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.
18. Adoption
Strawberry
13 total users
35 unique fields
0 new users in 2015
0 new fields in 2015
Turf
395 total users
495 unique systems
92 new users in 2015
107 new systems in 2015
Citrus
53 total users
115 unique groves
7 new users in 2015
32 new groves in 2015
Cotton
233 total users
520 unique fields
63 new users in 2015
133 new fields in 2015
19. App Performance
2013 – Evaluated at Stripling Irrigation Research Park (SIRP)
Replicated plot studies, one variety
July and August wetter than normal
10% higher yield and 75% less water use than the
Checkbook Method
2014 – Evaluated at SIRP and Tifton
Replicated plot studies, 4 varieties at each location
July and August drier than normal
Approximately same yields as the Checkbook Method with
about 40% less irrigation water
SEE POSTER
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