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Irrigation System Simulator for Small Plot Chemigation Research

Author:
Sumner, H. R., Threadgill, E. D., Young, J. R., Cochran, D. L.
Source:
Applied engineering in agriculture 1989 v.5 no.1 pp. 35-39
ISSN:
0883-8542
Subject:
agricultural engineering, chemical treatment, chemigation, crops, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, irrigation systems, liquids, nematicides, nutrients, pumps
Abstract:
An irrigation simulator was developed for small plot irrigation and chemigation research. The simulator was designed as a linear move system to simulate water rates (2.5 to 25 mm) of any section of a center pivot system. Water rates are selected by a combination of nozzle orifice diameter, nozzle spacing, water pressure, and transport velocity. Metering pumps inject liquid chemical treatments into two manifolds that carry water and treatment to two 4.6-m spray boom sections located in tandem on a 10.7-m truss. The system successfully chemigated plant nutrients, herbicides (pre- and post-emergence), fungicides, insecticides, and nematicides to a wide variety of crop species. The data were invaluable for determining preliminary information for chemigation research on center pivot systems.
Agid:
5886113