Mapping Management Zones Based on Soil Apparent Electrical Conductivity and Remote Sensing for Implementation of Variable Rate Irrigation—Case Study of Corn under a Center Pivot
João Serrano,
Shakib Shahidian,
José Marques da Silva,
Luís Paixão,
Francisco Moral,
Rafael Carmona-Cabezas,
Sónia Garcia,
José Palha,
João Noéme
Affiliations
João Serrano
MED—Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Evora, Portugal
Shakib Shahidian
MED—Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Evora, Portugal
José Marques da Silva
MED—Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Evora, Portugal
Luís Paixão
AgroInsider Lda. (spin-off da Universidade de Évora), 7005-841 Evora, Portugal
Francisco Moral
Departamento de Expresión Gráfica, Escuela de Ingenierías Industriales, Universidad de Extremadura, Avenida de Elvas S/N, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
Rafael Carmona-Cabezas
Complex Geometry, Patterns and Scaling in Natural and Human Phenomena (GEPENA) Research Group, Gregor Mendel Building, Campus Rabanales, University of Cordoba, 14071 Cordoba, Spain
Sónia Garcia
TERRAPRO, Technologies Lda., Av. Nossa Senhora Guadalupe, n° 63 Porto Alto, 2135-015 Samora Correia, Portugal
José Palha
Pereira Palha Agricultura, LDA, Monte de Santo Isidro, 2135-401 Samora Correia, Portugal
João Noéme
TERRAPRO, Technologies Lda., Av. Nossa Senhora Guadalupe, n° 63 Porto Alto, 2135-015 Samora Correia, Portugal
Climate change, especially the trend towards global warming, will significantly affect the global hydrological cycle, leading to a general reduction of the water available for agriculture. In this scenario, it is essential that research should focus on the development of ‘water saving’ techniques and technologies. This work summarizes the methodology followed in a project for large scale implementation of variable rate irrigation (VRI) systems using center pivots in corn crop. This is based on technologies for monitoring (i) soil electrical conductivity (ECa) and altimetry, (ii) soil moisture content, (iii) vegetation indices (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, NDVI) obtained from satellite images, and automatic pivot travel speed control technologies. ECa maps were the basis for the definition of first homogeneous management zones (HMZ) in an experimental corn field of 28 ha. NDVI time-series were used to establish the subsequent HMZ and the respective dynamic prescription irrigation maps. The main result of this study was the reduction of spatial yield variability with the VRI management in 2017 compared to the conventional irrigation management. This study demonstrates how a relatively simple approach could be designed and implemented on a large scale, which represents an important and sustainable contribution to the resolution of practical farmer issues.
