1. IRRIGATION SCHEDULING IN DRIP SYSTEMS Dr. Ron Goldy Michigan State University Extension

2. Dr. Mathieu Ngouajio, MSU Department of Horticultural Science Dr. Jeff Andresen, MSU Geography Department Supported by funds from GREEEN and SWMREC Grants

3. How Much Water Is Enough? When Is The Best Time To Apply It?

4. How Much? 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 centibars

7. cb Total Yield Yield No.1 % Total Fruit Wt. Yield No.2 % Total Yield Small % Total Yield Cull % Total 153483214262322454135071538011 103271205964316433134541432410 20314020466431042113412132618 252877139548291394146812440714 lsd 51056613ns 9 5 Yield of Mt. Spring tomato in 25 pound cartons from four soil moisture levels (5280 plants/acre).

8. Yield of Greensleeves cucumber in 1-1/9 bushels/acre from four soil moisture levels. CbTotal Yield Yield No.1 % Total Yield No.2 % Total Yield Cull % Total 15797558701081413116 10752488641351912817 20707412581461914923 253471935330912434 Lsd0.05 231201ns97ns 17

9. 10 3.66/wk 3.29/wk 1.55/wk 0.42/wk 15 20 25

12. Conclusions: Cucumber and tomato yield was significantly affected when soil moisture dropped to 25 centibars No yield differences were found between application of 1.5/week (20 cbs) or 3.5/week (10 cbs)

13. When?

16. Does Irrigation Time Influence Yield? IIVIIIIIIV

17. 7:00am, 12-noon, 5:00pm, 10:00pm, 10:00am (control)

18. Irrigation Time Total Yield Yield No. 1 % Total Yield No. 2 % Total Yield Cull % Total 12 noon1041380372061845545 5:00 pm891311361771940345 10:00 am797308391762231239 10:00 pm771302391572031140 7:00 am704244341462131545 Lsd0.0533498ns Yield in 1-1/9 bu/a of Greensleeves slicing cucumber.

19. Irrigation Time Total Yield Yield No.1 % Total No.1 Fruit Wt. Yield No.2 % Total Yield Crate % Total Yield Cull % Total 10:00 am 209311665634934516185939719 5:00 pm 2069121759334274132131036517 12 noon 204311965933631615194933616 10:00 pm 1890103255349336182131130916 7:00 am 179194252346284162051135920 Lsd0.05 ns1466ns 4 Yield in 25# cartons of Mountain Spring tomato.

20. Irrigation Start Time 1-foot2-foot3-foot 7:00 am1.561.571.45 10:00 am1.721.391.31 12 noon1.921.861.82 5:00 pm1.741.49 10:00 pm1.571.661.68 Lsd0.050.230.25ns Seasonal average soil moisture levels in a drip irrigated cucumber planting. Moisture Level (inches/foot)

21. Irrigation Start Time 1-Foot2-Foot3-Foot 7:00 am1.531.541.56 10:00 am1.381.281.44 12 noon1.511.461.43 5:00 pm1.401.351.60 10:00 pm1.531.341.24 Lsd0.05ns 0.29 Moisture Level (inches/foot) Seasonal average soil moisture levels in a drip irrigated tomato planting.

23. 12 noon 1.92 1.86 1.82 12 noon1.511.461.43

24. Conclusion: Irrigating during moisture depletion appears best Banking water is not beneficial (or possible?) in a sandy soil

28. Commercial Plantings: Monitored weekly 61 sites

30. Without scheduling With scheduling

32. DRIP-LINE FAXLETTER A fax newsletter from the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center 2004 Vol. 1 No. 1 Welcome to DRIP-LINE. This one-page newsletter will be faxed as part of the weekly reporting of the monitoring stations in your plantings. Each week it will include predicted evapotranspiration values used to estimate water needs for the coming week. It will also include brief articles to help you make irrigation management decisions to aid in efficient water application. If you have any questions concerning content or have a specific item you would like addressed, please contact Ron Goldy at 269-944-1477 ext207, 269-208-1651 (mobile) or goldyr@msue.msu.edu. Estimated evapotranspiration values for June 22 to June 29. High temperatures over the next week are only expected to be in the low to mid 70s with partly cloudy conditions. This is five to ten degrees below normal which leads to evapotranspiration rates of 0.2 to 0.22. If temperatures or sun conditions differ from the predicted, make adjustments up or down accordingly.