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Abstract
Irrigation is the primary active method for frost protection. In recent years, as water supplies have been stressed due to unusual freeze events in the Dover/Plant City region, the necessity to become more efficient in the management of the water resources emerged. Overwatering plants can cause several problems such as resource depletion, nutrient leaching, and increased plant diseases. In order to protect the plants, sprinkler irrigation of 0.25 inches per hour (in h-1), is recommended but alternative rates have not been tested to determine if they are effective at freeze protection.
In order to determine the impact of varying sprinkler supply pressure on application rate and sprinkler distribution uniformity, two sprinkler irrigation systems were tested at three system pressures under varying wind conditions. One of the irrigation systems was evaluated using Wade Rain impact sprinklers (WR-32) and another, using Nelson (R33). Overall, the Low Quarter Distribution Uniformity and the Coefficient of Uniformity averaged 68.8% and 76.9%, respectively for the WR-32 sprinklers system; and 69.1% and 80.6% for the R33 sprinklers system at the different system pressures tested. The application rate averaged 0.10 in h-1 for the WR-32 sprinklers; and 0.19 in h-1 for the R33 sprinklers, indicating a difference of 52.63% grater application rate for the R33 sprinklers. Work is being continued to document sprinkler performance on frost protection of strawberry.
Keywords Sprinkler irrigation – Uniformity- Low Quarter Distribution Uniformity - Strawberries - Variable pressure – Application rate.
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