Planning For Precision Irrigation

Precision irrigation requires a system designed with all your resources and production goals in mind, with the aim of ensuring optimal production.

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The prime purpose of precision irrigation is to deliver the correct quantity of nutrients and water to the plant at the optimal time and in the right place.

To achieve this, the system continuously monitors climate, soil, leaf moisture and other variables, and adjusts irrigation according to these needs.

“When you develop a new farming project or, for example, a new orchard or vineyard, a host of questions must be answered, and a team of irrigation experts must be involved in the process,” says Chris Malan, agronomy manager at Netafim South Africa. “Irrigation planning is based on data from analyses done and decisions made throughout the planning process.”

VARIABLES TO CONSIDER

As a farmer, your first task is to analyse a number of basic, but crucial, agronomic variables:

• The climate in your area;

• The soil type (physical and chemical attributes);

• Water composition and availability;

• Topography (the shape and features of the terrain);

• The availability of electricity;

• Diseases and pests. Based on these variables, you can then decide on the following:

• Suitable crops and/or cultivars;

• The optimal way to prepare the soil;

• Fertiliser requirements;

• The direction of the rows, and the size and design of the planting blocks;

• The plant spacing, row lengths, and similar aspects.