Irrigation

Malfunctioning center pivot pressure regulator
Malfunctioning center pivot pressure regulator

Pivot Pressure Regulator Testing to be Offered at HHD

August 25, 2016

Nebraska Extension is offering free testing of center pivot irrigation pressure regulators at the IANR building all three days of Husker Harvest Days September 13-15 in Grand Island.

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Center pivot irrigation system watering a field
Learn how to improve irrigation efficiency through new technologies and tools at the Sept. 8 Technologies for Irrigation Management Field Day near Elgin.

Technologies for Irrigation Management Field Day Sept. 8

August 24, 2016
Nebraska Extension and MidPlains Ag are collaborating on a Technologies for Irrigation Management Field Day near Elgin on Thursday, Sept. 8.

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Center pivot irrigation system
Figure 1. A walking inspection of your irrigation system can help identify mechanical problems leading to non-uniform water application.

Sprinkler Irrigation System Maintenance for Improved Uniformity and Application Efficiency

August 23, 2016
Center pivot irrigation systems are designed and managed to apply water as uniformly as possible to enhance crop production. Uniformity has a direct effect on the system’s overall application efficiency, which is a measure of how well an irrigation system delivers water to a crop’s root zone.

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Field Day to Explore Systems Approach to Cropping and Irrigation Management

August 4, 2016

Nebraska Extension and the Nebraska Water Balance Alliance will host a field day on the Systems Approach to Cropping and Irrigation Management Tuesday, August 23 at North Platte.

The West Central Water and Crops Field Day will be at the UNL West Central Research and Extension Center at 402 W. State Farm Road, starting with registration at 8 a.m. and presentations at 8:30 a.m.

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Economics of Variable Frequency Drives for Irrigation Pumps

June 23, 2016
Dilshad Brar, a graduate student in the UNL Biological Systems Engineering Department, looked at 1000 center pivot installations in 10 Nebraska counties to determine if placing a variable frequency drive (VFD) on the system would be economical. He also looked at the best location for the VFD pressure sensor. Brar breaks it down to four common scenarios, outlining when it pays and when it doesn't.

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Corn leaf rolling
Figure 1. One indicator of heat stress is when corn leaves roll in the early morning in areas where there is adequate soil moisture.

Impacts of Extreme Heat Stress and Increased Soil Temperature on Plant Growth and Development

June 21, 2016
Both corn and soybean are susceptible to extreme heat (and water) stress during early vegetative stages as well as later critical growth stages (pollination for corn and flowering for soybean). Extreme heat stress can reduce plant photosynthetic and transpiration efficiencies and negatively impact plant root development, which collectively can negatively impact yield. The author recommends that during an extended heat wave (air temperature equal to or greater than 90 F for 7-10 days), applying 0.25-0.40 inch of water can be very beneficial.

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Page spread for UNL Ag Water Management Guide
Page spread for UNL Ag Water Management Guide

New, Multi-Media Ag Water Management Guide

June 15, 2016
Nebraska Extension's new Agricultural Water Management Guide, an online, interactive resource, offers information, videos, and illustrations about various types of irrigation, their advantages and disadvantages, technologies and strategies.

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ETgage in a soybean field
Figure 1. ETgage installed near soybean field

Atmometer (ETgage) Installation Tips

May 26, 2016
ETgages estimate potential crop evapotransiration, allowing growers to track crop water use and apply irrigation more precisely when the crop can best use it. Learn about how to prepare and install ETgages and use the resulting data. Includes table of crop coefficients for corn, soybean, and wheat.

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