1. Innovative irrigation technology towards improving irrigation efficiency in the field
Good afternoon everyone. I would like to thank again to the organizers that invited me to this important event – the 4th Indian water week.
Yesterday I briefly talked about how precise irrigation contributed to the increase water use efficiency. I ended my talk by indicating the potential role of precision irrigation to continue this trend in the 21st century. Today I will concentrate on different aspects of precision irrigation.
First I would like to introduce myself. I am from the insti of agri eng that is one of 6 institute in the …next slide
Yafit Cohen
Institute of agricultural engineering
Agriculture research organization, Volcani Center

2. ARO, is the research arm of the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture, covering over 70% of the agricultural research in Israel
To read the slide

3. Irrigation
Irrigated agriculture is using increasing quantities of water and fertilizers to supply the growing food demand.
However, the uptake by various plants is only 30 to 50% of the water applied.
Even, drip irrigation efficiency is about %
The remaining water flows to surface water and groundwater.

4. Irrigation management measures
Decision on irrigation amounts/scheduling
Sensor-based
Remote-sensing
Continuous in time
In-field variability
Various measures exist and they can be evaluated by the following parameters: Do they assist with irrigation amount or irrigation scheduling? Both? Are they based on sensors which provide continuous measurement on time? Some are based on remote sensing and provide the spatial aspect

5. Evaporation, evapo-transiration
Pan evaporation
Penman–Monteith (net evapotranspiration (ET)
Remote-sensing
Mostly assist with decisions on irrigation amounts
Crop coefficients – fixed tables
Whole field
A common measure is the pan evaporation or the calculated evapotranspiration using the penman-…It can be also calculated using remotely-sensed data.
All mostly assist with decisions of=n irrigation amounts

6. Soil measures Soil moisture Soil water potential
Continuous measurements
Mostly assist with decisions on irrigation amounts
Detection of water stress
Requires calibration to soil type
Whole-field

7. Plant measures Leaf/stem water potential Dendrometrs
Continuous measurements
Mostly assist with decisions on irrigation amounts
Detection of water stress
Requires calibration to crop type
Whole-field

8. Remote-sensing Plant temperature ET
Mostly assist with decisions on irrigation amounts
Detection of water stress in space
Requires calibration to crop type
In-field variability

9. Towards sensor-based precise irrigation
Drip irrigation increased irrigation efficiency
Auxiliary technologies should be used to support decisions on irrigation amounts and scheduling
Plant and soil sensors exist for continuous monitoring
Mainly used for manual decision on irrigation amounts and better Irrigation efficiency is obtained
Recent developments introduced close-loop irrigation systems
Amounts and scheduling

10. Sensor-based irrigation
Plant: Plant water potential, temperature
Soil: moisture, water potential
Assist with decisions on both irrigation scheduling and amounts – close loop
Requires calibration
Whole-field
Requires more research for commercial use

11. Sensor-based irrigation
Reductions in water use range as high as 70% compared to farmer practices with no negative impact on crop yields (Muñoz-Carpena and Dukes).

12. Shani et al., Sensor Development and Positioning for Efficient irrigation in the Inherently Variable Agricultural Field

13. Future research
Due to the soil’s natural variability, location and number of soil water sensors may be crucial and future work should include optimization of sensor placement (Muñoz-Carpena and Dukes).
Additional research should also include techniques to overcome the limitation of requiring a soil specific calibration (Muñoz-Carpena and Dukes).

14. Spatially variable rate
Single measurements are made for a whole-field decision
Remote-sensing with VRI enables to address the in-field variability
VRI systems are already commercial for pivot and linear move irrigation systems
Initial non-commercial systems were developed for drip irrigation

15. Future developments
Combination of sensor-based systems with remotely-sensed maps
Where to put the sensors
Close-loop variable-rate irrigation

16. But…
The use of current knowledge like evaporation measurements and crop coefficients can significantly improve irrigation efficiency.

17. Postdoctoral Fellowships
For Ph.D recipients from institutes in India & China
Started at 2012
The fellowship program is designed to identify and support young scientists aspiring to become future leaders in the field of Agricultural Sciences in Universities of their home countries.
The main objectives of the fellowships is to avail excellent and promising scientists with the opportunity to become proficient in advanced technologies present in the Agriculture Research Organization and to establish future collaborations with Israeli scientists.
I would like to draw your attention to a cooperation between india and israel that started at It is a fellowship program that is designed to support young scientists in the ARO.

18. Postdoctoral Fellowships
For Ph.D recipients from institutes in India & China
As you can see, the number of post doctorate in this program grows every year and we encourage you be part of it.

19. Agriculture organization research (ARO)
Volcani Center (established in 1921)
Soil, Water & Environ. Science
Animal Science
Plant Protection
Postharvest & Food Science
Plant Science
Agricultural Engineering
Newe Ya’ar Research Center North
Gilat Research Center South

20. Thank you for you attention Questions? yafitush@volcani.agri.gov.il