Irrigation Scheduling Guide

Story in Brief

Row crops require different amounts of water as they grow and mature. Growing multiple crops in combination with various ages can become confusing on a crop’s water needs and timing. UGA Extension specialists have produced crop production guides for each of the major row crops grown in Georgia. UGA Extension researched and tested these checkbook methods of irrigation scheduling to aid in maximizing crop yield with the least amount of applied irrigation water. The issue is carrying the correct guide book to each pivot when scheduling and applying irrigation water. A UGA Extension Water Educator saw the need for farmers to have a durable, waterproof, multi-crop and easy to carry, quick irrigation reference guide. He put together a corn, cotton, peanut and soybean quick reference checkbook method irrigation guide. He also incorporated narrative regarding the importance of pivot application uniformity and issues that may cause poor uniformity and possible corrective suggestions. The guide also promoted the free UGA Extension Mobile Irrigation Lab to come out and test pivots for uniformity. Nearly 1,700 copies were distributed to Extension agents. Agents could visit farms and distribute the guide with a quick tutorial on how to use it. By using the guide, farmers are applying water more efficiently and utilizing our water resources more wisely than blindly irrigating without any sense of actual water needed to produce a great crop.

Read the full impact story

• Assisting Georgia Farmers with Irrigation Scheduling