Abstract: The present invention provides an irrigation system that includes a control system for determining whether to apply an applicant to an agricultural field. In an implementation, the control system includes memory operable to store one or more modules and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is operable to execute the one or more modules to cause the processor to receive one or more signals representing a microbe characteristic from a soil sensor. The processor is also operable to determine whether to apply an applicant (i.e., water having a concentration of a biological or a microbe therein) to a soil based upon the microbe characteristics and to initiate operation of the irrigation assembly to apply the applicant to the soil in response when the soil requires the applicant.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for combining the use of near real-time and/or real-time data acquired from an array of single purpose or integrated sensors mounted on a mechanized irrigation machine. According to a preferred embodiment, the integrated sensor of the present invention preferably provides for the collection of a variety data. According to a further preferred embodiment, the integrated sensor suite of the present invention may preferably include internally mounted sensors within a common housing which preferably includes a spectrometer, a radiometer and sensors to measure temperature, rainfall, relative humidity and barometric pressure. According to a further preferred embodiment, the number of integrated sensors mounted on a mechanized irrigation machine may preferably be determined based on a detected number of management zones and/or a detected location.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method which includes a crop/soil analysis module which analyzes data collected and feeds the machine learning module, from one or more sources including imaging data from UAVs, satellites, span mounted crop sensors, in situ field and weather sensors. According to a further preferred embodiment, aerial data is combined and overlaid with span mounted sensor data in near real-time to generate irrigation management recommendations. According to a further preferred embodiment, the span mounted sensors may preferably provide field specific data of current field conditions and may preferably use the system's analytics to calculate crop water use and crop water stress index. According to a further preferred embodiment, vegetation indexes may preferably be calculated as checks against the values calculated from the aerial data and to provide information if cloud cover or other atmospheric interference is present.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method which includes a machine learning module which analyzes data collected from one or more sources such as UAVs, satellites, span mounted crop sensors, direct soil sensors and climate sensors. According to a further preferred embodiment, the machine learning module preferably creates sets of field objects from within a given field and uses the received data to create a predictive model for each defined field object based on detected characteristics from each field object within the field.

Abstract: To address the shortcomings presented in the prior art, the present invention provides a system and method to provide improved irrigation management through the detection of fast neutrons. According to a preferred embodiment, the fast neutron detector of the present invention includes a 4-He based noble gas detector, a power source, a signal processing circuit, and a resistor in series with a preamplifier and a shaping amplifier to produce a processed signal. According to a further preferred embodiment, the present invention preferably further includes a signal channel analyzer and a pulse counter/rate meter. According to a further preferred embodiment, the present invention includes a controller which receives a count of detected fast neutrons and translates the detected number of fast neutrons into an irrigation map indicating the required levels of irrigation needed for selected areas of a given field based on the detected moisture levels.

Abstract: An irrigation system is disclosed that includes a control system for determining whether to apply a soil conditioning agent to an agricultural field is disclosed. In an implementation, the control system includes memory operable to store one or more modules and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is operable to execute the one or more modules to cause the processor to receive one or more signals representing a soil moisture characteristic from a soil sensor. The processor is also operable to determine whether to apply a soil conditioning agent to a soil based upon the soil moisture characteristic and to initiate operation of the irrigation assembly to apply the soil conditioning agent to the soil in response when the soil requires the soil conditioning agent.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a controlled on-demand irrigation system. In an implementation, the on-demand irrigation system includes a control device configured to control supply of an aqueous solution and semi-porous supply lines. The semi-porous supply lines have a porosity characteristic configured to be altered when acted upon by a surfactant root exudates to permit a flow of the aqueous solution therethrough. The control device is configured to cause injection of the aqueous solution upon a determination that an amount of aqueous solution within the semi-porous supply lines is below an aqueous solution threshold.

Abstract: A method for irrigating and fertilizing rice using a sprinkler irrigation system. The method includes the steps of providing a sprinkler irrigation system, determining an amount of water to be applied to the rice, determining an amount of fertilizer to be applied to the rice, and applying the water and fertilizer to the rice through the sprinkler irrigation system. Depending upon rainfall, the irrigation water may be applied to the rice an average of about one to two times per week between its planting and emergence, about two to three times per week between its emergence and its panicle initiation stage, about three to five times per week between its panicle initiation stage and its initial ripening stage, and about three to four times per week between the rice's initial ripening stage and its harvest.

Abstract: A method for irrigating and fertilizing rice using a sprinkler irrigation system. The method includes the steps of providing a sprinkler irrigation system, determining an amount of water to be applied to the rice, determining an amount of fertilizer to be applied to the rice, and applying the water and fertilizer to the rice through the sprinkler irrigation system. Depending upon rainfall, the irrigation water may be applied to the rice an average of about one to two times per week between its planting and emergence, about two to three times per week between its emergence and its panicle initiation stage, about three to five times per week between its panicle initiation stage and its initial ripening stage, and about three to four times per week between the rice's initial ripening stage and its harvest.

Abstract: A liquid suspension distribution system is provided which is essentially a conventional center pivot irrigation system, but which has the innermost sprinkler guns sequenced by way of a programmable logic control. The innermost sprinkler guns are sequenced on and off by the programmable logic controller so that an even distribution of the liquid manure or the like is achieved on the field.