PRECISION AG UPDATEW I N T E R 2 0 1 6AG T E C H N O LO G I E S

SOIL 101: KNOW YOUR SOIL TYPES FOR THE MOST EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION DECISIONSBecause soil is the plant’s water and food supply, knowing the type of soil you have is critical to providing your crops with the resources they need for optimum growth and yield. When it comes to irrigation, many growers question how much, how long, how fast and how often they need to irrigate. The answers usually involve a combination of soil characteristics, plant growth stage and weather. However, soil type determines how fast water should be applied.

Soil is made up of mineral particles weathered out of rock and held together by organic matter. When you look at soil, it appears that the particles touch each other, but in reality there are spaces, called pores, in between. When soil is dry, the pores are filled with air, but after irrigation or rainfall, the pores fill with water. Water is also held on the soil particles through adhesion and cohesion.

There are three basic types of soil: sand, silt and clay, but most soils are composed of a combination of the different types. How they mix will determine the texture of the soil, or, in other words, how the soil looks and feels.

SAND within soil is actually small particles of weathered rock. Sand is fairly coarse and loose so water is able to drain through it easily. While this is good for drainage, it is not good for growing plants because sandy soil will not hold water or nutrients. The upside to sandy soil is that it’s light to work with and warms much more quickly in the spring.

SILT can be thought of as fine sand, and it will hold water better than sand. If you were to hold a handful of dry silt in your hand, it would feel almost like flour. If you were to add water to the silt in your hand, it would do a fair job of holding the water and feel slick and smooth.

CLAY is very fine-grained soil. Its particles are even smaller than silt, so there is very little space between the fine grains for air or water to circulate. Therefore, clay does not drain well or provide space for plant roots to flourish. Clay soil is cold and takes time to warm in the spring since the water within also has to warm up. Clay soil can be very heavy to work with when it gets dry. Especially during the summer months, it could turn hard and compact, making it difficult to turn. When clay soil is worked while it’s too wet, though, it’s prone to damage.

In order to irrigate properly, you need to understand the capacity of plant available water in your soil. Depending on the predominate type of particles present in the soil, water will either penetrate and drain quickly (as in coarse-textured soil made up largely of sand) or water will penetrate and drain slowly (as in fine-textured soils made up largely of silt or clay). However, even if you have your soil properly identified by a qualified soil lab, there are still many factors such as compaction, soil depth, layering, or slope that complicate the ability to estimate plant available water capacity.

The professionals at Ag Technologies can help you assess your needsand make the best irrigation decisions for your situation.

.002 mm .05 mm 2.0 mm

CLAY SILT SAND

PARTICLE SIZE AND WATER SOLUBILITY

Visible Stress 78%Feel of Soil 40%Soil Moisture Sensor 10%Scheduling Service 8%Weather Report 8%Calendar Schedule 21%When Neighbor Irrigates 6%

NATIONAL

IRRIGATION SCHEDULINGBy Wesley M. Porter, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the University of Georgia Crop and Soil Sciences Department and Extension Ag and Irrigation Specialist for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System

We cannot realize the benefits from variable rate fertilization, lime, seed, etc. if we do not first properly manage water. In fact, research shows water is the most important crop input in many regions of the world. Water conservation and water use efficiency are, and will continue to be, critical issues. Already regulatory actions restrict agricultural water use.

According to the USDA NASS Irrigation is scheduled based on:

Visible Stress 88%Feel of Soil 40%Soil Moisture Sensor 9%Scheduling Service 7%Weather Report 7%Calendar Scheduling 12%When Neighbor Irrigates 2%

GEORGIA

Precision irrigation allows us to be precise with our irrigation applications by knowing:

3 When to irrigate

3 How often to irrigate (frequency)

3 How much to irrigate

3 Where (spatially) to irrigate - No more South Georgia car washes!

It is expensive to irrigate. Based on 2014 numbers, the average irrigation cost was ~ $12/ac-in (based on ~$6/ac-in for electric and ~$18/ac-in for diesel). For 1,000 acres of irrigated land at 10 inches of irrigation, this translates to $120,000. Assuming that ~10% of the “irrigated” land doesn’t require water, using a Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI) system for on/off only results in a $12,000 savings.

Dr. Porter has worked in the Precision Agriculture field for over eight years and has worked on projects including sensor based Nitrogen management, VRI, and refinement of cotton harvesters. He holds a B.S. in Ag Mechanization and an M.S. in Ag Engineering from Clemson University, and a PhD in Ag Engineering from Oklahoma State University. This article is the second in a series that will recap his presentation on Irrigation Scheduling and RSMM.

