Steven J. Thomson, J. Ray Williford, and Daniel K. Fisher. USDA, ARS, Application and Production Technology Research, Stoneville, MS 38776
A relatively new evaporation pan called the EASY Pan, first developed at the University of Georgia, was evaluated in the Mississippi Delta for low frequency irrigation of cotton in clay soils. As a check, granular matrix soil water sensors (GMS)were placed at three depths and four stations in a 3-ha field planted in a Sharkey series clay soil. Stoneville BXN 47 was planted for the 2002 and 2003 seasons and Stoneville 4892 BR was planted for 2004. Pan use and temporal adjustment criteria were developed during the 2003 season and further evaluated using data from 2004 and the previous year (2002). Irrigation was initiated based on field manager recommendations without assistance from scheduling aids so that pan readings could be associated with the field manager's irrigation decisions. Based on subsequent analysis of sensor readings as a baseline reference, one irrigation could have been delayed and another eliminated for 2003 (a 25% water savings), and the first irrigation could have been eliminated for 2004 (a 33% water savings) if pan recommendations had been followed to schedule irrigation.
Recorded presentation