In North America, we are finally winding down from summer into fall. In western Iowa and eastern Nebraska, the weather is cooling enough that it actually feels like football season! The summer was, as usual, filled with lots of extreme and odd weather events in various locations. However, there was also a sense of “same old, same old” to it. We all know that summer will be hot, and at some point(s) there is a significant potential for crop stress due to water shortage. Even in this area, you did not have to drive very far from a flooded Missouri River Valley to see significant drought problems.
At this time of the season, many farmers have stopped irrigating; others are still running. The question is, when should we stop? The balance to strike is to make sure the crop has enough water available to finish its development and maximize yield, but still leave plenty of room in the soil to store any off-season precipitation that comes from winter snow and rain.
The University of Nebraska has an excellent extension publication, Neb Guide G1871, titled “Predicting the Last Irrigation of the Season”. It focuses on conditions typical to Nebraska, but the strategy is consistent with any crop growing area. You assess the current growth stage of the crop, estimate the time (and amount of water) needed to finish its development, and subtract the available water in the root zone. This difference is the additional water needed from rain and/or irrigation to finish the crop.
For example (in Nebraska), with a corn crop past full dent (3/4 milk line), full maturity is approximately 7 days away. Water use to reach maturity is approximately 1.0”. If your crop is in this condition, and you have at least an inch of available water in the root zone, no problem. However, if your corn crop is barely at full dent (1/2 milk line), there are still about 13 days to maturity, with a water use expected to be 2.25”. If you have already been backing off irrigation and the soil is bone dry, it might be wise to consider a little irrigation. In soybeans, once the leaves start to yellow, there are about 10 days left to maturity, and the crop will need about 1.9” of water.
Of course, different areas of a field could be in different conditions, due to soil, crop, and topographic factors. Having the ability to use precision management techniques may be useful. While we all want to maximize yield, we also shouldn’t underestimate the value of having good, dry conditions heading into harvest. Compaction, rutting, and machinery problems will be lower if we don’t incur the extra costs of watering too much at the end of the season.
Have a great, safe and profitable harvest!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Delta Center Field Day
The University of Missouri Delta Research Center will host a field day on September 2, 2011. The field day will include information on variable rate irrigation, among other research initiatives. For more information, please read this press release.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Water Application | UP3
For many growers, it is necessary to change their sprinkler package flow rate during the irrigation season. In areas like the Texas Panhandle, declining water tables throughout the irrigation season reduces the pivot operating pressure. Lowering the machine flow rate will typically increase the machine pressure, maintaining the proper operating pressure for the sprinklers. Fields with heavy soils can benefit by using lower machine flow rates early in the season to reduce sprinkler package application intensity. As the crop canopy develops and crop water requirements increase later in the season, the sprinkler nozzles can be changed to increase the machine flow rate.
Center pivot irrigation sprinklers use nozzles (fixed orifices) to precisely set the water flow rate at each sprinkler location along the length of a center pivot. As the sprinkler locations move farther away from the center point, the water flow rate increases due to the larger area covered by positions farther from the center point. For example, the last sprinkler on a 1,300’ center pivot covers an area that is over 28 times larger than a sprinkler at 50’ from the center point.
Sprinkler manufacturers offer 45 different nozzle sizes to meet the flow rate requirements on center pivot machines. The nozzle diameter range begins with the smallest at 0.0625” (8/128”) and increments in 0.0078” (1/128”) up to the largest at 0.4063” (52/128”). When describing the nozzle orifice diameter it is common to use the nozzle numerator. For Valley and Nelson® sprinkler brands, a #15 nozzle refers to a 15/128” nozzle orifice diameter. Senninger sprinklers use 64ths to describe their nozzle orifice diameters. A #7 nozzle is equivalent to 7/64”. The Senninger® brand also uses “half sizes” to describe the full range of nozzles. A #7.5 refers to a 7.5/64” (15/128”) orifice diameter. Sprinkler manufacturers also use various colors and shapes to make nozzle identification easy and quick for sprinkler package assembly and field modifications.
