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Master Irrigator Program Educates and Enables Georgia Farmers to Increase Rate of Soil Moisture Sensor Technology for Irrigation Scheduling

Extension Education

Phillip Edwards
Area Water Agent
University of Georgia
Ocilla

Abstract

Producers being trained through the Master Irrigator Program are gaining valuable information and experience in managing irrigation applications on their farms and therefore, changing the way they decide to manage irrigation. This programming with county agent and educator collaboration has allowed agricultural producers to gain experience and comfort with newer technologies. Irrigating without an irrigation scheduling method can have a significant impact on crop yield, irrigation water use efficiency, and water consumption. In 2018, only 11 percent of Georgia producers reported that they were using soil moisture sensors. The UGA Extension Ag Water team received a seed grant to begin the Master Irrigator Developmental Program in Georgia, which has led to fifty-seven farmers completing training in thirty-one counties on irrigation water management using new technologies from 2023-2025. The Master Irrigator Developmental Program was designed to train irrigation managers, and agents on advanced irrigation scheduling methods through multiple avenues including indoor seminars, in field one-on-one training, and guidance throughout the growing season. Participants were surveyed before and after participation concerning their preferred methods of irrigation scheduling. Prior to participating in the program, fifty-five percent of responses were assuming irrigation scheduling decisions on either visible plant stress or feel of soil, both of which are not reliable-scientific methods. The post survey showed a fifty-nine percent reduction in the utilization of non-scientific methods such as feel of soil and visible plant stress in future irrigation scheduling procedures. Through this program’s yearlong training, surveying showed after course completion ninety eight percent were most comfortable with soil moisture sensors as their chosen tool for management. With utilization of the knowledge gained and innovative technologies in the field, these producers are irrigating crops when the crops need moisture, and state water resources are being utilized 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.

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Authors: Phillip Edwards, Holly Anderson, Savannah Beasley, John Bennett, Derrick Bowen, Will Brown, Jay Capasso, Scott Carlson, Blake Carter, Cale Cloud, Cliff Collins, Braxton Crews, Michasia Dowdy, Jason Edenfield, Mark Frye, Ross Greene, David Hall, Brian Hayes, Jeremy Kichler, Daniel Lyon, Jason Mallard, Seth McAllister, Jennifer Miller, Wes POrter, Steven Powell, Colby Royal, Pam Sapp, Ashley Smith, Aubrey Shirley, Lauren Stanley, Rocky Tanner, Savannah Tanner, Bill Tyson, Tanner Wilson, Peyton Sapp, Jacob Kalina
  1. Edwards, P. Area Water Agent, UGA Extension SW District, Georgia, 31774
  2. Anderson, H. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 31774
  3. Beasley, S. Area Water Educator, UGA Extension, Georgia, 31793
  4. Bennett, J. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 31079
  5. Bowen, D. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 31014
  6. Brown, W. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 31513
  7. Capasso, J. Regional Specialized Agent Water Resources, Univ. of Flordia, Florida, 32060
  8. Carlson, S. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 31791
  9. Carter, B. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 31021
  10. Cloud, C. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 39828
  11. Collins, C. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 30830
  12. Crews, B. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 31824
  13. Dowdy, M. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 31643
  14. Edenfield, J. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 30436
  15. Frye, M. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 31545
  16. Greene, R. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 30417
  17. Hall, D. Area Water Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 31014
  18. Hayes, B. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 31730
  19. Kichler, J. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 31788
  20. Lyon, D. Food Crop Horticulture Agent, Clemson University, South Carolina, 29135
  21. Mallard, J. Area Water Agent, UGA Extension SE District, Georgia, 30460
  22. McAllister, S. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 39842
  23. Miller, J. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 31539
  24. POrter, W. Professor Extension Specialist, UGA Extension State Staff, Georgia, 31793
  25. Powell, S. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 30457
  26. Royal, C. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 31055
  27. Sapp, P. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 30434
  28. Smith, A. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 31533
  29. Shirley, A. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 30453
  30. Stanley, L. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 30445
  31. Tanner, R. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 31096
  32. Tanner, S. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 30401
  33. Tyson, B. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 30458
  34. Wilson, T. County Extension Educator, UGA Extension, Georgia, 31788
  35. Sapp, P. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 30830
  36. Kalina, J. County Agent, UGA Extension, Georgia, 31643