Sravya is harvesting the 1st high tunnel tomato!

Schedule the irrigation and monitor the plants via my phone inside and outside the high tunnel.

First harvest of green pepper at Abby in 2022!

Remote and automatic drip-mulch research at NDSU

Installed observation wells and soil moisture sensors

Smart irrigation project at Abby

Oakes automatic irrigation project

Experiments of hydroponically growing Admiral pea shoots

Admiral peas bred by Agronomy Seed Farm (ASF) of NDSU Agriculture and Extension in Casselton, ND were used in our hydroponic experiments.

The seeds were washed and socked in warm water for 5 hours.

The seeds were kept in dark for the germination. It's sprayed using room temperature water twice a day.

When seeds growing sprouts and long roots, they were moved under light for quick growing. After about two weeks, the pea shoots were ready for 1st harvesting. It may be harvested for second time.

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.

Deep Core Sampling away from the Tile to Investigate the Changes of Soil Properties

Changes in soil chemical and physical properties are determined by deep soil core sampling. A backhoe is used to completely expose the tile line during sampling. One sample is taken right above the tile and nine samples are taken at 8, 16, 32 inch away from the tile in a radial pattern. The collected soil samples from three sites will be sent to NDSU Soil Testing Lab for analysis.

Expanding Your Horizons at NDSU

Expanding Your Horizons is a nationwide organization that holds regional conferences for young women in grades 7-9 to encourage and develop their career interests in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in an effort to overcome a history of limited participation by women in these career fields. As shown in above picture, students Anne Gatzke and Hannah Bye demonstrated irrigation and drainage to 9 middle and high school girls in our research lab during the event organized by NDSU on April 9, 2016.

 

 

Crop Yield Estimation

Graduate student Qiang Li is using a corn sheller to thresh corns.

After threshing, Qiang is measuring the corn weight and moisture for yield estimation.