IRRIGATION SCHEDULING IN DRIP SYSTEMS

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IRRIGATION SCHEDULING IN DRIP SYSTEMS
Dr. Ron Goldy Michigan State University Extension
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Dr. Mathieu Ngouajio, MSU Department of
Horticultural Science
Dr. Jeff Andresen, MSU Geography Department
Supported by funds from GREEEN and SWMREC Grants
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How Much Water Is Enough?
When Is The Best Time To Apply It?
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How Much?
10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 centibars
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Yield of Mt. Spring tomato in 25 pound cartons
from four soil moisture levels (5280 plants/acre).
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Yield of Greensleeves cucumber in 1-1/9
bushels/acre from four soil moisture levels.
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10
3.66/wk
15
3.29/wk
20
1.55/wk
25
0.42/wk
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Conclusions
Cucumber and tomato yield was significantly
affected when soil moisture dropped to 25
centibars
No yield differences were found between
application of 1.5/week (20 cbs) or 3.5/week
(10 cbs)
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When?
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Does Irrigation Time Influence Yield?
I
IV
III
II
IV
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700am, 12-noon, 500pm, 1000pm, 1000am
(control)
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Yield in 1-1/9 bu/a of Greensleeves slicing
cucumber.
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Yield in 25 cartons of Mountain Spring tomato.
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Seasonal average soil moisture levels in a drip
irrigated cucumber planting.
Moisture Level (inches/foot)
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Seasonal average soil moisture levels in a drip
irrigated tomato planting.
Moisture Level (inches/foot)
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12 noon 1.92 1.86 1.82
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Conclusion
Irrigating during moisture depletion appears best
Banking water is not beneficial (or possible?)
in a sandy soil
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Commercial Plantings
61 sites
Monitored weekly
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Without scheduling
With scheduling
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DRIP-LINE FAXLETTER
A fax newsletter from the Southwest Michigan
Research and Extension Center 2004 Vol. 1 No. 1
Welcome to DRIP-LINE. This one-page newsletter
will be faxed as part of the weekly reporting of
the monitoring stations in your plantings. Each
week it will include predicted evapotranspiration
values used to estimate water needs for the
coming week. It will also include brief articles
to help you make irrigation management decisions
to aid in efficient water application. If you
have any questions concerning content or have a
specific item you would like addressed, please
contact Ron Goldy at 269-944-1477 ext207,
269-208-1651 (mobile) or goldyr_at_msue.msu.edu.
Estimated evapotranspiration values for June 22
to June 29. High temperatures over the next week
are only expected to be in the low to mid 70s
with partly cloudy conditions. This is five to
ten degrees below normal which leads to
evapotranspiration rates of 0.2 to 0.22. If
temperatures or sun conditions differ from the
predicted, make adjustments up or down
accordingly.