Earlier this year, Senninger Irrigation released a new sprinkler product line, UP3 (Universal Pivot Products Platform). A feature of this sprinkler series is an easy clean, easy change nozzle design.
To remove the nozzle you pinch and pull.
Place and press until you hear a click to reinstall the nozzle.
The nozzle is installed from the side of the sprinkler, eliminating sprinkler disassembly.
Nelson Irrigation offers a dual and triple nozzle holder for their 3000 series pivot sprinklers. The dual nozzle holder holds two nozzles, one nozzle within the sprinkler and one nozzle held outside of the sprinkler. To change the nozzle, the sprinkler is disassembled and the nozzle holder is switched around changing the sprinkler to a different flow rate.
The triple nozzle holder can have 3 different nozzle sizes. One nozzle is in the sprinkler while two nozzles are held outside of the sprinkler.
For more information on the UP3 product line, or other water application packages offered by Valley Irrigation, please contact the Valley Water Application Group: jgerdes@valmont.com.
Center pivot irrigation sprinklers use nozzles (fixed orifices) to precisely set the water flow rate at each sprinkler location along the length of a center pivot. As the sprinkler locations move farther away from the center point, the water flow rate increases due to the larger area covered by positions farther from the center point. For example, the last sprinkler on a 1,300’ center pivot covers an area that is over 28 times larger than a sprinkler at 50’ from the center point.
Sprinkler manufacturers offer 45 different nozzle sizes to meet the flow rate requirements on center pivot machines. The nozzle diameter range begins with the smallest at 0.0625” (8/128”) and increments in 0.0078” (1/128”) up to the largest at 0.4063” (52/128”). When describing the nozzle orifice diameter it is common to use the nozzle numerator. For Valley and Nelson® sprinkler brands, a #15 nozzle refers to a 15/128” nozzle orifice diameter. Senninger sprinklers use 64ths to describe their nozzle orifice diameters. A #7 nozzle is equivalent to 7/64”. The Senninger® brand also uses “half sizes” to describe the full range of nozzles. A #7.5 refers to a 7.5/64” (15/128”) orifice diameter. Sprinkler manufacturers also use various colors and shapes to make nozzle identification easy and quick for sprinkler package assembly and field modifications.
Earlier this year, Senninger Irrigation released a new sprinkler product line, UP3 (Universal Pivot Products Platform). A feature of this sprinkler series is an easy clean, easy change nozzle design.
To remove the nozzle you pinch and pull.
Place and press until you hear a click to reinstall the nozzle.
The nozzle is installed from the side of the sprinkler, eliminating sprinkler disassembly.
 |
| Dual Nozzle Holder |
 |
| Triple Nozzle Holder |
For more information on the UP3 product line, or other water application packages offered by Valley Irrigation, please contact the Valley Water Application Group: jgerdes@valmont.com.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
2011 North American Manure Expo | Stop By Today!
Cole Fredrick of the Valley Variable Rate Irrigation team will be at the 2011 North American Manure Expo today, July 20th! Stop by the Valley Irrigation booth #92S to chat with Cole and learn about Variable Rate Irrigation!
Dates: July 20, 2011
Times: 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Location: Northeast Community College Ag Complex | 2301 East Benjamin Avenue | Norfolk, NE
Admission Price: FREE
Website: http://manureexpo.com/
This year's show theme is "Professionalism in Manure Management." Along with our VRI representative will be presence from Cascade Earth Science (CES) to answer questions on wastewater management.
Tony Gum (Valley Irrigation Territory Manager) will be giving a presentation on center pivots used for manure distribution at 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
We will be Tweeting all day on the Expo! Follow us @ValleyPivots.
Dates: July 20, 2011
Times: 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Location: Northeast Community College Ag Complex | 2301 East Benjamin Avenue | Norfolk, NE
Admission Price: FREE
Website: http://manureexpo.com/
This year's show theme is "Professionalism in Manure Management." Along with our VRI representative will be presence from Cascade Earth Science (CES) to answer questions on wastewater management.
