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).
cb Total Yield Yield No.1 Total Fruit Wt. Yield No.2 Total Yield Small Total Yield Cull Total
15 3483 2142 62 322 454 13 507 15 380 11
10 3271 2059 64 316 433 13 454 14 324 10
20 3140 2046 64 310 421 13 412 13 261 8
25 2877 1395 48 291 394 14 681 24 407 14
lsd 510 566 13 ns ns ns ns 9 ns 5
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Yield of Greensleeves cucumber in 1-1/9
bushels/acre from four soil moisture levels.
Cb Total Yield Yield No.1 Total Yield No.2 Total Yield Cull Total
15 797 558 70 108 14 131 16
10 752 488 64 135 19 128 17
20 707 412 58 146 19 149 23
25 347 193 53 30 9 124 34
Lsd0.05 231 201 ns 97 ns ns 17
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10
3.66/wk
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3.29/wk
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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?
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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.
Irrigation Time Total Yield Yield No. 1 Total Yield No. 2 Total Yield Cull Total
12 noon 1041 380 37 206 18 455 45
500 pm 891 311 36 177 19 403 45
1000 am 797 308 39 176 22 312 39
1000 pm 771 302 39 157 20 311 40
700 am 704 244 34 146 21 315 45
Lsd0.05 334 98 ns ns ns ns ns
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Yield in 25 cartons of Mountain Spring tomato.
Irrigation Time Total Yield Yield No.1 Total No.1 Fruit Wt. Yield No.2 Total Yield Crate Total Yield Cull Total
1000 am 2093 1166 56 349 345 16 185 9 397 19
500 pm 2069 1217 59 334 274 13 213 10 365 17
12 noon 2043 1196 59 336 316 15 194 9 336 16
1000 pm 1890 1032 55 349 336 18 213 11 309 16
700 am 1791 942 52 346 284 16 205 11 359 20
Lsd0.05 ns 146 6 ns ns 4 ns ns ns ns
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Seasonal average soil moisture levels in a drip
irrigated cucumber planting.
Moisture Level (inches/foot)
Irrigation Start Time 1-foot 2-foot 3-foot
700 am 1.56 1.57 1.45
1000 am 1.72 1.39 1.31
12 noon 1.92 1.86 1.82
500 pm 1.74 1.49 1.49
1000 pm 1.57 1.66 1.68
Lsd0.05 0.23 0.25 ns
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Seasonal average soil moisture levels in a drip
irrigated tomato planting.
Moisture Level (inches/foot)
Irrigation Start Time 1-Foot 2-Foot 3-Foot
700 am 1.53 1.54 1.56
1000 am 1.38 1.28 1.44
12 noon 1.51 1.46 1.43
500 pm 1.40 1.35 1.60
1000 pm 1.53 1.34 1.24
Lsd0.05 ns ns 0.29
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12 noon 1.92 1.86 1.82
12 noon 1.51 1.46 1.43
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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.