This document summarizes a project to develop smartphone apps for irrigation scheduling of various crops. The project involves researchers from multiple universities who are developing evapotranspiration-based scheduling tools for crops like citrus, cotton, strawberries, and turfgrass. The apps use local weather and soil data, crop coefficients, and information about irrigation systems to provide customized irrigation schedules with minimal user input. Over 400 users have adopted the turfgrass app, and adoption is growing for the other crop apps as well. Field tests show the apps can increase yields while reducing water use compared to traditional scheduling methods.
24. Dr. George Vellidis, Professor
Crop and Soil Sciences Department
University of Georgia
2360 Rainwater Road
Tifton, GA 31793-5766
USA
office: +1.229.386.3442
mobile: +1.229.402.1278
email: yiorgos@uga.edu
www.vellidis.org