Additional Illinois News Today

Scientists propose improvements to precision irrigation Lauren Quinn University of Illinois April 29, 2021 FacebookTwitterEmail A new University of Illinois led study is identifying obstacles and solutions to improve performance and adoption of irrigation decision support tools at the field scale. URBANA — With threats of water scarcity complicating the need to feed a growing global population, it is more important than ever to get crop irrigation right. Overwatering can deplete local water s...

With threats of water scarcity complicating the need to feed a growing global population, it is more important than ever to get crop irrigation right. Overwatering can deplete local water supplies and lead to polluted runoff, while underwatering can lead to sub-optimal crop performance. Yet few farmers use science-based tools to help them decide when and how much to water their crops.