Irrigated agriculture constitutes the greatest consumptive water use globally, accounting 70% of current surface and groundwater withdrawals and contributing 40% of the total food production worldwide. However, in recent years have seen a significant shift (20-40%) of water resources to other sectors to support economic growth, which puts enormous pressure on agricultural water resources. At the same time, irrigated agriculture is one of the largest contributors of agricultural nitrate (N) leaching and runoff to groundwater and surface waterways. So, enhancing irrigation use efficiency measures are an important part of global efforts to best utilize this limited resource, both environmentally and economically.

This project will demonstrate the feasibility of integrated precision irrigation management systems [i.e., variable rate irrigation (VRI) system and multi-mode sensor systems] in managing on-farm irrigation scheduling and devise next-generation irrigation technology to enhance on farm crop water productivity.

Our overarching goal is to demonstrate a novel suite of existing easy-to-use and affordable technological solutions [VRI, soil electrical conductivity (soil EC), remote sensing, artificial intelligence (AI)] to stakeholders (producers, irrigation managers, commodity groups, and state agencies) that will help producers make better on-farm irrigation management decisions. Focusing on major regional cropping systems such as corn-peanut in Florida, corn-cotton in Georgia and corn-edible bean in Minnesota, a multi-disciplinary team of experts from University of Florida (UF), University of Georgia (UGA), and University of Minnesota (UMN) will collaborate to conduct on-farm demonstrations.

Addressing the challenges of agricultural water quantity and quality sustainability and environmental degradation requires the integration of precision irrigation and fertilizer technology-driven water-nutrient nexus concepts at both local and regional scales.

Advancements in precision agriculture technologies in the last two decades have enabled the site-specific application of water, fertilizer, and other field inputs such as chemicals to manage spatial and temporal variabilities within agricultural fields. Among existing techniques, variable rate, or site-specific irrigation (VRI) and fertigation (VRF) technology on a moving center pivot sprinkler irrigation system is an advanced and growing management tool that has been shown to have the potential for optimizing water use and nitrogen use efficiency.

The main goal of this proposal is to build research capacity to provide science-based data on integrated precision irrigation and nutrient management solutions and technologies (imaging sensors, IoT devices, and artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/MC)). The project will provide science-based data on the potential of integrated VRI and VRF solutions to increase water and nutrient use efficiency, thereby increasing on-farm profitability and reducing the environmental impact of agricultural activities.

Nitrate-Nitrogen (NO3-N) leaching from agricultural fields is considered one of the major contributors to groundwater contamination and degradation of natural springs in Florida (FDEP, 2018). This is more prevalent in North Florida, where current more intensive agricultural practices over deep sandy soils which are hydraulically connected to underlying Karstic Upper Floridan Aquifer (UFA) have resulted in increasing NO3-N concentration in springs within the Suwannee River Basin (SRB). These water quality challenges have led the state and local governments in the development of Best Management Practices (BMPs) to reduce the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) to nutrient losses while maintaining crop yield and competitiveness of farming operations.

Various BMPs, such as precision irrigation and fertilizer management have been proposed to reduce the nitrate leaching from agricultural fields. The 4R Nutrient Stewardship Framework promotes the application of nutrients using the right sources at the right rate, time, and place. In recent years, significant efforts have been made and are ongoing in Florida to evaluate the efficacy of the 4R approach; however, most of the research efforts were concentrated on fertilizer sources. The main goal of this study is to build capacity to provide scientific research-based precision N application and placement data and information on fundamental relationships that help farmers to make better on-farm management decisions for corn.

The Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) encompasses portions of 15 counties in North Florida. Over 9,000 row crop and vegetable growers farm ~1.4 million acres in the area, of which 142,000 acres are irrigated (FSAID, 2015; USDA 2012 Census of Agriculture).

The majority of the agronomic and vegetable crop acreage of this region are found within the Suwannee River Basin, encompassing nine counties of the Water Management District. What distinguishes the area are its deep and rapidly draining sandy soils with large areas of unconfined Floridan aquifer, providing recharge for groundwater and springs. North Florida’s deep sandy soils are excellent for vegetable and row crops production but are also vulnerable to leaching nutrients, especially nitrogen.

This multi-year project will allow the project team to collect data on the use of controlled release fertilizer (CRF) to increase understanding of nutrient use efficiency and to facilitate producer’s use of CRF on three economically important crops to the region.

Nitrate-Nitrogen (NO3-N) leaching from agricultural fields is considered one of the major contributors to groundwater contamination and degradation of natural springs in Florida (FDEP, 2018). This is more prevalent in North Florida, where current more intensive agricultural practices over deep sandy soils which are hydraulically connected to underlying Karstic Upper Floridan Aquifer (UFA) have resulted in increasing NO3-N concentration in springs within the Suwannee River Basin (SRB). These water quality challenges have led the state and local governments in the development of Best Management Practices (BMPs) to reduce the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) to nutrient losses while maintaining crop yield and competitiveness of farming operations.

Various BMPs, such as precision irrigation and fertilizer management have been proposed to reduce the nitrate leaching from agricultural fields. The 4R Nutrient Stewardship Framework promotes the application of nutrients using the right sources at the right rate, time, and place. In recent years, significant efforts have been made and are ongoing in Florida to evaluate the efficacy of the 4R approach; However, most of the research efforts were concentrated on fertilizer sources. The main goal of this study is to build capacity to provide scientific research-based precision N application and placement data and information on fundamental relationships that help farmers to make better on-farm management decisions for corn. 

The Florida Stakeholder Engagement Program (STEP), an initiative of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), is designed to promote the adoption of Best Management Practices (BMPs) in agriculture. Through friendly farm management competitions, STEP concentrates on enhancing input use efficiency and profitability, particularly in cotton and corn cultivation. These competitions serve as a platform for farmers, industry experts, and policymakers to engage in action-oriented learning and peer-to-peer exchange.

The goal is to not only improve crop management practices but also to increase the uptake of BMPs that sustain agriculture and protect water quality. This approach facilitates a collaborative environment, encouraging knowledge sharing among stakeholders and fostering innovations in cotton and corn production that are both economically viable and environmentally sustainable.