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Posts From Drew Gholson, Irrigation Specialist

Tillage Study on Sealing Soils Results look Promising. Updated

🕔05:25, 19.Jun 2015

Here are the results of one of our tillage studies where we tilled the middles with a parabolic anhydrous knife at layby in soybeans vs an untilled check.  The moisture sensors had been in the ground for a number of

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Understanding Surge Valve Setup Updated

🕔20:42, 9.Jun 2015

We are having lots of questions concerning the proper set up of surge valves. First,   please consider some of the basic terminology associated with furrow irrigation with surge valves. We encourage you to visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46sSLFBUrh8       and view the video

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New Data Available on Sealing Soils

New Data Available on Sealing Soils Updated

🕔10:34, 5.Jun 2015

If you farm old traditional cotton soils, most likely you have recognized that irrigation water tends to run down the row, racing to the tail ditch.  If you have noticed this, you have a “sealing soil”.  If you are using

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Watermark Sensors, Calculating Soil Moisture for Irrigation Initiation. Updated

🕔10:34, 5.Jun 2015

With irrigation season ramping up quickly, Mississippi State University Extension Service has lots of expertise and programs available to assist with your needs. One tool that we are using to better assess soil moisture and schedule appropriate irrigation is Watermark™

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Identification of Sealing Soils Updated

🕔10:11, 20.May 2015

Surface sealing in the Mississippi Delta typically occurs in soils that have a low clay and organic matter content but have a high silt fraction, i.e., most of our silt loam soils. Surface sealing, from an irrigation management standpoint, is

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Moisture Sensor’s Role in Irrigation Initiation.

Moisture Sensor’s Role in Irrigation Initiation. Updated

🕔14:54, 19.May 2015

Last week Dr. Eric Larson wrote an excellent article dealing with corn irrigation initiation.  At that time, a few growers had already begun to irrigate.  Dr. Larson stressed the importance of accurately assessing soil moisture verses leaf wilting when determining

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Soil Moisture Sensor Field Days Updated

🕔10:49, 11.May 2015

Mississippi State University Extension is in the process of planning two soil moisture sensor field days for Summer 2015.  Attendee will view demonstrations and presentations of the agronomic advantages of utilizing soil moisture sensors to trigger row crop irrigation presented

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Now is the Time to Prepare for Pipe Planner! Updated

🕔10:29, 13.Apr 2015

Pipe Planner offered free to farmers! Delta Plastics is committed to reducing irrigation water use within the Mississippi Delta by 20 percent by the year 2020. Delta Plastics has offered to provide the company’s irrigation management software, Pipe Planner, free

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Should I Convert to Pipe Planner?

Should I Convert to Pipe Planner? Updated

🕔07:16, 12.Feb 2015

Pipe Planner offered free to farmers! Delta Plastics is committed to reducing irrigation water use within the Mississippi Delta by 20 percent by the year 2020. Delta Plastics has offered to provide the company’s irrigation management software, Pipe Planner, free

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2015 Riser Participants Needed.

2015 Riser Participants Needed. Updated

🕔19:50, 9.Feb 2015

The RISER program is designed to assist producers in reducing water use while maintaining yield and profitability. Growers participating in the RISER program agree to allow  the MSU researcher to manage the irrigation decisions on one field while the producer

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Pipe Planner Instructional Videos Updated

🕔11:20, 3.Feb 2015

“Pipe Planner is a free, user-friendly, web based application designed to help farmers create the most efficient poly tube irrigation system for their crops,”says Chris DeClerk of Delta Plastics.  To assist Mississippi growers in the implementation of Pipe Planner, Lee

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2014 Mississippi State University RISER Program Results

2014 Mississippi State University RISER Program Results Updated

🕔08:32, 9.Dec 2014

The Row-Crop Irrigation Science and Extension Research (RISER) was developed as a science based approach to evaluating irrigation Best Management Practices (BMPs) here in the Delta. The RISER program is designed to assist producers in reducing water use while maintaining

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Irrigation Summit Scheduled for December 10th in Stoneville Updated

