View Poster Application

Master Irrigator Program Leads to Increased Adoption Rate of New Technologies for Irrigation Management

Extension Education

Colby Royal
County Extension Agent
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension
Mcrae

Abstract

Irrigating without an irrigation scheduling method can have a significant impact on crop yield, irrigation water use efficiency, and water consumption. Technology aids us in better understanding where irrigation water ends up, whether the amount was sufficient, and can guide producers in setting the frequency of irrigation events.  In 2018, only 11 percent of Georgia producers reported that they were using soil moisture sensors.  The UGA Extension Ag Water team received a seed grant to begin the Master Irrigator Developmental Program in Georgia, which has led to 40 farmers being trained on irrigation water management using new technologies during the 2023 and 2024 growing seasons. The Master Irrigator Developmental Program was designed to train irrigation managers on advanced irrigation scheduling methods through several avenues including indoor seminars, in field one-on-one trainings, and guidance throughout the growing season. Participants were surveyed before and after participation concerning their preferred methods of irrigation scheduling. Prior to participating in the program, fifty-five percent of responses were either visible plant stress or feel of soil, both of which are not reliable-scientific methods.  The post survey showed a fifty-nine percent reduction in the utilization of non-scientific methods such as feel of soil and visible plant stress in future irrigation scheduling procedures. With utilization of the knowledge gained and innovative technologies in the field, these producers are irrigating crops when the crops need moisture, and state water resources are being utilized more efficiently.

Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC

This poster is being submitted only for display at AM/PIC. Poster is not to be judged, but the abstract will be published in the proceedings.

Click to view Poster

Authors: Colby Royal, John Bennett, Derrick Bowen, Will Brown, Blake Carter, Cale Cloud, Cliff Collins, Braxton Crews, Phillip Edwards, Mark Frye, Ross Greene, David Hall, Raymond Joyce, Daniel Lyon, Jason Mallard, Seth McAllister, Jennifer Miller, Wesley Porter, Pamela Sapp, Aubrey Shirley, Savannah Tanner, William Tyson, Steven Powell, Peyton Sapp
  1. Royal, C. County Extension Agent, , Georgia, 31055
  2. Bennett, J. Extension ANR Agent, University of Georgia , Georgia, 31079
  3. Bowen, D. Extension ANR Agent, University of Georgia, Georgia, 31014
  4. Brown, W. Extension ANR Agent, University of Georgia, Georgia, 31515
  5. Carter, B. Extension ANR Agent, University of Georgia, Georgia, 31329
  6. Cloud, C. Extension ANR Agent, University of Georgia, Georgia, 39828
  7. Collins, C. Extension ANR Agent, University of Georgia, Georgia, 30830
  8. Crews, B. Extension ANR Agent, University of Georgia, Georgia, 31824
  9. Edwards, P. Extension ANR Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 31793
  10. Frye, M. Extension ANR Agent, University of Georgia, Georgia, 31545
  11. Greene, R. Extension ANR Agent, University of Georgia, Georgia, 30417
  12. Hall, D. Extension ANR Agent, University of Georgia, Georgia, 31014
  13. Joyce, R. Extension ANR Agent, University of Georgia, Georgia, 31021
  14. Lyon, D. Extension Water Educator, University of Georgia, Georgia, 31793
  15. Mallard, J. Area Ag Water Agent, University of Georgia, Georgia, 30460
  16. McAllister, S. Extension ANR Agent, University of Georgia, Georgia, 39842
  17. Miller, J. Extension ANR Agent, University of Georgia, Georgia, 31539
  18. Porter, W. Extension Specialist, University of Georgia, Georgia, 31793
  19. Sapp, P. Extension ANR Agent, University of Georgia, Georgia, 30434
  20. Shirley, A. Extension ANR Agent, University of Georgia, Georgia, 30453
  21. Tanner, S. Extension ANR Agent, University of Georgia, Georgia, 30401
  22. Tyson, W. Extension ANR Agent, University of Georgia, Georgia, 30458
  23. Powell, S. Extension ANR Agent, University of Georgia, Georgia, 30457
  24. Sapp, P. Extension ANR Agent, University of Georgia, Georgia, 30830