Researchers at Stanford University (Calif., U.S.) have developed a new tool for designing and managing irrigation for farms, advancing the implementation of smart agriculture
The tool estimates water loss from soils due to evapotranspiration. According to the researchers, compared to state-of-the-art ways of getting such evapotranspiration estimates, the new Stanford modeling tool works 100 times faster while maintaining high levels of accuracy.
In practice, the tool could dramatically reduce the time needed to devise strategic, efficient irrigation schedules that best position watering and sensing equipment across entire farms, according to a news release from Standford University. On a narrower, field-by-field basis, the tool could even crunch data fast enough to adjust irrigation on the fly, in near real time, as weather conditions change.
“Evapotranspiration is a critical piece of information for designing efficient irrigation systems,” said Weiyu Li, a PhD candidate in energy science and engineering and lead author of a study describing the findings in Water Resources Research.
Simple vertical, complex horizontalConventional accounting for evapotranspiration has relied on what researchers call the vertical-flow assumption. In this modeling approach, the water applied during irrigation is treated as only moving straight down into the soil. The fact that the water can (and does) flow in horizontal directions is ignored. Given that smart agriculture requires processing significant amounts of data, the vertical-flow assumption has been used as a sort of computational shortcut. The approach is sufficient for some irrigation modeling needs but the results it gives can be vastly improved upon, Li said, adding that for truly smart agriculture, particularly via “drip irrigation,” the vertical-flow assumption is inadequate.
Smart agriculture systems also optimize timing. They water a plant only when it’s needed, depending on factors such as weather and the plant’s stage of growth. “Historically, irrigation has largely been divorced from the plant’s needs at a given moment,” said senior study author Daniel Tartakovsky, a professor of energy science and engineering, and Li’s advisor. “Drip irrigation, informed by smart agriculture practices,bucks that trend.”
Part of the challenge of smart ag, then, is knowing where to best position moisture sensors and drippers. While existing designs are reliant on approximations and assumptions, this tool aims to provide that guidance based on real-world and nearly real-time conditions.
Better algorithmsTo develop the tool, Li and Tartakovsky turned to algorithms to improve data crunching and yield quality results. The researchers brought together two algorithms known as an enhanced Kalman filter and maximum likelihood estimation. The algorithms start with predictions based on available measured data, then reduce uncertainties based on subsequent measurements.
“We plug real data measurements of soil moisture and root water uptake into our model, which improves our understanding of the overall physical system and the algorithm’s performance,” Li said. “Our study is the first to combine this kind of algorithmic approach and apply it to drip irrigation.”
To test the accuracy and efficiency of their approach, the Stanford researchers simulated a plot of land measuring approximately five by 33 feet in width – roughly the equivalent of a short row of planted crops.
Using the new modeling tool, calculating a precise estimate of the evapotranspiration rate for the test plot of land only took about 10 minutes. If an enhanced Kalman filter alone was used, as other recent studies have demonstrated, the computational time would have run on the order of 100 times longer, or about 1,000 minutes. That chunk of time equates to nearly 17 hours, and thus is not actionable for timely smart agriculture. “In comparison, an irrigation optimization system based on our modeling tool could be responsive in near-real time to changing conditions,” Li said.
When considering the goal of optimizing the upfront design of drip irrigation systems for an entire farm, which can encompass thousands of acres, the computational time required becomes downright prohibitive. “You can start to see why irrigation system designers have relied on the simplified vertical-flow method when faced with major installation projects,” Li said.
Looking ahead, the researchers plan to see how well their modeling tool works in real-world settings when deployed on a working farm. “We next want to perform a ‘field’ test, literally,” Tartakovsky said. “We look forward to honing our approach further with all the variables presented by real sensors, real drippers, real crops, and real weather.” ●
While traditional drip irrigation waters based on general standards and assumptions, smart systems for drip irrigation water crops when and where they need it most.
For the past four years, University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers have studied the prospects for using sensor-based fertigation management, or SBFM, to increase the efficiency and profitability of nitrogen use. The latest results are now in from multiple Nebraska sites, and they show that the technology enables major gains in both regards.
According to Taylor Cross, a graduate research assistant who oversaw the project, this method allows the sensors and imagery to detect what that crop needs, “so that you’re not overapplying nitrogen. You’ll really see a lot of nitrogen savings with this method.”
University of Nebraska-Lincoln explained the process. For the project, drones provided weekly updates on crop-condition data by using multispectral imagery that showed nitrogen levels. Analysis of the data via N-Time software then directed specific applications of liquid fertilizer by irrigation equipment in a set of eastern Nebraska cornfields.
And the results were promising. At all three on-farm test sites in 2022, the approach produced greater efficiency in nitrogen use than did conventional management, with efficiency measured in pounds of nitrogen per bushel of grain. The two SBFM-recommended approaches produced about 44 pounds more grain per pound of nitrogen than did the growers’ traditional method. The two SBFM-recommended methods also showed the potential for boosting profitability. The increases ranged from USD$28 per acre to just over $40 per acre, on average, across the three sites.
