Scheduling Irrigations Using Climate-Crop-Soil Data

The most important factor affecting irrigation efficiencies and crop yields is scheduling irrigations in time and amount. Overirrigation may result in waterlogged soils, a condition which reduces yields and generally results in increased costs for water, fertilizer, and drainage. Water use is at a minimum when the amount of water applied is just equal to the consumptive use and the leaching requirement. To achieve higher irrigation efficiencies, present irrigation scheduling practices must be improved. Irrigation scheduling using climate-crop-soil data, computers to facilitate the tedious computations, and field observations by experienced personnel is a service that appears to be very attractive to the modern irrigation farm manager. This service has the potential of increasing the management skills of the farmer and his net return at a reasonable cost. It supplements the art of irrigation or experienced judgment with the results of recent advances in irrigation science.