Every year more and more mechanized irrigation systems appear in the fields of the country. By introducing this equipment, farmers expect to receive consistently high yields of products of a given quality. There are a number of technological solutions available to successfully accomplish this task. This article will consider the technology of monitoring and control of irrigation processes.
Normal crop development depends on maintaining a balance of moisture supplied to and consumed by the plant. As you know, water enters the soil not only with rain during the growing season, it is also a moisture reserve as a result of snow melting, and shallow groundwater. Moisture consumption is determined by two main processes: evaporation and transpiration. Water constantly evaporates from the soil surface under the influence of wind and other weather factors, and its place is taken by a new one that rises through the capillaries from below - this is evaporation. In parallel with it, the root system of plants absorbs moisture from the soil and raises it due to the concentration gradient of substances dissolved in it into the farthest leaves and high buds. The nutrients transported by water enter the necessary tissues, and the excess water itself evaporates through the nearest stomata - this is transpiration, the process is also continuous, because the osmotic pump replaces the heart of the plant. Thus, the water balance is the ratio between the moisture content / input into the soil and the total evotranspiration of the field crop.
To calculate the water balance, various methods can be used: from the theoretical calculation of tabular values, adjusted for the simplest weather forecast, to the installation of a full-fledged hardware and software complex on the farm. The optimal solution for a modern efficient agricultural enterprise is the use of an individual monitoring system (field meteorological station).
A meteorological station is a set of devices consisting of a main module (equipped with standard batteries or a solar battery) and a set of sensors that measure various parameters of soil, precipitation, air, and solar radiation. The main module is located in the center of the array of fields, the sensors are distributed over remote areas.
Sensors installed in the soil determine the degree of moisture distribution, its availability for the plant root system. Weather - measure air humidity, monitor precipitation, calculate the rate of evaporation of moisture from the surface of plant leaves. The type of soil, its ability to retain moisture, the type of crop and the stage of its development are also taken into account.
All received information is combined and displayed on the server around the clock. Farm specialists have access to this information at any time, from anywhere in the world, from any device with Internet access (for example, through a mobile application on the phone).
Analysis of the data obtained and an individual forecast make it possible not only to determine the rate and time of the next irrigation, to calculate the optimal moment for the introduction of water-soluble fertilizers and pesticides, but also to program the frequency and rates of irrigation, as well as the frequency of application of plant protection products for the entire season. A systematic approach helps to avoid critical points in the cultivation of crops and has a beneficial effect on the growth of yields. At the same time, a more rational use of water resources is achieved, while ensuring the necessary vegetation needs of crops.
Weather stations help to get a good harvest, this is their main purpose, but not the only one.
We live in an era of climate change, and the weather sometimes brings surprises that cannot be prevented, and their consequences are very difficult to deal with. Against this background, the importance of such a tool for protecting the interests of an agricultural producer as insurance is growing. With its help, in the event of adverse events (natural and weather events, penetration or spread of pests, etc.), farmers can receive compensation and reduce the amount of damage. In this case, the observational data obtained by the meteorological station serve as confirmation of the insured event.
Please note: in order to receive insurance premiums, it is necessary to use timely and certified measuring meteorological equipment, only in this case the data have legitimacy and can be attached to the materials of the insurance case. In addition, the availability of a verification certificate guarantees the quality of the measurements themselves.
One of the few limitations in the operation of field weather stations and other autonomous measuring instruments is the availability and quality of a cellular signal for data transmission. However, in many regions this problem has already become a thing of the past, mobile Internet of the main operators is almost everywhere.
Modern technologies make it possible to optimize and automate the irrigation process as much as possible. Sprinklers have long been able to operate autonomously and can be remotely controlled. Installation of a weather station allows you to combine equipment, instruments and digital tools into a single irrigation system.
In this case, the role of the agronomist in the organization of irrigation is simplified and comes down to the choice of a basic strategy and operational control, and everything else becomes, in the full sense, a matter of technology.
Victor Panov, Product Manager for Valley Irrigation Systems, Potential Company
8-987-080-04-64