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Irrigation feature… Adaptive control to improve surface irrigation efficiency THERE are potential water use efficiency improvements in surface irrigation through the use of automation and control systems to account for spatial variability of water requirements within the field. It is envisaged that this technology will lead to a fully automated irrigation decision-making and control system. This will involve soil and crop sensors that can be mounted on onfarm vehicles to collect data while spraying or tilling. Data from these sensors feed into the control strategy which determines the irrigation application and/or timing. This control strategy then automatically sends control actions to control valves into each furrow or group of furrows to start, end or adjust the irrigation application. Research conducted by Dr Alison McCarthy of the National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture (NCEA), a research centre within the University of Southern Queensland, is evaluating adaptive control systems for surface irrigation systems, and providing a step towards a fully automated irrigation system. “My research demonstrates that irrigation requirements may be determined using adaptive control and provides potential for yield and water use improvements,” Alison said. The research is funded by the Cotton Research and Development Corporation. The aim of this research is to account for the spatial variability of irrigation requirements across the field. This has been achieved using control systems that determine site-specific irrigation application. These control systems require: ■ Infield soil and plant measurements; ■ Real-time advance rate data; ■ A control strategy to determine irrigation application and/or timing; and, ■ Actuator hardware to adjust irrigation application. A crop model-based control strategy was applied to surface irrigation in a field experiment in 2011–12. This involved: ■ Calibrating a crop production model (OzCOT) using the available weather, soil and plant data; ■ Using the crop model to predict the irrigation timing and/or volume that produces the desired performance; and, ■ Using the surface irrigation model SISCO to determine the irrigation flow rate and advance trajectory that best corresponds to the optimal irrigation distribution. Flow meters and controllable valves that receive control signals to adjust flow rate or stop irrigation. Plant sensing apparatus under shroud. Precision Irrigation Made Easy CENTRE PIVOT and LATERAL MOVE IRRIGATION 24 — The Australian Cottongrower December 2012–January 2013
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