Sustainable irrigated agricultural production depends on high and stable productivity using limited inputs of water and nutrients. When irrigation events are triggered by soil water tension (SWT) criteria, the criteria should be adjusted to preciselymeet plant needs and provide increments of applied water consistent with soil properties. Drip irrigation systems are often used for triggered irrigation due to the potential to precisely control the irrigation system. Here we review the processes of collecting, filtering, and using SWT data for irrigation onset. A compilation of the successful triggering of irrigation onset using SWT criteria for many crops is discussed.
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