Variable Rate Irrigation Development and Analysis

Issue: Precision Agriculture is a complex and varied set of concepts using much instrumentation and electronic equipment. The adoption and learning curve associated with each of these concepts has to be justified and overcome to increase the producers' net profit. Otherwise, there is little to no incentive for producers to change current production practices.

What has been done/discovered: It was envisioned that certain PA concepts would provide basic data for the agricultural producer, whether or not more advanced concepts of the system were implemented. Yield mapping was thought to be one of the essential basic concepts and it was to be used in looking at production variability associated with producers' field(s). In fact, information gained from this data has allowed growers to target certain areas of fields and whole fields differently, both in continuous and rotating crop sequences. It has also allowed researchers to look at area and regional variability and evaluate the feasibility of developing future precision agricultural concepts such as variable rate irrigation.

Impact: To date, we have intensively worked with 5 progressive producers and compiled over 49,000 acres of their production acreage, assisting them in analyzing production concerns. Our research has also prevented many producers from adopting PA technology concepts such as grid sampling and variable rate nutrient applications, which would have required large capital investments and showed little to no net return.

Funding Sources: TAES Precision Agriculture Initiative, North Plains Groundwater Conservation District #2, Valley Irrigation, Texas Corn Producers Board, John Deere

Contact:
Thomas Marek
Ag. Engineer & Superintendent
Research & Extension Center - Amarillo-Bushland-Etter
Texas A&M Agriculture Program
Phone: 806-677-5600 Fax: 806-677-5644
t-marek@tamu.edu
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