Sensor-based fertigation management “allows the farmer to really take advantage of all these sources of nitrogen, not just having to rely on nitrogen products such as (urea and ammonium nitrate) or anhydrous,” said Cross. “We’re putting nitrogen in season more effectively, and in a timelier manner, to allow for optimum efficiency.”
As part of the project, treatments were applied via pivot irrigation of wedge-shaped sectors on quarter sections. Sectors using various SBFM treatments were adjacent to or near sectors using conventional nitrogen management.
“If you’re a farmer who’s already fertigating, and the site has beenset up in N-Time, the technologyis very simple in that your pivot isreally doing all the work for you,”she said. “This technology’s automation is really easy to useand has a lot of functionality with allthe data it provides.”
University of Nebraska-Lincoln stated the multi-year approach helped researchers make adjustments over time. For instance, as participating producers became more familiar with the project, researchers began the SBFM approach earlier in the growing season, at the V6 stage. That earlier start, Cross explained, “allowed for more control over the growing season, to really allow this method and imagery to perform at its best.”
Another adjustment was the development of a method called the Increased Rate Treatment, which boosted the nitrogen-uptake curve. “From the V9 to V14 growth stages we increased the rate of application to 60 pounds of nitrogen per acre compared with the conventional 30 pounds per acre,” said Cross.
Since 2020, the standard 30-pounds-of-nitrogen approach has returned an increase on profitability of $19 across 10 on-farm field study sites; the Increased Rate Approach has increased profitability by $40 per acre at three sites. These approaches have improved nitrogen-use efficiency by producing 26 more pounds of grain per pound of nitrogen, on average, compared with the growers’ management practices.
Cross noted other variations have been tested as well. “We extended into the R4 growth stage, where typically we’d stop at R3. So there’s been some fine-tuning here and there to adjust these efficiency and profitability metrics.”
A central, unique aspect of sensor-based fertigation management, Cross added, is that “we don’t have to make our ultimate nitrogen plan at the beginning of the year. In fact, we don’t need a total nitrogen goal or a yield goal for this technology to be successful.” Instead, producers are “just solely watching that crop and what it needs that week.” ●
Taylor Cross (left), a graduate student in mechanized systemsmanagement, describes to Nebraska ag producersDoug Jones (centre) and Tony Jones how drones use multrispectralimagery to detect nitrogen levels that enable precise nitrogen application.
Photo: Hannah Gaebel Dorn | HG Images
By Nathan Bowen,IA Advocacy andPublic Affairs Vice President
The Irrigation Association (IA) is excited to be launching its 2023 Smart Irrigation Month campaign to elevate the value that irrigated agriculture and irrigated landscapes bring to society. Each year, the IA shines a spotlight on the benefits of efficient irrigation and the wise and efficient use of water through this month-long initiative celebrated throughout July. Smart Irrigation Month provides our industry the opportunity to promote the social, economic and environmental benefits of efficient irrigation technologies, products and services in agricultural, landscape and turf irrigation.
In 2023, the Smart Irrigation Month theme is What is the value of smart irrigation? The IA looks forward to telling the irrigation industry’s story about how efficient irrigation practices and technologies are providing solutions to some of the most critical challenges facing society, including global food security and being good stewards of the water used in thriving, healthy communities.
Smart Irrigation Month kicks off on July 11 with Technology Tuesday. Irrigation professionals are encouraged to wear blue on July 11 to raise awareness about the value of smart irrigation. This is the perfect opportunity to promote the people, practices and technologies that efficiently apply water to our agricultural fields, landscapes and turfgrass. Participants are encouraged to share photos of themselves wearing blue on social media using the hashtag #SmartIrrigationMonth.
Telling our storySmart Irrigation Month is our time to come together to celebrate the best our industry has to offer. From offering promotional discounts on irrigation technologies and services to starting a social media campaign highlighting the benefits of smart irrigation, Smart Irrigation Month is our chance to tell irrigation’s story to the world, sharing that not only the value that irrigation brings, but also reinforcing how our industry is driving the future of water management and efficient technologies.
The IA invites those in the industry to tell their story by sharing their thoughts on the value of efficient irrigation and what their company and teams are doing to promote smart irrigation practices and technologies through their business or in their community. Companies and individuals are invited to go to smartirrigationmonth.org to complete a short Smart Irrigation Month questionnaire and submit photos or videos of their team and their work to help customers and clients irrigate efficiently.
Smart Irrigation Month offers an opportunity for us to spread our message, as we aim to engage the public, advocate for our industry and celebrate what we do in July, while continuing it throughout the year. Here are a few ways you can join the dialogue this July:
Show your colors on Technology Tuesday. Wear blue on July 11 in solidarity with irrigation professionals across the globe. Make sure to snap a photo, post it on social media and tag #smartirrigationmonth.
Engage on social media. Share your thoughts on the value of smart irrigation and how you and your team put it into action. Go to www.smartirrigationmonth.org to find Smart Irrigation Month resources you can use to post on social media. Consider changing your social media cover photos to IA-themed images during the month.Share video clips and photos of irrigation in the field.
