Digital Commons Network^™

Practical Improvements For Pivot And Surface Irrigation, Jonathan A. Holt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Irrigation is critical to meeting global food and fiber demands. Optimizing agricultural irrigation may help sustain production levels, while reducing its demand for water. This research evaluated precision sprinklers and drip irrigation for pivots, five pivot track mitigation tools, three scientific irrigation scheduling (SIS) methods, sensors for surface irrigation cutoff, and automating surface systems to implement surge irrigation. With pivots and surface irrigation being the most common methods for irrigation in the West, small improvements from these tools could result in significant water savings.

Low energy precision application (LEPA) sprinklers and mobile drip irrigation (MDI) were tested on two pivots. …

4r Nitrogen And Water Optimization Combinations For Intermountain West Field Crops, Tina Sullivan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The concept of 4R (right source, rate, placement, and timing) management needs little introduction due to the surplus of nutrient studies in the literature for most cultivated crops. However, few studies have looked at these practices in the Intermountain West with nitrogen use, and fewer looked at 4R irrigation management. A survey was conducted to explore the interactions of nitrogen and irrigation management, test sensitivity to supply and price changes of nitrogen and irrigation for Utah and Idaho growers of small grains, corn, and potatoes, and determine the current adoption of precision agriculture options and identify the opportunities to improve. …

Innovative Water Management Using Advanced Irrigation Systems And Biochar, Jonathan A. Holt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Two approaches to water optimization in agriculture are to increase soil water retention and improve the efficiency of irrigation. A soil amendment that has received attention for its ability to increase soil water retention is biochar, the remaining biomass after high C materials have been pyrolyzed (burned with limited oxygen and heat). Two studies were conducted at a total of 10 site-years in Utah from 2018 to 2020 to evaluate how wood biochar influences the productivity and crop quality of irrigated alfalfa (Medicago Sativa L.), corn (Zea mays L.), and wheat (Triticum L.), along with soil water tension. One study …

Effects Of Wi-Fi-Enabled Smart Irrigation Controllers On Water Use And Plant Health Of Residential Landscapes In The Intermountain West, Shane R. Evans

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Residential and commercial landscapes provide home and business owners with several benefits. These benefits range from improved air quality and flood control to the reduction of noise and breakdown of organic chemicals. However, these landscapes are routinely overwatered which can lead to plant disease, nutrient pollution, and large amounts of water being wasted. Utah State University, in conjunction with the Center for Water Efficient Landscaping (CWEL), the Utah Division of Natural Resources and Weber Basin Water Conservancy District, conducted an experiment to determine if Wi-Fi-enabled smart irrigation controllers conserve water as compared to average residential irrigation amounts and manually programmed …

Examination And Empirical Forecast Of Wheat Yield In Northwest India Based On Climate And Socio-Economic Factors, Avik Mukherjee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study summarizes the findings of research organized in two parts. The first part includes the impact of climate and socio-economic factors that affected wheat yield in northwest India during the 2000s. The second part focused on the forecast of average wheat yield for the two highest wheat producing states Punjab and Haryana.

Initial study focused on the impact of climate factors on wheat yield in northwest India. It has been found that above normal temperature coupled with water shortage i.e. irregular irrigation and low soil moisture contributed to the prolonged yield reduction during 2002-2010.

Next, we reviewed the socio-economic …

The Capability Of The Utah State University Drainage Farm As An Irrigation And Drainage Demonstration Project, Mario Perez

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

There are in Cache County 20,000 acres of poorly drained land similar in many respects to the other wet lands of Utah, estimated to total a half million acres, which are mostly natural meadows. In order to turn those lands more productive either for forage or other crops, adequate management practices must be developed regarding control of the surface water, leaching, reduction of artesian pressure, and improved water application techniques.

Studies carried out at the Utah State University Drainage Farm, west of Logan, Utah, which is representative of those poorly drained lands, have already shown successful ways for these areas …

Forage Yield And Chemical Composition Of An Orchardgrass-Bromegrass Pasture Mixture As Influenced By Clipping Frequency, Nitrogen Fertilization And Irrigation Regime, Vinayak G. Gawai

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The influence of agronomic practices on forage production and chemical composition of an orchardgrass-bromegrass pasture mixture was studied at the Greenville Farm, Logan, Utah, during 1960-1964. The soil is a well drained Millville Silt loam that has about a one percent slope and occurs on an alluvial fan. It is high in potash, phosphorus and calcium and is alkaline having a pH of 7.9 to 8.2.

Analysis of the clipping frequency showed that the yield of forage from four harvests was greater than from five harvests. This difference was greater on plots receiving high rates of nitrogen fertilization, and frequent …

The Effect Of Time, Quantity, And Kind Of Irrigation On The Yield Of Sugar Beets, Delos Boyd Archibald

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Investigations on factors affecting yield of sugar beets during the past two years at Newton and Garland, Utah, have shown two outstanding facts about irrigating sugar beets. First, the amount of water applied may not be as important as the time at which they receive it. Second, sugar beets should not be made to suffer for water in the early part of their growing season.

These observations suggest the need for further studies on method, time and quantity of irrigation. Further information on the most economical use of irrigation water for sugar beets would be of great value to the …

Principles Of Irrigation Farming As Developed By American Field Experiments, Prabh Dyall Sikka

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Irrigation is "the artificial application of water to the soil for the purpose of getting large and steady crop yields". It is supplementary to rainfall and the quantity of water applied and the time of application, therefore, must be determined by the character of the rainfall. Irrigation is usually practiced in those regions which have low rainfall as natural precipitation at such places is insufficient to meet the full water requirements of crops.