As most of you know, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) issues and manages permits for water withdrawals for irrigation – both surface and groundwater. For newly permitted withdrawals, the owner must provide a state-approved flow meter device. The Georgia Soil & Water Conservation Commission manages the ag water use meter program in the state. Note that there is a suspension of new permits in the lower Flint River basin region.

Because of the ongoing “water wars” with Alabama and Florida, regional water issues are very important to our state. In 2012, the state of Florida actually sued Georgia in the US Supreme Court alleging that Georgia, the upstream user, withdraws too much water from the Chattahoochee and Flint River systems, thus impacting Florida citizens that rely on the Apalachicola River. This has put a renewed spotlight on agricultural water use in the region, and prompted the suspension of new permits.

As the court-appointed Special Master works with the two states to resolve or settle the lawsuit, the impacts from such a settlement could have definite implications on irrigators in Georgia. It is in the best interest of Georgia irrigators to be pro-active in working to be as efficient as they can be with the water they apply. This could involve utilizing new technologies like Variable-Rate Irrigation, upgrading sprinkler packages, using advanced irrigation scheduling, monitoring for malfunctions and/or leaks, etc. Striving to get the most crop per drop is a good approach.

Before coming to Stripling, Mr. Perry was in the Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department at UGA. He specializes in VRI. He holds a B.S. and an M.S. in Agricultural Engineering from UGA.

GEORGIA WATER RESOURCESBy Calvin Perry, University of Georgia, C.M. Stripling Irrigation Research Park, Superintendent, Public Service Faculty

UPCOMING EVENTSMarch 11Georgia FFA Foundation Blue and Gold Gala St. Regis Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia

IRRIGATE IQ SOLUTIONSYou’ve invested in pivot irrigation systems to help get you get water to the crop and maximize your yields. Now, you’re ready to take the next step in irrigation management, whether it is monitoring and controlling all your pivots from any location, or targeting applications in specific areas across your field. Every situation is different from field to field, and grower to grower. That’s where the Irrigate-IQ solution comes in.

The Irrigate-IQ solution is flexible and scalable to suit your specific irrigation needs. It can be installed on many makes and models or pivots that have basic or smart panels. Because the Irrigate-IQ solution is scalable, you can start with the basic system to remotely monitor and control pivots, and upgrade to either optimal flow or variable rate irrigation at any time, using the same base hardware. There is no loss of initial investment!

IRRIGATE IQ MONITOR & CONTROL. Monitor and control your irrigation system from any computer, smart phone, or tablet—so you don’t have to waste time going out to the field.. Remotely monitor and control your irrigation system from any device. Utilize the system on mixed fleets and view status information all in one place. Reduce trips to the field to manually monitor or control your pivot. Receive text alerts about pivot status to provide confidence it is operating as expected. Easily upgrade to variable rate irrigation or optimal flow as needs require

IRRIGATE IQ VARIABLE RATE IRRIGATION. Perform highly targeted application or water, fertigation, or effluent by varying the rate of application across your pivot.. Improve crop quality and yield. Optimize water resources and water use efficiency. Minimize input costs of water, fertigation, or effluent. Reduce energy costs for fuel and electricity. Ensure even application to reduce run-off and leaching. Meet environmental regulations by controlling and reporting on where and how much you irrigate

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ALBANY, GA

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It is our mission at Ag Technologies to provide progressive-minded customers a complete solution of precision agriculture with superior products and a professional staff to help inspire, educate and provide first class service and support.

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REGIONALPRECISION AGCONSULTANTSCentral GeorgiaJosh Pitts | 855. 601.4477SW Georgia, SE Alabama Curt Majeski | 855.602.4477South Georgia, North Florida Marty Saylor | 855.603.4477East Georgia & South Carolina Jesse Neidlinger | 855.604.4477 Central & South FloridaKen Lodge | 855.605.4477Ernest Cook | 855.605.4477

Reach us anytime atsales@agtechllc.com | 877.585.4477

TEAM MEMBERSPOTLIGHT Curt MajeskiSouthwest Georgia / Southeast AlabamaPrecision Ag Consultant

Curt Majeski is a Certified Crop Advisor who has consulted with growers of row crops as well as vegetable crops across South Central to Southwest Georgia since 2008.

Areas of focus for Curt in his previous role included irrigation management strategies through the use of soil moisture sensors, as well as precision soil sampling and crop scouting.

Curt graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness in 2008 followed by a Master’s Degree of Plant Protection and Pest Management in 2013.

Curt has a particular interest in helping growers fully utilize their precision agriculture equipment and data in order to maximize efficiency and profit.

Curt has been married to Lindsay Majeski for four years. She is a middle school teacher in Tift County. They welcomed daughter, Johanna, to the family in January. Curt enjoys spending time with family, as well as hunting with his father and brother. Authorized Ag Dealer

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