Irrigation scheduling and supervisory control and data acquisition system for moving and static irrigation systems

An apparatus for managing irrigation of plants comprising:

• a) one or more infrared thermometers effective for measuring plant canopy temperature in two or more target control areas and at least one reference area;
• b) a microprocessor for recording plant canopy temperature measurements, and calculating therefrom the diel progression of the plant canopy temperature change and a cumulative water stress index for each of said control areas, wherein said microprocessor is further effective for comparing said water stress index to a threshold water stress index value;
• and
• c) a register operatively connected to said microprocessor effective for accumulating units of water stress index in response to said microprocessor;
• wherein said microprocessor is also effective for comparing the accumulated units of water stress index in said register to a set-point value.

A method for managing the irrigation of plants comprising:

• a) mapping a geographical area subject to irrigation into two or more target control areas;
• b) determining a diel progression of a plant canopy temperature change, Ts, for each of said control areas comprising:
• 1) measuring and recording the mean canopy temperature, Trmt,t, of plants in each of said control areas over a time interval, τ, during a daylight time, t+nτ, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 0;
• 2) estimating a diel series of surface temperature of well-watered plants, Tref, using an iterative solution of the energy balance equations with a species-specific canopy resistance value at each said time, t+nτ;
• and
• 3) estimating the diel progression of surface temperature of each said control area at each said time, t+nτ;
• c) determining a water stress index value, WSI, for each of said control areas at each said time, t+nτ;
• d) comparing each of said WSI values for each of said control areas to a threshold water stress index value, WSIe—psp, wherein said WSIe—psp, is specific for said plant in said geographic area, and
• 1) for each of said WSI which is greater than or equal to said WSIe—psp, adding a unit to a WSI register to provide an integrated WSI, WSIe—i orWSIe—t, for each said control area;
• e) comparing said WSIe—i or WSIe—t for each of said control areas to an encoded set-point value, WSIe—ip, for a predetermined time period, and generating an irrigation signal for irrigation, or automatically initiating irrigation, of any control area wherein said integrated WSI is greater than or equal to said WSIe—ip.