The Role of Precision Irrigation on Water use and Water use Efficiency

Due to the fact that the much part of limited resource of water are used in agriculture, the policy of optimal management of water consumption is essential. Therefore recent researches in order to save water, increase irrigation and water use efficiency, has led to the automation (precision irrigation). In order to optimize irrigation water use in a sustainable agriculture, the use of different approaches of precision irrigation required. Forevaluation the role of precision irrigation on operation management and water use efficiency in agriculture resaerch study was conducted in apricot garden in Karaj during agronomical years 2009 and 2010 and in corn farm in Saveh during agronomical years 2011. Different irrigation management was conducted in this study; irrigation based on daily climate information from farm, irrigation based on daily climate information from weather station close to the farm and irrigation based on long term climate information suggested to the farmer in drip irrigation system design plan. The result showed water use reduced and water use efficiency increased with precision irrigation management and use of on farm climate data. Accordingly, in corn farm 17.2% reduction in water consumption and 49.7 percent increasing in water use efficiency was achieved. In apricotgarden, results indicated water use based on daily climate had reduction 29 percent in related to daily climate data from weather station and had 100 percent decrease in related to long term weather data during growth season. Water use efficiency of apricot increased 81.5 percent when we are using more accurate climate information based on farm condition.