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Irrigation Considerations for Tobacco

Irrigation Considerations for Tobacco. by George Duncan & Richard Warner Ext. Agr. Engrs. Biosystems & Agr. Engr. Dept. UK Coll. of Agri., Coop. Ext. Service. For presentation at TOBACCO EXPO 2003 Jan. 22, 2003 Lexington KY. Why increasing interest? Meet Quota, Financial Obligations

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Irrigation Considerations for Tobacco

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  1. Irrigation Considerations for Tobacco by George Duncan & Richard Warner Ext. Agr. Engrs. Biosystems & Agr. Engr. Dept. UK Coll. of Agri., Coop. Ext. Service For presentation at TOBACCO EXPO 2003 Jan. 22, 2003 Lexington KY

  2. Why increasing interest? • Meet Quota, Financial Obligations • Top Quality, Grade • Market Needs, Contract… • Emergency Bail-out? Or Planned Management? • Insurance or Investment? • Buy it, Use when disaster; Not likely profitable… • Invest wisely; manage for profit… • Frequency of Dry Years… • Two Locations • Possible / Potential Results… • Data from several studies… • Systems… • Big Guns, Travelers, Trickle… • Costs… • Annual, Long-term Benefits… Considerations:

  3. In dry weather… • any water applied helps tobacco ever how applied….. It’s a Fact: • Biggest limitation to Irrigation of Tobacco in KY? • Source of water! • Need to plan for future surface storage! (Ph. I $?) • If time runs out; you don’t follow all details… • Handouts today; on web: www.bae.uky.edu/ext Click on Tobacco Equip. & Facilities

  4. Frequency of dry years, Lexington: BAE, UKY

  5. Frequency of dry years, Bowling Green: BAE, UKY

  6. Irrigation Comparisons UK Spindletop Farm (1984) +318 +145 +233 +86 BAE, UKY

  7. Irrigation Comparisons UK Spindletop Farm (1985) -39 -15 +13 -96 BAE, UKY

  8. Irrigation Comparisons UK Spindletop Farm (1986) +696 +338 +343 +344 BAE, UKY

  9. Irrigation Comparisons UK Spindletop Farm (1987) +213 +99 +281 BAE, UKY

  10. Irrigation Comparisons UK Spindletop Farm (1988) +597 +567 +198 BAE, UKY

  11. Irrigation Comparisons (4-5 Yr. Avg.) UK Spindletop Farm: +336 +140 +118 +150 2810 2646 2636 2614 2496 BAE, UKY

  12. Irrigation Summary UK Spindletop Farm (1982-88) (Yr, Rain+Irrig, Spr., T.row, T.mid) Yield Increase by Irrigation BAE, UKY

  13. Irrigation Trials, 2001-2002Anderson Circle FarmMercer Co. 2998 2941 2843 2070 2271 2254 No. Irr. 6.3”rain No. Irr., 6.3”rain 4.8”rain,+4.5” Irr. 4.8”rain, 4.8”rain, + 7.” Irr. 6.3”rain+3 - 4 ” Irr. BAE, UKY

  14. 3252 2930 Year 2000 Trials: “… Too much irrigation especially early in the season can produce a poor root system and reduce yields..” Non Irrig. Irrigated 3397 2896 Source: G. Palmer, www.ca.uky.edu/ag/tobacco Irrigated Non Irrig. BAE, UKY

  15. Yr 2001 +1024 2711 -456 3735 2255 Non Irrigated Irrigated Raised Bed Irrigated Source: G. Palmer, www.ca.uky.edu/ag/tobacco BAE, UKY

  16. Burley Irrigation Trials, Highland Rim Exp. Station, TN Source: J. R. Buchanan, www.utextension.utk.edu/tobaccoinfo/InformationResources.htm BAE, UKY

  17. Burley Irrigation Trials, Highland Rim Exp. Station, TN +988 3259 +264 +725 3417 +171 +28 +0 2996 +423 +762 2694 3324 2271 3033 3181 3153 3153 YIELD +2.86” +3.90” +2.65” +0” +1.47” +4.16” +1.46” +1.10” R=10.71” R=4.40” Source: J. R. Buchanan, www.utextension.utk.edu/tobaccoinfo/InformationResources.htm BAE, UKY

  18. WHEW…. Can you guarantee 300-400 Lbs/Ac of yield increase every year with Irrigation???? 200 Lbs? How much?? Let’s look at some Systems, Features…. & Costs, Long term benefits…

  19. Some useful data for Sprinkler Irrigation: • Soil Water Holding Capacity: Clay 1.8-2.4 inches/ft of soil Clay-loam 2.0-2.6 “ Silt-Loam 2.0-3.0 “ Sandy Loam 1.2-1.9 “ • Infiltration (Application) Rate: Clay 0.15 inch/hour Clay-loam 0.30 “ Silt-loam 0.40 “ Sandy Loam 0.15 “ • Suggested reduction rates based on slope:slopeRate reduction 0 – 5% 0 % 6 – 8% 20% 9 – 12% 20% 13-20% 60% BAE, UKY

