A microcomputer scheduling program for supplementary irrigation

Abstract

Abstract A real-time irrigation scheduling computer package for use on farms is described. The package comprises four models; a reference crop evapotranspiration model, an actual evapotranspiration model, a soil water balance model and an irrigation forecast model. The models used have been shown to produce reliable estimates of the soil water balance, however, the predictions are sensitive to the accuracy of the input data measured on the farm. This paper summarises the experience of applying such a program to supplementary irrigation in the UK.