Online Irrigation Recommendations

Online Irrigation Recommendations. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

There’s a new saying going around with smartphone users...There’s an App for that! And indeed when it comes to scheduling and monitoring irrigation on the farm, there is an app for that as the Ag Networks’s Lacy Gray has more.

GRAY: Washington State University has just released their Irrigation Scheduler Mobile smart phone application that combines information about soil, crop type and weather to calculate the optimal amount of water to use. The online tool developed by researchers at Washington State University is an interactive website optimized for smart phones and other mobile devices, although it works equally well on desktop computers. The system uses data from AgWeatherNet, WSU’s network of nearly 140 weather stations across the state of Washington that collects data on local precipitation, temperature, humidity, sunshine and wind speed.

By sticking to system recommendations, users can walk the fine line of saving water while optimizing crop yields. To get a free account you will need to sign up and answer a few simple questions about your nearby weather station, soil and crop types. The system displays any water deficit, including color-coded warnings when low moisture levels may damage plants. System users can update their account with the amount of water that they’ve applied to the lawn or crop.

That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.