Assessing the financial and environmental impacts of precision irrigation in a humid climate

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dc.contributor.authorEl Chami, D.
dc.contributor.authorKnox, Jerry W.
dc.contributor.authorDaccache, Andre
dc.contributor.authorWeatherhead, E. K.
dc.date.accessioned2019-05-17T09:09:20Z
dc.date.available2019-05-17T09:09:20Z
dc.date.issued2019-03-29
dc.description.abstractPrecision agriculture is increasingly used where in-field spatial variability exists; however, the benefits of its use in humid climates are less apparent. This paper reports on a cost-benefit assessment of precision irrigation with variable rate technique (VRI) versus conventional irrigation, both compared to rainfed production, using a travelling hose-reel irrigator fitted with a boom on onions in eastern England. Selected environmental outcomes including water savings and CO2e emissions are evaluated. The modelled precision irrigation system, which responds to soil variability, generates better environmental outcomes than the conventional system in terms of water savings and reduced CO2e emissions (22.6% and 23.0% lower, respectively). There is also an increase in the ‘added value’ of the irrigation water used (£3.02/m3 versus £2.36/m3). Although precision irrigation leads to significant financial benefits from water and energy savings, these alone do not justify the additional equipment investment costs. However, any changes in yield or quality benefits, equipment costs or greater soil variability than on this site would make investment in precision irrigation more viable.en_UK
dc.identifier.citationEl Chami D, Knox JW, Daccache A and Weatherhead EK. Assessing the financial and environmental impacts of precision irrigation in a humid climate. Horticultural Science (Czech Republic), Volume 46, Issue 1, 2019, pp. 43-52en_UK
dc.identifier.issn0862-867X
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.17221/116/2017-HORTSCI
dc.identifier.urihttp://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/14175
dc.language.isoenen_UK
dc.publisherCzech Academy of Agricultural Sciencesen_UK
dc.rightsAttribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International*
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/*
dc.subjectvariable rate irrigationen_UK
dc.subjectspatial soil variabilityen_UK
dc.subjectenvironmental impacten_UK
dc.subjectcost-benefit analysisen_UK
dc.titleAssessing the financial and environmental impacts of precision irrigation in a humid climateen_UK
dc.typeArticleen_UK

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