Irrigation Decisions
Irrigation is a means of increasing the water available to the crop when rainfall, by itself, is not sufficient to meet the crop water requirements. Irrigation decisions are required to ensure that water is supplied before a crop experiences water stress. Water should not be applied in excess of the amount required to reach the water holding capacity of the soil to avoid run-off and deep percolation. When precipitation is forecast the irrigator should leave room in the soil for the expected rainfall thus allowing rainfall to infiltrate the soil rather than becoming run-off. In cases where water for irrigation is limited, the decision about when to irrigate should also factor in the sensitivity of the crop to water deficit at different stages and water should be applied at the most sensitive stages (1).
The following weather products can be used by producers to help make better irrigation decisions. Visit each product to learn more about how it might be considered when planning crop irrigation scheduling.
Observed Percentage of Soil Water Content
Five-day Precipitation Forecasts