  20. Movable Pipe & Sprinklers:: - High labor- Lots of pipe, sprinklers…- Wet soil for moving (use skip row)- Evaporation losses (25-35%)- Foliar disease potential + Irregular shape, slope fields + Medium pressure, Hp (40-60 psi) + More uniform coverage + Medium cost, used Eq. available BAE, UKY

  21. Movable Pipe & Sprinkler Layouts:: BAE, UKY

  22. Movable Pipe & Big Guns:: - More uniform shape, slope fields- High pressure, Hp (80-100 psi)- Wet soil for moving (use skip row)- Evaporation losses (25-35%)- Foliar disease potential- Corner coverage?? + Comparable initial costs + Cover larger area/setting + Less labor to move BAE, UKY

  23. Flexible Hose & Traveling Gun:: + Cover larger rectangular areas + Lower labor + More uniform coverage than big guns - Higher initial cost, maintenance- High pressure, Hp (80-100 psi)- Field size, slope limitations- Sod or Skip rows needed- Evaporation losses (25-35%)- Foliar disease potential BAE, UKY

  24. Trickle (Drip):: • Lay tube after lay-by or ?, salvage after harvest- Annual replacement of tubing- Moderate initial cost, maintenance- Low pressure, Hp (15-30 psi)- Field elevation limitations (zones)- Proper application rate, intervals + Low pressure + Lower labor to operate + No foliar wetting (less disease?) + Reduced water needs (evapor.) + More uniform coverage (if level terrain) + Possible automation ?? Same growth, yields? BAE, UKY

  25. Tobacco Drip Irrigation Design, An Example – 5 ac • Given: 5 ac. • Field Slope = 2% downslope • Field Dimensions = 256 ft. x 850 ft. • Row Spacing = 42 inches. • One drip tape / row • Pond to field = 400 ft., Slope = 0% BAE, UKY

  26. Example layout, 5 Ac., 850’ x 256’ 1 2 3 4 BAE, UKY

  27. Example layout, 50 Ac., 850’ x 256’ BAE, UKY

  28. Tape Specs. – 5 Ac. Select 5/8 in., T-tape 8” hole sp., 0.33gpm/100ft. Amount of tape : 12,446 ft/ac. (62,230 ft. / 5 ac.) Need 9 rolls @ 7,500 ft. / row = 67,500 ft. Flow rate / ac. = 41 gpm (205 gpm / 5 ac.) Select 4 zones @ ~ 51 gpm. Emission uniformity @ 10 psi inlet and 850 ft., 2% downslope = 85%.(12-15 ft elevation change = ~ 50% change in output) BAE, UKY

  29. Pipe, Valve and Pump Size • Pipe sizes: • Header: 1 ¼ in. PE. • Submain: 2 in. PE or PVC. • Main: 2 in. PVC. • Valves: 1 ½ in. • Pump: • 52 gpm @ 50 psi (depending on filtration sys.) • 52 gpm @ 116 ft. of head. • Pump efficiency = 60%. • BHP = 2.53 • Purchase 3 HP or 2.5 HP Electric (5-7 Hp Gas.) • Filters:Screen or Disk rated for 60+ gpm flow, cleanable BAE, UKY

  30. Estimated System Costs: • Traveling Gun & Trickle • per UT Info, Handout & The Burley Tobacco Farmer, Mar. 2002, Jeremy Stull, Fm. Mgt. Spec., & Randy Womack, Ed. Item Trav. Gun Trickle 5 Acre 20 Acres5 Acre 20 AcresSystem $ (loan) $9,400 $20,150 $5,287 $8,936 Anl. Tr. Tape 1,095 4,049 Inv. Per acre $1,880 1,008 1,059 447 Anl. 219 202 Anl. Loan Pay. $2,480 $ 5,315 $1,395 $2,357 (5 Yr, 10%) Tr. Tape - - $1,095 $4,049 Total Anl. Cost $2,480 $ 5,315 $2,490 $6,406 Break-Even, Burley 354 lbs. 190 lbs 356 lbs 229 lbs BAE, UKY

  31. GAD, 1-22-03 Irrigation Cash Flow Analysis By Years & Yields

  32. Summary on Trickle: • Understand the management needs… • Use means to know soil moisture… • Know how much water is being applied… • Not an ‘emergency’ system (in my opinion) • But can be used to increase yields… • Costs/Benefits needs further study… BAE, UKY

  33. Summary on Sprinkler: • System operation well known… • Proven equipment readily available… • Used equipment can be economical purchase… • Long life with proper care… • Custom operation possible… • Resale potential… BAE, UKY

  34. Let’s hope droughts can be managed better in the future… 1983 Thanks…. Lights please… BAE, UKY

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