|
|
|
Continuous
Monitoring.
|
|
Water
monitoring equipment
|
| Monitoring
Water, using a continuous monitoring system such as the
EnviroSCAN® |
| With
continuous monitoring one can clearly 'see' water use by the
presence of 'stepping' (see below). This shows that during the
night there is little water use and the water content stays
the same and during the day the crop dries out in proportion
to ET. Big steps show water use on a hot windy day and small
water use on a cold dull day. |
|
|
| By
looking at a separate graph with data from the different layers
it can be seen the relative amounts of water being used at each
layer. In the example below it can be 'seen' that water use
at 10, 20 and 30cms is very similar, while the water use at
50cms is comparatively small. |
|
|
| Also,
one can 'see' the depth to which the water goes during irrigation.
One would conclude that the soil is not back to 'full' in the
top 50cms, as the irrigation has not refilled down to 50cms.
Compare this graph with the following one. |
|
|
| The
irrigation on the night of the 11th wets the soil to 50cms,
but it is still quite dry there (only 25% compared to 38% in
top layers). The irrigation on the 16th does not wet below 30cms.
Note how small the steps are at 50cms - too dry. |
|
| This
graph shows the 50cm layer by itself. You can 'see' when the
soil is 'full' and when the crop runs out. Note that as soon
as water is replaced to this depth on the 20th and the 30th
the water use increases dramatically. This is the key to maximising
water use. |
|
|
| For
maximum growth rates each layer of soil needs to have an adequate
supply of water. |
| {Back
to the index} |
