Freshwater is a limited natural resource, and its shortage has led to government-imposed restrictions on irrigation in some parts of the country like western Nebraska. Over time, these restrictions are bound to be more severe and widespread. For instance, for over two decades, the state of Georgia and Florida have been in a protracted legal dispute based on the allocation of the water resources of Lake Lanier. Optimizing irrigation scheduling and methods is therefore very critical.
Subsurface drip irrigation (SSDI) is an efficient irrigation method, and under the SSDI system, drip tapes are permanently installed at 12 inches depth or more to allow for tillage and other management practices. However, most soils in Georgia have a top sandy soil layer, and sandy soils have a low capillary rise. The situation could induce water stress in the topsoil layer and subsequently impact nutrient uptake and overall crop productivity.
The project is comparing nutrient uptake and productivity of corn and cotton under SSDI and overhead irrigation systems. Irrigation scheduling threshold amounts are also being evaluated.
We appreciate the Georgia Corn Commission and Georgia Cotton Commission for funding and Georgia Corn Growers Association; AgriGold; and Bayer AG for providing some resources for the project.
