A decision support tool for managing precision irrigation with center pivots

A soil moisture sensor-based variable rate irrigation (VRI) decision support system was developed and tested to quantify the potential of integrated VRI with advanced irrigation scheduling driven by soil moisture sensor data. The decision support system consists of a wireless soil moisture sensing array, a web-based user interface and a VRI-enabled center pivot irrigation system. The soil moisture sensing array was installed to monitor soil moisture within delineated irrigation management zones. At the interface, the soil moisture data were used by an irrigation scheduling tool running in the background to develop irrigation scheduling recommendations by zone. The recommendations were then downloaded to the VRI controller on the center pivot as a precision irrigation prescription.