Tony Gum (Valley Irrigation Territory Manager) will be giving a presentation on center pivots used for manure distribution at 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
We will be Tweeting all day on the Expo! Follow us @ValleyPivots.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Join Us! Circles for Rice Field Day | July 12, 2011 | Eagle Lake, TX
Field Day is Open to the Public...Join Us!
Date: Tuesday, July 12th
Times: Registration at the field @ 8:30 a.m. | Presentations @ 9:15 a.m. | Lunch @ 11:30 a.m.
Field Location: 1/2 mile west of FM950 and FM2614 | GPS: Lat 29 28' 18.71" Long 96 21'44.06"
Lunch Location: RiceTec Eagle Lake Facility | 3055 Hwy 3013, Eagle Lake, TX, USA | GPS: Lat 29 32' 19.49" Long 96 19' 26.01"
For more information, visit CirclesForRice.com.
Date: Tuesday, July 12th
Times: Registration at the field @ 8:30 a.m. | Presentations @ 9:15 a.m. | Lunch @ 11:30 a.m.
Field Location: 1/2 mile west of FM950 and FM2614 | GPS: Lat 29 28' 18.71" Long 96 21'44.06"
Lunch Location: RiceTec Eagle Lake Facility | 3055 Hwy 3013, Eagle Lake, TX, USA | GPS: Lat 29 32' 19.49" Long 96 19' 26.01"
For more information, visit CirclesForRice.com.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Circles for Rice Field Day | July 12, 2011 | Eagle Lake, TX
RSVP Today! Valley Irrigation Rice Production under Center Pivots Field Day!
Date: Tuesday, July 12th
Where: Eagle Lake, TX
Times: Registration @ 8:30 a.m. | Presentations @ 9:15 a.m. | Lunch @ 11:30 a.m.
RSVP: rice@valmont.com or www.CirclesForRice.com or 800-825-6688 ext. 3042
Lunch will be provided after the field day presentations. This field day is open to the public.
Field Location: Kevin Hoffman's field | 1/2 mile west of the intersection of FM950 and FM2614 | near Eagle Lake, TX | GPS Lat 29 28' 18.71" Long 96 21' 44.06"
Lunch Location: Lunch Location: RiceTec Eagle Lake Facility | 3055 Hwy 3013 | Eagle Lake, TX | GPS Lat 29 32' 19.49" Long 96 19' 26.01"
Presentation topics will include:
- Water & Energy Savings
- Rice Seed Characteristics
- Chemigation/Fertigation & Water Application
- Irrigation Management
- Irrigation Equipment & Controls
- Crop Expectations
- Past Results of Project
Circles for Rice Field Day | July 12, 2011 | Eagle Lake, TX
RSVP Today! Valley Irrigation Rice Production under Center Pivots Field Day!
Date: Tuesday, July 12th
Where: Eagle Lake, TX
Times: Registration @ 8:30 a.m. | Presentations @ 9:15 a.m. | Lunch @ 11:30 a.m.
RSVP: rice@valmont.com or www.CirclesForRice.com or 800-825-6688 ext. 3042
Lunch will be provided after the field day presentations. This field day is open to the public.
Field Location: Kevin Hoffman's field | 1/2 mile west of the intersection of FM950 and FM2614 | near Eagle Lake, TX | GPS Lat 29 28' 18.71" Long 96 21' 44.06"
Lunch Location: Lunch Location: RiceTec Eagle Lake Facility | 3055 Hwy 3013 | Eagle Lake, TX | GPS Lat 29 32' 19.49" Long 96 19' 26.01"
Presentation topics will include:
- Water & Energy Savings
- Rice Seed Characteristics
- Chemigation/Fertigation & Water Application
- Irrigation Management
- Irrigation Equipment & Controls
- Crop Expectations
- Past Results of Project
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
