Performance of an automatic irrigation system through the soil-water tension

In precision irrigation, conservation of energy and water savings can be achieved efficiently by improving the control strategy of the irrigation system. The study aimed to evaluate the performance of an automated irrigation system through the soil water tension. The experiment was conducted in Limoeiro, Ceara, using Pacovan Ken, irrigated by micro sprinklers. An automatic closed-loop control, consisting of sensors, multiplexer, a data logger and a charge controller was used to monitor the stresses of soil water and irrigation control, activating a pump when the tension reached the pre - established for each treatment. The treatments consisted of irrigation start when the tension of the water in the root zone of the culture (0-0,4 m) reached 15, 30, 45 and 60 kPa. The automated system showed deficiency in some aspects, causing the application of water deficit and excess, which adversely affected crop yield. However, when the sensors worked perfectly proved a very practical system.