View Poster Application

UGA Water Team Develops the Master Irrigator Developmental Program in the Altamaha Regional Water Planning Council Area

Extension Education

Jason Mallard
County Extension Agent
University of Georgia
Statesboro

Abstract

Irrigating without an irrigation scheduling method can be have a significant impact on crop yield and irrigation water use efficiency. In the most recent United States Department of Agriculture NASS survey 87 percent of Georgia producers consider “visible stress” and 27 percent consider “feel of the soil” when deciding when to apply an irrigation event both of which generally lead to yield and profit losses. Technology aids us in better understanding where our irrigation water ends up, whether the amount and frequency of irrigation events were sufficient.  In 2018, only 11 percent of Georgia producers reported that they were using soil moisture sensors.  The UGA Extension Ag Water team applied for and received a $75,000.00 grant through the Georgia Environmental Protection Division’s (EPD) Regional Water Councils to begin a Master Irrigator Developmental Program for Georgia. With its launch in 2023, the Master Irrigator Developmental Program began with 16 participants in the Altamaha Regional Water Planning Council funded through the EPD grant and four additional participants funded through extramural funding by Georgia’s Soil and Water Conservation Districts and other sources for a total of 20 participants during 2023. The Master Irrigator Developmental Program was designed to train irrigation managers through several avenues including indoor seminars and in field one-on-one trainings.  Seminar session trainings included irrigation systems requirements for precision application, types of equipment available for irrigation scheduling, utilizing apps for scheduling, data interpretation, sensor installation methods, field requirements for successful scheduling and cost-share for irrigation equipment.  The UGA Extension Ag Water Team assisted and trained participants on a one-on-one basis to help guide the installation of soil moisture sensors, how to interpret data and how to make informed decisions on setting irrigation trigger points. Instead of making decisions based on field observations which are not accurate, producers are now utilizing state of the art technologies to decide when to irrigate and crops are being irrigated more efficiently.

Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC

This poster is being submitted only for display at AM/PIC. Poster is not to be judged, but the abstract will be published in the proceedings.

Click to view Poster

Authors: Jason Mallard, Holly Anderson, John Bennett, Derrick Bowen, Blake Carter, Jason Edenfield, Phillip Edwards, Mark Frye, Wiley Green, David Hall, Daniel Lyon, Seth McAllister, Jennifer Miller, Steven Powell, Wesley Porter, David C. Royal, Peyton Sapp, Greg Slaughter, Rocky Tanner, Savannah Tanner, Lauren Stanley
  1. Mallard, J. Area Ag Water Extension Agent, University of Georgia Extension, Georgia, 30460
  2. Anderson, H. County Extension Agent, University of Georgia Extension, Georgia, 31750
  3. Bennett, J. County Extension Agent, University of Georgia Extension, Georgia, 31079
  4. Bowen, D. County Extension Agent, University of Georgia Extension, Georgia, 30453
  5. Carter, B. County Extension Agent, University of Georgia Extension, Georgia, 31329
  6. Edenfield, J. County Extension Agent, University of Georgia Extension, Georgia, 30436
  7. Edwards, P. Area Ag Water Agent, University of Georgia Extension, Georgia, 31793
  8. Frye, M. County Extension Agent, University of Georgia Extension, Georgia, 31545
  9. Green, W. County Extension Agent, University of Georgia Extension, Georgia, 30439
  10. Hall, D. Area Water Educator, University of Georgia Extension, Georgia, 31014
  11. Lyon, D. Area Water Educator, University of Georgia Extension, Georgia, 31793
  12. McAllister, S. County Extension Agent, University of Georgia Extension, Georgia, 39842
  13. Miller, J. County Extension Agent, University of Georgia, Georgia, 31539
  14. Powell, S. County Extension Agent, University of Georgia Extension, Georgia, 30457
  15. Porter, W. Associate Professor, University of Georgia Extension, Georgia, 31793
  16. Royal, D. County Extension Agent, University of Georgia Extension, Georgia, 31055
  17. Sapp, P. County Extension Agent, University of Georgia Extension, Georgia, 30830
  18. Slaughter, G. County Extension Agent, University of Georgia, Georgia, 31023
  19. Tanner, R. County Extension Agent, University of Georgia, Georgia, 31096
  20. Tanner, S. County Extension Agent, University of Georgia Extension, Georgia, 30401
  21. Stanley, L. County Extension Agent, University of Georgia Extension, Georgia, 30445