Irrigation Management in the Northern Great Plains

摘要

Profitable and environmentally sound irrigation water management requires an extensive research base, sound understanding of crop responses to irrigattion water managementt regimes. careful extension education, and user-friendly tools for on-farm water management. The authors have conducted many studies to address irrigattion water management issues in the northern Great Plains of the U.S. This paper presents a historical overview of the research and its implications for irrigated agriculture. Our studies have addressed water management for a variety of crops, irrigation scheduling methods, instrumentation,and software. We have conducted field-based studies for corn, potatoes, sugar beets, spring wheat, soybeans, and alfalfa, and specialty crops such as popcorn, sweet corn, winter squash, and cabbage. Irrigation scheduling methods have been developed and/or applied in the research, including the use of water balance methods, tensiometers, crop growth models, measurement of canopy temperature by infrared sensing, measurement of leaf water potential, remote control and monitoring of a center pivot, and data logger fedback and control of water applications through drip irrigation systems. The research has produced several crop evapotranspiration (ETc) curves and a much-used water balance technique, Irrigation Scheduling by the Checkbook Method, that has also been adapted for use in other states. Successes and difficulties are reviewed , as well as future trends and needs for irrigation water management.