Evaluation of the Quality of Irrigation Machinery by Monitoring Changes in the Coefficients of Uniformity and Non-Uniformity of Irrigation

Ján Jobbágy,Vlastimil Slaný,Peter Dančanin,Koloman Krištof,Juraj Maga

doi:10.3390/agronomy11081499

Ján Jobbágy, Vlastimil Slaný + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11081499

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Abstract

Recently, the development of agricultural technology has been focused on achieving higher reliability and quality of work. The aim of the presented paper was to examine the possibilities of evaluating the quality of work of wide-area irrigation machinery by monitoring the coefficients of uniformity and non-uniformity of irrigation. The object of the research was pivot irrigation machinery equipped with sprinklers with a total length from 230 to 540 m. The commonly applied quality of work parameter for wide-range irrigators is the irrigation uniformity coefficient according to Heermann and Hein CUH. Work quality evaluations were also carried out through other parameters applicable in practice, such as irrigation uniformity coefficients calculated according to Christiansen CU, Wilcox and Swailes Cws, and our introduced parameters, the coefficient ar (derived from the degree of unevenness according to Oehler) and the degree of uniformity γr (derived from the degree of non-uniformity according to Voight). Other applied parameters for determining the quality of work of wide-range irrigation machinery were the coefficients of irrigation uniformity according to Hart and Reynolds CUhr, further according to Criddle CUcr and subsequently according to Beale and Howell CUbr. Next, the parameters of the non-uniformity coefficient according to Oehler a, the coefficient of variation according to Stefanelli Cv, the degree of non-uniformity according to Voigt γ and the degree of non-uniformity according to Hofmeister Ef were evaluated. Field tests were performed during the growing season of cultivated crops (potatoes, corn and sugar beet) in the village of Trakovice (agricultural enterprise SLOV-MART, southwest of the Slovakia) and in the district of Piešťany (Agrobiop, joint stock company). During the research, the inlet operating parameters (speed stage, inlet pressure, irrigation dose), technical parameters (number of sprayers, total length, number of chassis) and weather conditions (wind speed and temperature) were recorded. The obtained results were examined by one-way ANOVA analysis depending on the observed coefficient or input conditions and subsequently verified by Tukey and Duncan tests as needed. Irrigation uniformity values ranged from 67.58% (Cws) to 95.88% (CUbh) depending on the input conditions. Irrigation non-uniformity values ranged from 8.58 (a, Ef) to 32.42% (Cv). The results indicate a statistically significant effect of the site of interest and thus the impact of particular field conditions (p < 0.05). When evaluating the application of different coefficients of irrigation uniformity, the results showed a statistically significant effect only in the first test (p = 0.03, p < 0.05). During further repeated measurements, the quality of work increased due to the performed inspection of all sprayers and the reduction in the influence of the wind.

Highlights

In recent years, modern irrigation technologies have come to the forefront of agricultural development for water conservation [1,2,3]
In view of the results obtained and some lower values of the irrigation uniformity coefficients achieved during the first test (T1), we proposed a second test (T2) under the control of input conditions on the equipment and weather conditions
The results indicate that evaluations by different irrigation uniformity coefficients according to Oehler, Heermann and Hein, Christiansen, Wilcox and Swailes, Voigt, Hart and Reynolds, Criddle et al and Beal and Howell obtained different results, which were statistically evaluated

Summary

Introduction

Modern irrigation technologies have come to the forefront of agricultural development for water conservation [1,2,3]. To achieve high yields and yield stability of the irrigated crop, it is necessary to achieve a high value of the quality of work of irrigators. [4] has reported a significant reduction in crop yield values due to the decrease in irrigation water at all uniformity levels. One of the possibilities to increase the quality of work is reliable irrigation technology and reliable work of the irrigator [5,6,7]. Irrigation quality is assessed by the correct intensity and uniformity of irrigation. Intensity expresses the amount of water in millimeters delivered by the sprinkler per unit time [8,9]

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