Irrigation Management
Calculating the timing of irrigation
Calculating the volume of Irrigation to apply
Minimising irrigation losses
Weighting
20 % Irrigation scheduled on a set cycle .
Relative Water Quality Risk
High |
Moderate |
Low |
Lowest |
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Irrigation schedule is informed by |
Irrigation schedule is informed |
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in-field indicator tools such as |
by in-field indicator tools such |
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gypsum blocks , mini pans or |
as gypsum blocks , mini pans or |
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capacitance probes in some |
capacitance probes in the |
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blocks . |
majority of blocks . |
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35 % Fixed cycle and / or fixed duration irrigation events .
Efforts made to adjust irrigation volume to match estimated crop water requirement at the time .
20 % Irrigation sets are allowed to run until all / majority of furrows are completed .
Irrigation schedule is informed by the use of infield indicator tools in the majority of blocks , and the use of crop growth models to optimise timing . Irrigation applications aim to replace a measured or modelled soil water deficit .
Irrigation monitored closely ( manual or with in-field advance sensors ) and furrows are turned off as they reach completion . Inflow rates are increased in remaining furrows to ensure all / majority of furrows get through .
Irrigation tailwater capture and reuse
Production Indicator : Estimated Crop Water Use Efficiency CWUE = TCH /( gross irrigation + effective * rainfall ) Assumes 450mm average effective rainfall
25 % The majority of irrigation tailwater is not retained on-farm ( less than 50 per cent of farm area is captured ).
Less than 5 tonnes of cane per megalitre per hectare
The majority of irrigation tailwater is retained on-farm ( tailwater from 50-90 per cent of farm is captured ).
5-7 tonnes of cane per megalitre per hectare
No irrigation tailwater leaves the farm ( tailwater from 100 per cent of farm area is captured ). Storages are equipped with adequate pumping capacity and captured tailwater is rapidly re-used in the short term ( days / weeks ).
7-9 tonnes of cane per megalitre per hectare
More than 9 tonnes of cane per megalitre per hectare
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