VALUE TO SOYBEAN INDUSTRY: Consistently high soybean yields are essential for sustaining profitable soybean production systems in Arkansas. Previous research has shown that delays in irrigation initiation, scheduling, and termination can limit yields and that the effects can vary from season to season and among maturity groups and soil types. Given the substantial investments needed to irrigate soybean fields, identification of practical irrigation scheduling methods that increase the odds for higher yields and better seed quality would be in the best interests of Arkansas soybean producers. Still considerable information about IWM practices and basic water use data is needed for soybeans in Arkansas. Past work with on-farm demonstration has shown a reduction in water use by 24% with no yield penalty.
Additionally we plan to study irrigation termination by measuring the plant water use in soybeans.
This data is necessary to help predict how much water is needed to finish out soybean plants based on growth stage information. This information will be used to develop better termination recommendations using sensors and other scheduling methods and will help in improving profitability and long-term sustainability. Our efforts to improve and make implementation of IWM easier through a better CHS tool and ability to print the plan on the pipe in real time, improving surge irrigation and flow measurement, will reduce the cost and labor and improve the accurate implementation of IWM.