Testing and Calibrating the Hunter HPC-400 irrigation controller with Soil-Clik soil moisture module

Hunter HPC-400 irrigation controller with Soil-Clik soil moisture module will be used in two projects of remote-controlled automated irrigation with mulch for the production of specialty crops in Absaraka and Oakes, ND. This experiment is designed to determine the thresholds set in the control module to start irrigation at different soil moisture levels.

A Campbell Scientific CR1000 datalogger and a AM416 multiplexer are used to monitor and record the data of soil water potential, soil moisture and soil moisture in the above mentioned experiment.

 

Creating soil moisture release curves for the Oakes and Absaraka Sites

 

                      METER HYPROP 2 (measurement range: +20hPa to -1200 hPa / -2400 hPa)

METER WP4C (measurement range: 0 to -300 MPa)

Soil Moisture Release Curve (HYPROP 2 + WP4C)

Utilizing remote-controlled irrigation for high tunnel tomato and pepper productions in ND

 

Our proposal titled "Utilizing remote-controlled irrigation for high tunnel tomato and pepper productions in ND" has been selected and funded. Above picture shows the field visit in NDSU Horticulture Research Farm in Absaraka, ND on 08/26/2020.

The high tunnel to be used for the project.

Preparation for the automated irrigation for commercial production of watermelon, squash, and muskmelon cultivars in Oakes

 

Our proposal titled "Automated irrigation for commercial production of watermelon, squash, and muskmelon cultivars in Oakes" has been selected and funded. During the visit in NDSU Oakes Irrigation Research Site on  09/28/2021, Dr. Thomas Scherer checked the flow rate and pressure of well flow to be used for the irrigation. A Panametrics ultrasonic flow meter was used in the flow measurement.

It's time to harvest

 

                             Watermelons from the research plot were harvested for quality analysis.

Watermelons from the buffer row were harvested to distribute in the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, NDSU.

Congratulations! Uday's first paper has been accepted for publication.

 

Automated Drip Irrigation with Mulches for the Tomato and Watermelon Production in North Dakota 2019-2020

Seeds Sangria Hybrid Watermelon and Hybrid Determinate Tomatoes Celebrity F1) grew in NDSU Agricultural Experiment Station (AES) Research Greenhouse Complex.

A subcompact raised bed mulch layer had been used to lay the mulches and drip tapes underneath simultaneously.

A complete randomized split plot design in 2020. This two-year field experiment was conducted in a research farm located in the southwest corner of NDSU campus. Two irrigation control boxes were used for the watermelon and tomato separately.

Four irrigation control settings were in each control box for the plots of clear plastic, black plastic, landscape fabric and no mulch. The Hunter node 100 was to control the start/end time and duration of irrigation. The plot soil moisture signal read by the Irrometer watermark electronic module (WEM-B) was to compared with the desired wet/dry level to determine if irrigation should be triggered. A flow meter with a datalogger was to record the irrigation flow data.

Five watermelon or six tomatoes were planted in each 25ft long plot with two parallel drip tapes installed.

Cameras were installed to monitor the growth and dataloggers in the white enclosures were to record the soil water potentials and temperatures in the plots.

Field visit and discussion.

Harvested watermelon and tomatoes to be tested in lab.