Smart irrigation systems and farming technology
Irrigation systems play a vital role in the productivity and profitability of any farm. With the pressure of unstable environmental conditions and a need for food security, farming irrigation in South Africa requires special consideration. You can find a range of farming technology for sale on AgriMag that can be used to optimise the efficiency of your business.
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Farming irrigation plan
Optimal water usage can be achieved by monitoring the soil moisture content and measuring water extraction. Not only does this information assist with water conservation, it also boosts crop yields. Another advantage of collecting this information is that it helps to optimise the usage of fertiliser. A measured farming irrigation plan plays a role in increased profits. When it comes to farming technology, probes play an important role in assessing water extraction in the various soil layers, which helps to assess root development. Irrigation systems need to provide the exact amount of water that is required to ensure maximum crop growth.
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Root development
Water irrigation systems need to take the root systems as well as the soil environment into account. It’s also important to understand how optimum root development is achieved through the right soil moisture in combination with the correct oxygen levels. The right air-water combination facilitates better root development while also optimising fertiliser uptake.
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Optimised water usage
Water is a scarce resource in South Africa and there is pressure on farmers to ensure food security in the country. With unstable climatic conditions, it’s essential that farmers have the right knowledge and technology to ensure that water is used efficiently. Optimised water usage also contributes to profitability. Farming irrigation should be planned according to soil profiles and it is advisable to split the farm into management zones so that dual-cycle principles can be utilised.
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Probe technology
Many crops have two-root systems that extract water and nutrients from the upper and deeper layers of soil. The benefit of probes is that this technology enables farmers to assess the moisture content in the different layers of soil. This decreases the chances of water stress occurring and it also lowers the risk of water saturation. Another advantage of this farming technology is that it can be used to assess water extraction in each zone, which provides the farmer with useful information on root growth. The probes can be used to increase fruit yield by implementing controlled stress conditions.
When it comes to setting up effective irrigation systems, it’s important to have the right software. The interpretation of the information that the probes gather is key to success. The information needs to depict the water content in rain equivalent metres so that it’s easy to understand. When you’re selecting software, it’s advantageous to invest in one that offers you a choice between different management styles according to the requirements of different sections of land. The software should help the farmer to calculate the optimum water usage for that specific section of land.
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Water management
The Virtual Irrigation Academy offers online training to educate people on water management. The academy trains farmers to create infrastructure that optimises irrigation using soil monitoring. An innovative soil moisture sensor is an important part of this process. The colour of the sensor adjusts in accordance with soil water content levels. Others aspects of the training take into consideration soil nutrients as well as salinity levels. Farmers can also learn how to utilise tools to oversee their irrigation systems more precisely. Monitoring and observation is an important part of this process. This cutting-edge project is being tested locally so that it can be made available to South African farmers.
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Now that you know the benefits of utilising technology to optimise your irrigation systems, you can find a range of tools for sale online.
