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Real Time Precision Irrigation with Variable Setpoint for Strawberry to Generate Water Savings
J. Caron, L. Anderson, G. Sauvageau, L. Gendron
Département des Sols et de Génie Alimentaire, Université Laval, Québec, Canada

Water is a precious resource that is becoming increasingly scarce as the population grows and water resources are depleted in some locations or under increased control elsewhere, due to local availability or groundwater contamination issues. It obviously affects strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) production in populated areas and water cuts are being imposed to many strawberry growers to save water, with limited information on the impact on crop yield. Precision irrigation technologies are becoming increasingly important on the market and offers the unique opportunity to generate some water savings. Field studies were conducted on two different years, on a very fine Hueneme sandy loam in Oxnard, California, testing different irrigation setpoints imposed using real-time wireless tensiometry for soil matric potential determination. An optimal setpoint for initiating irrigation found earlier to be around -10 kPa was imposed and resulted in maximum yield relative to a conventional irrigation management. Deficit irrigation initiating watering at about -35 kPa resulted in water savings up to 26% but caused a significant yield drop between 5% to 9%. A variable setpoint based on attempting to match the soil capacity to water supply and  plant demand was also tested as a third scenario and compared to the -10 kPa constant irrigation setpoint treatment. A 18% water saving was generated relative to the -10 kPa irrigation treatment and limited the yield decrease to 2%. While low, this decrease has a very important economic impact for growers. Indeed, decreases in expenses due to water savings did not compensate for decreased revenues due to strawberry yield drop. Additional studies should therefore be conducted to estimate this yield drop more accurately given the important financial losses associated with it.

Keyword: wireless tensiometer drip deficit irrigation strawberry horticulture
J. Caron    L. Anderson    G. Sauvageau    L. Gendron    Precision Horticulture    Oral    2018