Encouraging adoption of cost efficient, accurate moisture monitoring in the irrigated farming system.

Southern Growers Incorporated

  • Project code: PRO-015308

  • Project stage: Current

  • Project start date: Sunday, May 30, 2021

  • Project completion date: Monday, May 30, 2022

  • National Priority: AFI - AgriFood Innovation

Summary

This project will assess and display the use of various options to monitor crop moisture across a field. Using a number of different soil moisture monitoring options, including tensiometer, gypsum block and granular matrix, linked and unlinked to real time monitoring that will give growers an overview of technology and costings available to suit a wide range of irrigation farming systems.
The project is targeting 5 different moisture monitoring systems to be based around the site of the Southern Growers Inc demonstration farm at Finley, NSW. The aim will be to monitor a summer crop over the 21/22 season and Winter Crop 22 season. Technical Southern Growers staff and a selected set of 10 growers will be used to be part of the project team for monitoring and evaluation of the systems. Additional growers will be encouraged to monitor the project via an online web connection and provide additional feedback.
The Summer Crop typically is planted from 01/10/21 onwards and harvest around
15/04/22. This is the period for the monitoring, but preparation, installation and post crop reporting will extend this project to near 12 months. The Winter Crop will be used to gather information on suitable sowing moisture and distribution during the April/May 22 period.
Southern Growers Inc. aim to target at least 200 growers in this project with at least two demonstration days and a final report to be circulated amongst our 320 members.
The output will include a report on cost, ease of installation, ease of use, practicality for phone monitoring, accuracy, durability, and life expectancy.

Program

AgriFood Innovation

Research Organisation

Southern Growers Incorporated