Development of an adaptive surface irrigation system

Cablegation is a simple system for automating surface irrigation in small- and medium-sized fields using a gated pipe. In this work, a Programmable Logic Control, PLC, was used to develop an adaptive cablegation system capable of establishing the infiltration equation in real time and then adjusting the irrigation times to the infiltration rate and field geometry. A controlling program was developed for the on-field determination of the infiltration equation, simulation of advance in each furrow, and the optimization and management of the irrigation event. The equipment was tested in three experimental stations, including a Luvissol field organized in contour terraces with furrows of various lengths. The results demonstrate the capability of the system to adapt the application times to the different furrow lengths and the gradual decrease in the soil infiltration and to recommend an application depth that optimizes the Application Efficiency. Various improvements were made to this solar-powered cablegation, resulting in a reliable surface irrigation system capable of unsupervised operation.