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PRECISION IRRIGATION


imagery being used to extrapolate the data from one single probe across an entire block or pivot.


BEFORE AFTER The reduction in red and yellow areas in these water stress images — taken a few months apart


— shows improved irrigation distribution uniformity in an almond orchard. Source: Bullseye Farms, Woodland, California; imagery provided by Ceres Imaging


on imagery in the past use it to identify irrigation leaks, clogged emitters and pressure issues before they impact their crop yield. In fact, it’s typical to find one 5- to 10-acre irrigation issue for every 150 acres analyzed. Some companies that also specialize in solving these types of irrigation issues will offer money-back guarantees to customers for whom they do not identify issues over the course of a season.


Farmers are now using imagery to


automatically create zones for variable rate irrigation as well. They also use analytics products derived from thermal-based imagery to measure the distribution uniformity of their irrigation set, saving significant time and making it easy to prioritize blocks or sections of the field. Farmers are not alone in using imagery for irrigation management. Irrigation dealers increasingly use thermal- based aerial imagery to design irrigation systems and check on warranty claims for equipment malfunctions. Even governments and policymakers are coming around on imagery use for irrigation and efficiency. For example, Resource Conservation Districts in California are subsidizing certain imagery providers due to the increased water efficiency benefits.





Growers are now looking to go beyond just reading images, wanting the results to produce real-time actions. Historically, one of the challenges with imagery is data overload. Artificial intelligence is helping solve these problems, as algorithms are learning to identify patterns in imagery and assess the scope and cause of the pattern, alerting growers to issues in real time via email or text. There are now imagery companies offering tools that automatically detect and quantify irrigation issues in the field for center pivot and drip irrigation customers. Advances in AI will continue to make imagery for irrigation management more actionable into the future.


Integrations are another frontier for irrigation management. Imagery companies, like other digital agriculture software companies, are responding to a common complaint from farmers that all of their data is siloed. Imagery companies are beginning to integrate with the major digital ag platforms. They are also integrating with irrigation equipment platforms. Likewise, imagery is integrating with other remote sensing technologies like soil moisture probes. We’re already seeing


Growers are now looking to go beyond just reading images, wanting the results to produce real-time actions.


20 Irrigation TODAY | Fall 2020


Finally, as AI improves and integrations accelerate, so too will the type of analytics products that can be built using imagery. We are already seeing this play out with imagery-based irrigation strategy tools that solve bigger problems like irrigation scheduling. For example, while a soil moisture sensor can be very helpful in thinking through irrigation scheduling, the downside of this approach, of course, is that it is only representative of one part of a field. A number of companies are beginning to integrate their high-resolution imagery with soil moisture data and local weather data to bring an added layer of precision to irrigation scheduling. Likewise, there are also uses of imagery to manage effective deficit irrigation as well.


Linear patterns in water stress imagery may reveal a maintenance issue with a drip irrigation system. In this case, the long red


streak on the right suggests a clogged line. Source: Bullseye Farms, Woodland, California; imagery provided by Ceres Imaging


While there is a lot of space for more exciting technological innovation, there have been many exciting developments over the last couple years that growers, retailers and policymakers are all starting to test and adopt. And, clearly, imagery will play a vital role in the future of irrigation management.


Ashwin Madgavkar   States and Australia.


irrigationtoday.org


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