🕔08:49, 4.Dec 2014

Delta area producer and landowners don’t want to miss the Dec. 10, 2014 Irrigation and Water Conservation Summit at the Capps Center in Stoneville, Miss. The event will begin at 9:30 a.m. and will conclude at 3:20 p.m. Lunch will

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2014 AWD Trial Summary Updated

🕔10:39, 20.Nov 2014

Last summer we discussed the potential benefits of properly managing and irrigating multiple inlet rice fields. The advantages of multiple inlet include rapid flood establishment, reduced N loss, and more precise and easier flood control.  The greatest advantage of multiple

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Preparing for Flow Meter Reporting Deadline Updated

🕔11:00, 13.Nov 2014

We received a phone call this morning from a Delta grower requesting assistance with his flow meter readings.  Before the weather turns wet and cold, he had decided to collect the data from his well’s flow meters for reporting by

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Identifying Soils that “Seal” and Improving Irrigation Application Efficiency in “Sealing” Soils Updated

🕔09:44, 4.Sep 2014

  This summer we had multiple conversations with producers that either irrigated or had significant rainfall events on their field, but the soil moisture sensors below the 6 inch depth never “detected” the irrigation or rainfall event (see https://www.mississippi-crops.com/2014/06/26/is-my-soil-moisture-sensor-broke/ ).

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2014 Preliminary Side Inlet/Intermittent Irrigation Results

2014 Preliminary Side Inlet/Intermittent Irrigation Results Updated

🕔10:54, 15.Aug 2014

This week I thought I would share with you the progress of our rice irrigation studies. This summer we have three producer “on farm” irrigation trials. Each producer agreed to irrigate his field conventionally through levee gates, via side inlet,

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Another Surge Valve Experience! Updated

🕔10:47, 1.Aug 2014

This week we encountered another issue with a surge valve. After irrigating with a surge valve the producer noted that neither the 6” nor 12” sensors responded to the irrigation. When investigating the problem it appeared that the grower had

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“It ain’t over till it’s over!” / Turnrow Talks Updated

🕔10:18, 21.Jul 2014

“It ain’t over till it’s over!” Amazing as it seems, several producers have not laid poly pipe. After the five plus inches of rainfall we received last week, some producers are questioning the need to lay pipe this late in

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Surge Valve Issues and Gleanings.

Surge Valve Issues and Gleanings. Updated

🕔07:31, 11.Jul 2014

This past week we encountered the following situation. A Grower irrigated a silt loam field utilizing a surge valve. When he checked his moisture probes neither the 6” nor the 12” Watermark™ sensor had moved. What’s going on? After careful

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It’s okay to let it down! Updated

🕔14:59, 8.Jul 2014

It’s okay to let it down! Defining proper flooding of rice can be somewhat challenging depending who you talk to. One thing is for sure, to take advantage of the cost saving of straight levees and multiple inlet rice production,

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Programing a Surge Valve Updated

🕔10:30, 26.Jun 2014

We are having lots of questions concerning the proper set up of surge valves. First,   please consider some of the basic terminology associated with furrow irrigation. We encourage you to visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46sSLFBUrh8       and view the video before continuing. Phases

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Economic Benefits of Properly Managing Multiple Inlet Rice Irrigation

Economic Benefits of Properly Managing Multiple Inlet Rice Irrigation Updated

🕔08:51, 26.Jun 2014

With water being one of the most expensive inputs of the rice producer, utilizing methods to limit the amount of water used makes economic sense. Adoption of multiple inlet irrigation has allowed producers to reduce water consumption. Water use with

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Is My Soil Moisture Sensor Broke?

Is My Soil Moisture Sensor Broke? Updated

🕔07:43, 26.Jun 2014

The importance of soil moisture sensors is becoming more evident as we continue forward this growing season. Today (Monday, June 16th), we received a call regarding sensor readings that were assessed early this morning. The following are the data discussed in this scenario.

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How to Use Watermark Sensors to Assess Soil Moisture and Schedule Irrigation

How to Use Watermark Sensors to Assess Soil Moisture and Schedule Irrigation Updated

🕔00:37, 21.Jun 2014

Row crop irrigation needs are ramping up and one of the tools we can use to better assess soil moisture is Watermark sensors. This article describes how to analyze the data generated by sensors to help you better schedule irrigation.

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