Challenges and opportunities in precision irrigation decision-support systems for center pivots

Abstract Irrigation is critical to sustain agricultural productivity in dry or semi-dry environments, and center pivots, due their versatility ruggedness, are the most widely used irrigation systems. To effectively use pivot systems, producers require tools support decision-making on when how much water irrigate. However, currently make these decisions primarily based experience and/or limited information of weather. Ineffective systems can lead overuse resources, compromise crop productivity, directly reduce producers’ economic return as well bring negative impacts environmental sustainability. In this paper, we surveyed existing precision research from peer-reviewed literature, land-grant university extension industry products, U.S. patents. We focused four challenge areas related decision-support systems: (a) data availability scalability, (b) quantification plant stress, (c) model uncertainties constraints, (d) participation motivation. then identified opportunities address above areas: increase high spatial-temporal-resolution satellite fusion products inexpensive sensor networks scale up adoption systems; mechanistic ‘plant stress’ triggers improve decision, by explicitly considering interaction between soil supply, atmospheric demand, physiological regulation; constrain process-based statistical/machine learning models at each individual field using data-model methods for scalable solutions; develop easy-to-use with flexibility, governments’ financial incentives support. conclude review laying out our vision pivots that achieve scalable, economical, reliable, management producers.