Farm Level Optimal Water Farm Level Optimal Water

Management Management

Assistant for Irrigation under DeficitAssistant for Irrigation under Deficit

Jos BalendonckJos Balendonck, Cecilia Stanghellini, Jochen , Cecilia Stanghellini, Jochen HemmingHemming

WASAMED, BARI (IT), February 2007WASAMED, BARI (IT), February 2007

New systems and technologies for irrigation and drainage

Pistoia (IT)

Tahtali dam (TR)

Litany River (LB)

Irbid (JO)

United Kingdom

Spain

Italy

The Netherlands

Greece

Test-sitesPartners

(Universities/SMEs)

FP 6

Co-ordinator:Plant Research International BV. (NL)EU contribution: 1.021.000 €Start date: Oct. 2006Duration: 3 yearsPartners: 10

FP6 – Water scarcity related test sites

São Francisco river (BR)

Valle de Lurín (PE)

Caia (PT)

Cuga (IT)

Pistoia (IT)

Tahtali dam (TR)

Litany River (LB)

Temixco (MX)

Pinios (GR)

Haous (MA)

V. del Guadiana (ES)

Irbid (JO)

Gediz (TR)

Almeria (ES)

Rio Sonora (MX)

FLOW-AIDPLEIADeSMEDESOL

Water Management trends

Over irrigation in cases of high water availability Farmers take no attention to

amount of irrigation water

Water availability and irrigation water quality is gradually decreasing (deficit irrigation) Use of marginal water resources

Objectives for FLOW-AID

Sustainable irrigated agriculture Efficient use of available water Rational use of nutrients and marginal water resources Economically and socially accepted farming

Tools for farmers to operate irrigation (under deficit)

Improve irrigation practices by introducing new technologies: Sensitive, simple and affordable tools to determine optimal

amount Decision Support System for deficit irrigation Generally applicable in Mediterranean countries

FLOW-AID system

In view of the expected water availability (amount and quality) the system allocates available water among several farm zones and schedules irrigation for each individual zone.

An expert system to assist farm zoning and crop planning

A short-term irrigation scheduling module A crop response model for deficit irrigation A maintenance free tensiometer A wireless, low-power sensor and data network A smart real-time and remote irrigation controller

System Layout

Farm ZonesValvesSensors

Irrigationcontroller

Wirelessdata network

PC

Farmer input

Irrigationscheduler

Farm Zoning

Crop Database

Hardware (A)

Software (B)

Farm Zoning and Crop Planning Tool Optimal annual crop planning in view to

water availability under local constraints

Advising tool (used every season) MOPECO, model for a sustainable farm

management Input: farm data (economic, social),

crops, sizes, machines, water constraints …

Output: Crop plan Maximum Gross Margin Optimal Economic Water Use Efficiency

Irrigation Scheduler DSS

Off-line Farm-level planning tool Once every week Weather Forecasts Short term Water Availability Plant Status (Crop model)

On-line (Plot) Irrigation Controller Continuously Sensor (water, EC) activated Parameterized Programs

Compare with conventional irrigation practise water use efficiency yield

Crop Response Model

Crop yield versus salinity limited water conditions

(quantity and quality) Model

Experiments + Literature Crop Database Software

EC (mS/cm)

Rela

tive y

ield

A

B

Y = 100 – B . (EC - A)100

SALINITYNaCl

REDUCTION INSOIL PERMEABILITY

AND AREATION

TOXICITYNaCl

NUTRIENTDISORDERS

WATER (OSMOTIC)

STRESS

A Solid-State Tensiometer

Replacement of hydraulic tensiometers

Ceramic + Water Sensor

Hysteresis model pF-curve

Calibration Installation +

Operation

Smart Irrigation Controller and Sensors

Sensors water content, EC,

temperature, rain gauge, radiation …

Multiple valves water sources

Parameterized Programming

Stand-alone operation

A Smart Wireless Sensor Network

Dense, on-line data Multiple nodes Multiple sensors per node Robust in field

Weather, handling, range, life time Low power (long battery life ) Low cost Wireless (GSM link and/or ZigBee)

Tests in potted plants

Fertigation Controller

Optimal control of nutrients, and choice of water source based upon:Soil and Irrigation Water

Sensors EC, water contentCrop response modelCrop Stage

MACQU SYSTEM

Local Serverat farm

Remote Client(service, weather …)

Internet

Controller 1 Controller 2 Controller 3

Data Collection (Wireless, Internet)

Field tests Italy

Container Crops Turkey

Wells with leaching limitation Jordan

Dual water quality irrigation Lebanon

Pressurized versus surface irrigation

Constraints: irrigation structures, crop types, local

water supplies, availability of water and water sources, in amount and quality, the local goals, and their complexity.

Testsite Italy (Pistoia, Tuscany)

Use of Cleaned Waste Water Nursery stock production

Experimental Station Potted plants

Wireless Sensor Network Dielectric tensiometer, EC Deficit (zero-drain) and dual water

irrigation Increase awareness: local

stakeholders

Centro Sperimentale per il Vivaismo di

Pistoia

Turkey (Izmir, Tahtalı Dam)

Tahtalı Dam Prevent the pollution -> preservation

area

Regulations Greenhouses permitted using

environmentally friendly systems No Leaching

Economic viable greenhouse production Cucumber and lettuce Test-site at local farmer

Jordan (Irbid, Jordan Valley)Irbid, Jordan Valley) Limited water resources Low water use efficiency

Poor water management at farm level Jordan University of Agriculture: Pilot Project

Site Area 11.5 ha, Fruit trees, Oriental trees

Treated Waste Water (2 types) Extended Aeration (1000m3/day) Rotating biological contactors (600m3/day)

Objectives for Flow-Aid Sensitive factors ensuring the efficient

irrigation scheduling at different water qualities Testing and verification new soil moisture

sensors Technology transfer and practical guidelines

for farmers

IRBID

Lebanon (Litany River, South Bekaa Valley) Pilot irrigation farms

Fruit trees and vegetables Two types of Water sources 2000 ha, pressurized pipelines

(sprinklers and tricklers) 4700 ha, furrow irrigation and other

traditional surface irrigation

Evaluation of Technology Deficit irrigation performance (water

use efficiency) Yield and growth Socio-economic impact

EC Project no. 036958 (FP6)

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