AG TECH NO LOG IE S
FALL 2015
PRECISION AG U P DAT E THE AQUIFER SYSTEM Did you know that aquifers hold 99% of all the freshwater on earth? Underground layers of rock that are saturated with water that can be brought to the surface through natural springs or by pumping, aquifers store groundwater and are one of the most important sources of water on Earth. The water cycle of an aquifer begins with rainwater. As rainwater hits the ground and slowly soaks into the soil, any rainwater located below the ground is considered groundwater. The groundwater moves through the soil, which acts like a sponge and becomes saturated with water. The area where the soil is saturated is called the water table. Any excess groundwater will move below the water table and continue moving down until it hits a barrier, often comprised of rocks. Pockets or opening in the rocks fill with groundwater to form an aquifer, which is simply an underground reservoir for water. Because it's impossible to see and difficult to measure, there are a number of myths associated with groundwater. It's widely believed, for example, that groundwater flows like an underground river. Though there are a handful of places with large underground gaps where water can flow rapidly, these are very rare. Groundwater can be found in a range of different types of rock, but the most productive aquifers are found in porous, permeable rock such as sandstone, or the open cavities and caves of limestone aquifers. More porous rock has innumerable small spaces that can hold water. Groundwater moves more readily through these materials, which allows for faster pumping and other methods of extracting the water. Some of the world's largest aquifers, including the Floridan aquifer found in this area, are found in regions with these porous bedrocks. The Floridan aquifer system is the largest, oldest, and deepest aquifer in the southeastern U.S., underlying an area of about 100,000 square miles in southern Alabama, southeastern Georgia, southern South Carolina, and all of Florida. It is also one of the most productive aquifers in the world, issuing out over 3 billion gallons a day and serving as the principal source of freshwater for agricultural irrigation, industrial uses, and drinking water. This extensive underground reservoir currently supplies drinking water to about 10 million people residing across the area, as well as 50% of the water that is used for agricultural irrigation in the region. Crops consume large quantities of water removed from the Floridan aquifer - more than 1.5 billion gallons of water each day. A single center-point irrigation system on a typical farm may use over one million gallons of water per day. One of the primary goals of water management for agriculture is to increase the amount of crop produced per drop of water. Conserving water by putting it where it will gain the greatest return, and only using what’s needed, makes crop production more sustainable and more profitable.
Protecting our aquifers while attempting to feed a growing global population is a tricky balancing act, but with the help of precision irrigation solutions, Ag Technologies can provide some of the answers.
Source: www.floridaswater.com
ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT WATER
With so many questions, concerns and considerations about our water resources, Georgia growers are asking questions and need answers about how to get ahead of the water issues facing them. On August 27, Ag Technologies hosted a free water efficiency seminar in Tifton to help fill in some of the blanks. Topics included upcoming legislation that will affect Georgia growers, Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI) and zone control, current classroom topics at ABAC concerning water, and research findings and ROI for VRI. These articles are the first in a series that will recap the seminar presentations.
CROP WATER REQUIREMENTS AND DEMANDS
By Wesley M. Porter, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the University of Georgia Crop and Soil Sciences Department and Extension Precision Ag and Irrigation Specialist for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System Irrigation scheduling is a technique that involves determining how much water is needed and when to apply it to the field to meet the crop demand. The main purpose of irrigation scheduling is to increase the profitability and/or quality of the crop by increasing the efficiency of water usage and energy or by increasing crop productivity. The management of soil water status and current crop water use allow for water to be applied at specific times to meet crop demands while minimizing water loss, runoff, and deep percolation. Let’s take a look at the water requirements for some of our most commonly grown crops.
WATER REQUIREMENTS: PEANUTS
• Peanuts require approximately 23 inches of water from planting until harvest. • Approximately 18 of the 23 inches (78%) of water is needed from weeks 10-17 of the 20 week growing season.
WATER REQUIREMENTS: COTTON
• Cotton’s peak water demand begins once it begins to flower. • It is critical that cotton be fully irrigated during bloom.
WHY IRRIGATE?
The average annual rainfall in the Southeast is typically between 40 to 50 inches so why irrigate? For a typical summer in a region in the Southeast, the probability of receiving 2 inches of weekly rainfall is only 30%, implying uncertainty and risk, and lost yield potential. On average, cotton’s peak daily water use is ~2 inches. For peanuts that can be up to -2.1 inches per week and for corn the peak daily water use can go up to -2.4 inches per week. This means that there is a very low chance of receiving the required amount of water during the growing season for any of the typical crops planted in the Southeast.
Source: UGA Extension
WATER REQUIREMENTS: CORN
• Corn is known as a higher water using crop. • Unlike cotton and peanuts, an increase in the amount of water applied typically increases yields. • Corn typically requires around 22-28 inches of water per season.
Source: UGA Extension Dr. Porter has worked in the Precision Agriculture field for over eight years and has worked on projects including sensor based Nitrogen management, VRI, and refinement of cotton harvesters. He holds a B.S. in Ag Mechanization and an M.S. in Ag Engineering from Clemson University, and a PhD in Ag Engineering from Oklahoma State University. This article is the first in a series that will recap his presentation on Irrigation Scheduling and Remote Soil Moisture Monitoring (RSMM).
