Assessing Potential Water Savings Implementing Variable Rate Sprinkler Irrigation in a Maize Farm in Northern Italy
Contributo in Atti di convegno
Data di Pubblicazione:
2023
Citazione:
Assessing Potential Water Savings Implementing Variable Rate Sprinkler Irrigation in a Maize Farm in Northern Italy / A. Mayer, B. Ortuani, A. Facchi (LECTURE NOTES IN CIVIL ENGINEERING). - In: AIIA 2022: Biosystems Engineering Towards the Green Deal : Improving the Resilience of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Systems in the Post-Covid Era / [a cura di] V. Ferro, G. Giordano, S. Orlando, M. Vallone, G. Cascone, S.M.C. Porto. - [s.l] : Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2023. - ISBN 978-3-031-30328-9. - pp. 133-141 (( Intervento presentato al 12. convegno International Conference of the Italian Association of Agricultural Engineering tenutosi a Palermo nel 2022 [10.1007/978-3-031-30329-6_14].
Abstract:
In recent agricultural seasons, many areas of the Po plain have experienced periods of water scarcity; to cope with this situation, farmers are introducing water saving technologies which would be more effective if supported by appropriate tools. Specifically, agro-hydrological models and soil moisture probes can support farmers in the irrigation management. In this study, an agro-hydrological model and soil water content measurements were used to optimize the water management in two irrigation sectors characterised by different soils under a center-pivot in a maize farm. When compared to the management operated by the farmer, a water use reduction of 17 and 23% was achieved in the coarse and fine soil sectors, respectively; this water saving was obtained respecting the constraints imposed by the farmer. The same modelling approach, applied to simulate variable rate irrigation for all the sprinkler systems of the farm (covering about 300 ha) in the period 2016–2020, resulted in an average water saving of 18%. This translates to a proportional energy saving at the farm level.
Tipologia IRIS:
03 - Contributo in volume
Keywords:
Agro-hydrological model; Energy saving; Maize; Precision irrigation; Weather forecast
Elenco autori:
A. Mayer, B. Ortuani, A. Facchi
Link alla scheda completa:
Titolo del libro:
AIIA 2022: Biosystems Engineering Towards the Green Deal : Improving the Resilience of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Systems in the Post-Covid Era