Spartan irrigation management technology cuts costs, protects environment

Updated from an original article written by Alex Tekip.

More than 70 low-cost moisture monitoring systems are being installed across Midwestern farmland this year thanks to Michigan State University's Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering Irrigation Research Group.

Researchers gather around a sensor in a cornfield

by Tracy Henion, communications director, MSU Innovation Center

More than 70 low-cost moisture monitoring systems are being installed across Midwestern farmland this year thanks to Michigan State University's Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering Irrigation Research Group (BAE-Irrigation).

The Low-Cost Monitoring System (LOCOMOS) includes hardware and software to help farmers make more informed decisions about how much to irrigate and how to better manage their crops, according to Younsuk Dong, who oversees BAE Irrigation.

Climate change has been impacting the intensity and frequency of precipitation, making irrigation water and disease management more challenging.

'this technology will help farmers improve irrigation water use efficiency, reduce the potential risk of plant diseases, improve crop quality and yield, reduce water and energy costs, and maximize return on investment, said Dong, a specialist in MSU's Department of Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering.

Website: MSU Innovation Center

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