Crop water use research
Researching how to maximise water efficiency on farms
ADAS provides field and controlled environment research combined with advanced modelling expertise to investigate crop water use from the plant level through to farm scale. Our work is underpinned by deep knowledge of land use, soil science and crop management and physiology.
We have a long-standing track record in field experimentation, exploring how environmental factors influence water use efficiency, including
- soil type
- irrigation practices
- crop management – agro-chemicals, genotypes, nutrients, and sowing dates.
Our experts use crop modelling to explain and predict the impact of these factors, helping growers and industry partners make informed decisions to optimise water use and improve sustainability.
Irrigation modelling
Given that summer rainfall in the UK is highly variable, irrigation scheduling based on average historical conditions is no longer viable. Irrigation must be based on real-time information. This is why we developed the ADAS IRRIGUIDE model to calculate runoff, evaporation, transpiration and drainage daily using field-level information on soil type, cropping, irrigation and daily weather data.
By using this to help model the effects of specific interventions, we can find ways to reduce farm water usage without negatively affecting yields; for example, changing the irrigation from sprinkler to drip systems.
Get in touchWe can offer field experimentation on sites across the UK under different water regimes
Our experiments can include rain out shelters to simulate periods of drought and irrigation including trickle and boom irrigation. On a smaller scale, we carry out controlled environment experiments with different water regimes.
We evaluate water use and the physiological effect of different crop management techniques on crop water use efficiency and crop rooting. At a field and catchment scale, we can model the effects of different crop management factors on crop water use.
Improve you water efficiency and requirements
We can help you reduce your water footprint.
Get in touch