Search

 

Member Login

{{message}}

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

{{header}}

{{message}}

  • {{ error }}

Principles of Irrigation Efficiency--Irrigation Association

The Irrigation Association [IA] is an organization for equipment and system manufacturers, dealers, distributors, designers, consultants, contractors, and end users. The IA’s vision is to be recognized as the authority on irrigation, and its mission is to promote efficient irrigation through use of efficient irrigation technologies, products, and services. The IA works with experts from industry and the public sector to define best irrigation management practices for effective water management and to establish criteria for irrigation products and applications that can be used to promote those practices.

As you are aware from the numerous posts on this website and through MSPB’s SIP initiative, the MSPB has funded projects and information programs that were designed to determine best management practices for soybean irrigation and to disseminate that information to producers. The success of this effort can be found in the numerous posts on the Irrigation Resources page of this website. As you will notice from these resources, most if not all of the innovations that have been shown to improve performance of soybean irrigation used instruments/products that were designed/developed by members of the irrigation industry. Thus, members of the IA provide valuable tools that can be used in the above effort, and those tools/products are absolutely necessary in the constant quest to improve irrigation and water use efficiency of soybean.

The IA has published a paper titled “Principles of Efficient Agricultural Irrigation” that provides a general overview of all aspects of crop irrigation, and how the various components of an irrigation plan/setup can work in synergy to accomplish efficient crop irrigation. I have highlighted in blue pertinent points that pertain to soybean irrigation in the Midsouthern US.

As you wind down the 2017 irrigation season, I encourage you to access all the irrigation information on MSSOY to ensure that you efficiently finish this season, and that you incorporate the latest technology and tools into your 2018 irrigation plan. The quest to efficiently manage soybean irrigation is dynamic; therefore, irrigators should continually strive to incorporate the newest technology that will improve irrigation efficiency in their operations. This will ensure the continued sustainability of soybean irrigation in the region.

Composed by Larry G. Heatherly, Aug. 2017, larryheatherly@bellsouth.net