitigates Weeds
+Controlled Root Zone
+Less Compaction
+Permanent
SDI
Macro
Advantages
Lower Salt Accumulations
No evaporative losses
More Flexibility
Mitigates Surface Runoff
Mitigates Deep Percolation
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Dry Soil Surface
Decreases Herbicides
Decreases Erosion
Highest Efficiency
Permanent Solution
Identify
Identify Issue/Need
Relate Product or Feature
that Solves Issue
Communicate Gains in
productivity, performance or
economics
Convert Benefits into gain
or pain eliminated
Translate into economic
terms
Translate
Convert
Relate
7/1/2016
Communicate
Crop Management
Technologies
Creating Value or Why do our
Customers Need It?
National Sales Meeting
June 13-17, 2005
1/6/2003
7/1/2016
Continuous Measurement
12”
Shallow sensor = when to start
Deep sensor = how long
36”
7/1/2016
7/1/2016
Used by permission--Dr. Claude
Phene Copyright 2005
Available Water - What does it mean?
Total Volumetric
Available Volumetric
Water Content
Water Content
50%
100%
100%
50%
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Used by permission--Dr. Claude
Phene Copyright 2005
7/1/2016
Volumetric vs. Matric Potential
7/1/2016
Used by permission--Dr. Claude
Phene Copyright 2005
How We Use GP Sensor
7/1/2016
Used by permission--Dr. Claude
Phene Copyright 2005
Tools to Help with Scheduling





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Soil’s Description
Program to provide guidelines for AWC
Consider effects of Matric Potential
Consider effects of Osmotic Potential
Leaching Fractions
SPAW
Soil - Plant - Atmosphere - Water
Field & Pond Hydrology
SPAW is a daily hydrologic budget model for agricultural fields and ponds
(wetlands, lagoons, ponds and reservoirs). Included are irrigation scheduling
and soil nitrogen. Data input and results are graphical screens.
Developed By:
Dr. Keith E. Saxton
USDA - Agricultural Research Service
in cooperation with
Department of Biological Systems Engineering
Washington State University
Pullman, WA 99164-6120
Voice: (509) 332-7277
FAX: (509) 332-7277
Email: ksaxton@wsu.edu
Homepage: http://www.bsyse.wsu.edu/saxton
Register and Download SPAW
Revised: Mar 3, 2005
7/1/2016
http://hydrolab.arsusda.gov/SPAW/Index.htm
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Soil Water Characteristic Estimates by Texture and Organic Matter for
Hydrologic Solutions". By Dr. Keith Saxton Email: ksaxton@wsu.edu
7/1/2016
Start-up of Automation (Shafter)
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High Frequency Irrigation (Shafter)
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Frequency of Irrigation (Shafter)
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Frequency of Irrigation (Daily)
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IrriWiseTM Weather Station
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High Frequency Fertigation Method
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Management by Exception
7/1/2016
Introduction
 Netafim assembled a professional team with the aim of creating a
reliable modular and open control platform
 These products are the beginning of a new concept in which
automation products function as a decision support tool
7/1/2016
Summary
NMC-64:
User friendly controller consisting of:
 Large graphic display
 Flexible hardware structure
 Suitable for Irrigation and climate application
NMC-15:
 Advanced, simple irrigation controller.
 Suitable for small to mid-range applications
NetaJet dosing units:
 Ensures outstanding accuracy,
homogeneous solution and simplicity
7/1/2016
Identify
Identify Issue/Need
Relate Product or Feature
that Solves Issue
Communicate Gains in
productivity, performance or
economics
Convert Benefits into gain
or pain eliminated
Translate into economic
terms
Translate
Convert
Relate
7/1/2016
Communicate
Economic Squeeze
Low Commodity Prices
7/1/2016
Increasing Input Costs
7/1/2016
Economic Analysis
Spreadsheet from Kansas State University
Spreadsheet Showing Updated Inputs
7/1/2016
This template determines the economics of converting existing furrow-irrigated fields to
center pivot sprinkler irrigation (CP) or subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) for corn production.
Versio n 2, mo dified by F.R. Lamm, 4-9-02
Field description and irrigation system estimates
Total
Suggested
Field area, acres
160
160
Non-cropped field area (roads and access areas), acres
5
5
Cropped dryland area, acres (= Field area - Non-cropped field area - Irrigated area)
Irrigation system investment cost, total $
Irrigation system investment cost, $/irrigated acre
Irrigation system life, years
Interest rate for system investment, %
8%
8%
Annual insurance rate, % of total system cost
Translate
Production cost estimates
Total variable costs, $/acre (See CF Tab for details on suggested values)
Additional SDI variable costs (+) or savings (-), $/acre
30
$58,000.00
$464.00
25
0.25%
Suggested
155
0
$45,114 $155,000.00
25
$1,000.00
25
0.25%
Suggested
200
Suggested
155
125
Additional Costs
CP
$2.50
$32.50
SDI
Suggested
125
CP
Suggested
$342.91
$342.91
Yield and revenue stream estimates
Corn grain yield, bushels/acre
Corn selling price, $/bushel
Net return to cropped dryland area of field ($/acre)
CP
200
0.25%
$122,016
15
0.25%
SDI
Suggested
$318.19
$318.19
$0.00
$0.00
SDI
Suggested
250
200
$2.28
$32.50
Advantage* of CP over SDI, $/total field each year -$18,941.80 Negative value m eans SDI has positive advantage
$/acres each year
-$118.39 * Advantage in Net returns to land and management
You may examine sensitivity to Main worksheet (tab) assumptions on three of the tabs listed below.
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