IT IS THAT TIME OF THE YEAR TO BE THINKING ABOUT YOUR SOILS ONCE HARVEST IS COMPLETED. Soil Information System™
GEORGIA WATER RESOURCES
By Calvin Perry, University of Georgia, C.M. Stripling Irrigation Research Park, Superintendent, Public Service Faculty Georgia has abundant water resources and receives average annual rainfall amounts of over 50 inches. We have 14 major river basins, flowing to either the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico. Several flow from above the fall line through the coastal plain. Most of Georgia’s groundwater aquifers are situated below the fall line in the coastal plain region. The aquifers of most importance to agriculture in South Georgia are the Floridan and Claiborne aquifers. Much of the irrigation in southwest Georgia pumps from these two aquifer systems. Even though, on average, Georgia receives ample rainfall for sustaining crop production (approx. 22-25 inches during the growing season), the seasonal variability of rainfall received is considerable. For example, the April-September amounts, in inches, received at the Stripling Park yearly since 2009 have been 33, 22, 15, 22, 29, 30 and 23 – quite a range. The long term average for that window is 26 inches. Because of this variability, farmers rely on irrigation to provide the moisture necessary to produce a crop. Beyond “water because it’s dry,” there are numerous reasons why farmers irrigate crops, including increasing yield/profit in low rainfall years, provide yield stability across years, safeguard their investment (seed, tech fees, fertilizer, etc.), manage risk, and incorporate chemicals and nutrients. Georgia is by far a center pivot irrigated state – especially southwest Georgia. In the last UGA Extension irrigation survey (2008), there were over 13,000 center pivots in our state with an average wetted area of 90 acres. However, there are pockets of growers and acres that have a sizeable number of drip irrigation systems, especially for fruit and vegetable production. Due to the large number of center pivot systems in southwest Georgia, irrigated acres and irrigation water use are both some of the highest in the state there. Before coming to Stripling, Mr. Perry was in the Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department at UGA. He specializes in VRI. He holds a B.S. and an M.S. in Agricultural Engineering from UGA.
Trimble’s Soil Information System™ (SIS) solution delivers the world’s most accurate 3D soil data. This enhanced data provides more information about your soils over traditional soil sampling methods and can help with irrigation, drainage, fertility, and amendment applications. • Armed with more detailed and accurate soil information, here are a few examples of how our customers are using this data: • Making critical farm management decisions with irrigation, drainage, fertility and amendment applications • Saving time and operating costs by using soil variability to target precise sampling locations, sometimes reducing the number of samples taken by 60% over traditional sampling methods • Improving input application by showing where they need to be applied to maximize plant growth The process is simple, here are the 3 steps to getting better data: • Your Ag Tech field representative brings the SIS equipment to your farm to collect the data. • The data is processed and given back to you. • You and/or your trusted advisor uses the data to execute a plan.
TMX-2050™ Androids aren’t only in Star Wars. Now, they’re in your tractor! In the middle of a busy season, the last thing you need is a complicated interface. Built on the Android™ operating system, the flexible platform of the TMX-2050™ lets you choose the application you want to use based on the work you need to do today—FmX® Plus or Precision-IQ™. The FmX Plus app leverages the same familiar workflows and menus of the Trimble FmX integrated display so there's no need to retrain or learn new software. The TMX-2050™ display also provides instant access to the suite of Connected Farm™ apps to help you visualize all that data and your on-site operations directly from the machine cab. • Large 12.1" (30.8 cm) high-definition color touch-screen display • Android-based operating system allows you to customize the display for the way you work • Rugged construction for everyday field use, meeting demands in harsh environments • One integrated GNSS receiver • One integrated camera with support for an additional external camera • Easy transferability between vehicles
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It is our mission at Ag Technologies to provide progressive-minded customers a complete solution of precision agriculture with superior products and a professional staff to help inspire, educate and provide first class service and support.
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TEAM MEMBER
SPOTLIGHT Michael Brannon
Technology Manager, Florida Region TIME WITH AG TECH: I've been with Ag Tech for
seven and a half years now. I started in the home office region in Cordele, Georgia, but two years ago I decided that it was time for my family to make the move to Florida. We love it here and are very excited about the growth and potential in this area.
REGIONAL SALES
REPRESENTATIVES Central Georgia Ernest Cook | 855. 601.4477 South Georgia, Southeast Alabama & North Florida
Marty Saylor | 855.603.4477
East Georgia & South Carolina Jesse Neidlinger | 855.604.4477
FAMILY: My wife, Crystal, and I will celebrate 22 years of marriage in a couple of months. We have three boys: Michael Jr. is 21, Matt is 15, and Mitch is nine.
Central & South Florida Ken Lodge | 855.605.4477
ASIDE FROM THE OBVIOUS WAYS, HOW DOES WATER AFFECT YOUR DAILY LIFE? We live on a canal here in Florida. While we have regular, paved
Product Information / Sales Contact sales@agtechllc.com | 877.585.4477
streets, we also have what would be considered to be water streets that lead to the lake that we live on. There are 11 streets that have canals as well as streets. Each house on all of the streets has its own dock, so in essence you have the regular streets for all of your regular day-to-day needs, but you also have water streets for play time on the lake.
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