Does it really matter when growers irrigate their crops?

Newswise — March 25, 2019 – Water is a vital part of healthy plant growth. But water also needs to be carefully managed for best crop growth. The March 22 Sustainable, Secure Food blog explains how researchers and growers are finding the best irrigation plans for their fields, and what a home gardener can do, too.

“The amount of moisture available at the different growth stages can affect how well the plants grow, their resistance to disease, and the yield of the crop,” writes Jessica A. Torrion, Montana State University. “So farmers need to manage when they irrigate just as much as when they harvest!”

Torrion describes considerations for deciding when, and how much, to irrigate. “The reproductive stage for crops refers to when they flower, but also includes the seed- or grain-filling stage. It is within these stages where the crop demands water at the highest. Water demands can even vary depending on how dry the day is—as influenced by sunlight, wind speed, and temperature,” she writes. “Of course, in many locations, water is limited. So, that’s why scientists study the timing of irrigation and yield results. Farmers then apply this information to make best decisions for their fields.”

As for home gardeners, Torrion applies her field expertise to tomatoes: “Too much water can be a problem. My tomato plants can get so big, with large leaves, I can’t catch up with watering especially when the day is so hot and dry,” she says. “It might be a better idea for me to allow my tomatoes to have less water at the initial growth stage–and then the smaller plants will have a more steady use of water while I’m at work!”

To read the complete blog, visit Sustainable, Secure Food at https://sustainable-secure-food-blog.com/2019/03/22/does-it-really-matter-when-growers-irrigate-their-crops.

This blog is sponsored and written by members of the American Society of Agronomy and Crop Science Society of America. Our members are researchers and trained, certified professionals in the areas of growing our world’s food supply, while protecting our environment. They work at universities, government research facilities, and private businesses across the United States and the world.