Development of on-demand irrigation method based on empirical knowledge of expert farmers on water stress control

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K05834
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 41030:Rural environmental engineering and planning-related
• Research Institution: Saga University
• Principal Investigator: Yuge Kozue 佐賀大学, 農学部, 教授 (70341287)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 阿南 光政 佐賀大学, 農学部, 准教授 (80782359)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 土壌水分 / 蒸発散 / 消費水量 / 畑地灌漑 / 灌漑スケジューリング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of this study is to develop irrigation method based on empirical knowledge of expert farmers on water stress control. Numerical models to clarify the water consumption environment which were used by expert famers as determining indicator for irrigation scheduling were developed. Model accuracies were verified by field experiment at crop fields, and the relationship between water consumption environment and water stress was evaluated. Using these factors as indicator, irrigation scheme of expert farmers was clarified.

Free Research Field

灌漑工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

高品質の作物の安定生産には水ストレスを適切に制御することが非常に重要であるが，作物圃場の水消費環境は極めて複雑であり，水管理のルーティン化が困難である．本研究では，土壌水分状態などの水消費環境を指標として，熟練農業者が長年の経験と勘に基づいて行っている灌漑のスケジューリングを明らかにしたことが学術的にユニークである．また，近年，農業従事者が高齢化・減少する中で新規就農の促進に向けた各種支援が行われている．本研究の成果を現場に提案することで，経験の乏しい耕作者でも安定的に作物を生産するための水管理技術を習得することが可能となり，社会的にも意義深いと言える．