Engage in traditional media. Our industry has a tremendous amount of knowledge related to water management, agriculture and technology, and where these sectors are headed. Ours is an important voice in global discussions on these topics, and we must embrace that. Draft an op-ed or submit a letter to the editor for your local publication talking about the value and importance of smart irrigation. Highlight how the irrigation industry can help address challenges like water scarcity while supporting the vital benefits of agriculture and landscapes.
Integrate business initiatives with Smart Irrigation Month. Announce a new product, service or technology in July. Offer a discount on efficient irrigation products for the month. Market efficient irrigation products along with the Smart Irrigation Month logo. Include a flyer highlighting irrigation best practices and tips with every sale in July.
Become an advocate. Engage with your local government by inviting them on a site visit of your facility or operation. Visit government officials in their local offices to discuss policies that support efficient irrigation.
Take it from us: Industry professionals share their smart irrigation success storiesPromoting efficient irrigation is not just a phrase for those in the agriculture industry. It’s an essential part of running a successful operation. Without it, yields can decrease, demand for inputs can increase and worse, business viability can falter. Below are a few examples of how companies have embraced Smart Irrigation Month and developed their own initiatives promoting efficient irrigation.
Despite the fact that adopting new or unusual irrigation technologies can be intimidating, it’s an opportunity to improve business and a step toward solving global problems, says Steel Maloney, vice president of global technology sales for Prospera Technologies and Valley Irrigation.
“In order to solve one of humanity’s most fundamental challenges of feeding the world, Prospera builds technology to empower growers with information to help them make smarter decisions to maximize their yields,” says Maloney. “Prospera actively encourages existing Valley and AgSense dealers and growers to try entry-level technology services like Irrigation Insights. We know that once growers start using the service, they’ll recognize the benefits of using technology to save resources. Technology adoption is a journey and starting with hardware-free service allows the lowest point of entry. Growers add more technology such as irrigation scheduling, Icon controls, as they feel confident and comfortable.”
Justin Nichols, national sales executive at OptConnect, says education is a key component of implementing smart irrigation techniques, too, and advancing the industry generally.
“Education is paramount in improving smart irrigation,” says Nichols. “Through education and partnerships, we can leverage all these new technologies and apply them to any enterprise. We do not have to sacrifice what we do as an industry to save water, but we can change our best practices around irrigation to enable better products and services for our industry.”
For more information, a variety of resources and downloads, and ways to celebrate Smart Irrigation Month, go to www.smartirrigationmonth.org. ●
Nathan Bowen,IA Advocacy andPublic Affairs Vice President
Promoting efficient irrigation is not just a phrase for those in the agriculture industry
Research in the International Journal of Sustainable Agricultural Management and Informatics has demonstrated how machine learning can be used to predict water quality index. The work could have implications for the future of water management in drinking water and agricultural use.
Various factors, such as acidity and alkalinity, pH level, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, nitrate content, temperature, and the presence of fecal microbes, are used to determine water quality.
Ahmad Debow, Samaah Shweikani, and Kadan Aljoumaa of the Higher Institute for Applied Sciences and Technology (HIAST) in Damascus, Syria, have developed 4-stacked LSTM models for predicting WQI. A 4-stacked LSTM (long short-term memory) is a type of recurrent neural network that can find long-term patterns in data that changes over time. Such models having analyzed the data can then make predictions about how that data might change in the future. By stacking four LSTM layers on top of each other, the model is better able to find nuanced patterns in the data.
To prepare the data and select features for analysis, the team used different algorithms, including K-NN (K nearest neighbours) and annual mean. K-NN is a well-known algorithm used in machine learning for classification and regression tasks. It is a non-parametric algorithm, whic makes no assumptions about the underlying data distribution. The basic idea underpinning K-NN is to classify new data points based on similarities between nearest neighbours in the training dataset.
The team's success with these models in replicating known data bodes well for real-world predictions and could make an important contribution to water management efforts. It should allow more proactive measures to be taken to minimize pollution in the water supply for both human consumption and agricultural use based on the predictions the models make. ●
Rivulis Pte. Ltd. received full regulatory approval for the acquisition of multiple overseas subsidiaries which comprise the international irrigation business of Jain Irrigation.
Rivulis will finance the acquisition (initially announced in June 2022) with additional investment from Temasek as well as newly issued shares to Jain India. In addition, debt issuances of Jain USA and NaanDanJain will be refinanced immediately post-closing through a syndicated facility signed with leading banks including HSBC, Rabobank, State Bank of India, ING, Bank Leumi and the First International Bank of Israel.
Rivulis is a global micro irrigation company offering irrigation solutions for seasonal, permanent and protected crop environments, through its product and service portfolio brands: Rivulis, NaanDanJain, Jain, Eurodrip and Manna. With 80 years of field-trusted innovation, Rivulis has 24 large-scale manufacturing sites in 15 countries and 3,000 employees located in 35 countries, three R&D centres (Israel, California and Greece) and multiple irrigation project design centres around the globe. ●
