ontario sugar beet growers - Atrium - University of Guelph

METHOD and EQUIPMENT
Two grower locations (Fig. 1) were selected having large pivot irrigation units with
considerable experience in irrigating sugar beets. On June 9 the following equipment was
installed at each of the locations:
Location A:
Sylvester Farm, Quanicassee
Control Plot
Hand
Irrigated Plot
lOcm, 30cm, 60cm
1 Ocm, 30cm, 60cm
Irrigation Dates
None
August 9,24,3 1,
September 13
4 rows, 1 Om length
plot, Fig. 4
May 5, July 10, 14,
August 9, 15,30,
September 4, 12, 17
Other Sensors
None
Atrnometer
(Evapotranspiration
Gauge, Fig. 12)
Tipping Bucket
Rain Gauge. Fig. 6
At the Sylvester site, Location A, there was a clay loam surface followed by a lighter
sandier layer then a yellow clay soil at the 60cm depth. The irrigation water source was
fiom the Saginaw Bay through a series of deep ditches. The pivot system covers 160
acres, (Fig 5).
Location B:
Reif Farm HWY 81 - Indiantown
,
I
Control Plot
Hand
Inigated Plot
Pivot Plot
C-Probe Depths
1 Ocm, 30cm, 60cm
lOcm, 30cm, 60cm
IOcm, 30cm, 60cm
Irrigation Dates
None
August 9,24,31,
~esember 13.
4 rows, 10m length
plot, Fig. 4.
August 15,22,23,
30, 31, September 9,
14
Other Sensors
None
None
Tipping Bucket
Rain Gauge.
At the Reif Farm, Location B, the top 30cm was composed of a dark, heavy, clay loam
soil with a relatively high organic matter base of 5% with the lower soil area, a yellowclay
soil. The irrigation water source was also fiom the Saginaw Bay through a series of
deep ditches. The Reif farm is located further south fiom the bay (Fig. 1), than the
Sylvester f m and depending on the wind direction, does not have the consistency of
water supply available in the ditches throughout the summer.