Irrigation NZ expo showcases new remote controlled tech

There were more than 50 exhibitors showcasing new technology during the Irrigation New Zealand conference and expo in Alexandra recently. Photo: Yvonne O'Hara

Being able to control irrigation systems while away from the farm - even from a fishing boat - is now possible thanks to new and improved technology.

An expo featuring more than 50 irrigation-focused businesses was held in conjunction with Irrigation New Zealand's conference in Alexandra in April.

Deeco Services national product manager Alex Angileri said many smaller farms, vineyards and orchards were being bought up by corporations and turned into bigger units.
That meant often property managers or owners had to operate and manage and monitor multiple irrigation systems.

Deeco had the technology that allowed them to operate multiple systems from one unit or Smartphone at one location at the same time.

That meant less travelling time to stop and start the irrigation systems, and fewer labour costs.

"I have growers who want to be able to run their irrigation from their boat,'' he said.

Rainer Irrigation won the INZ's 2018 Irrigation Innovation award with their Vibra Screen system that allowed dairy effluent to be recycled and used to fertilise pasture.

It removes effluent solids larger than 1mm, with the liquid able to be applied to pasture through centre pivot irrigators.

Rainer sales representative Graeme Pile said fertigation was also becoming increasingly important.

"It gives you the four R's: right amount, right place, right time and right nutrients,'' Mr Pile said.

Lindsay New Zealand's business manager Denis Gavin said their FieldNet tool for precision variable rate irrigation systems used remote monitoring and determined water allocations where required.

Farmers entered their crop type, planting date and the system, and using historical data and weather forecasts, the system tracks the crop's forecasted water requirements.

On Farm Data managing director Andrew Neill said his software system collected and managed data from sensors already in use on the farm.

He said data collection took information from soil moisture sensors, satellites, irrigation systems, flow meter data, and weather stations and turned it into a format farmers or growers could use it to make management decisions.

Landpro's Andy Burrell used data from aerial surveys that used remote sensing, and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), which penetrated crop canopies.

It could create 3D images using a pulsed laser light, and could `see' through vegetation to create highly accurate terrain contour model images.

It could be used to show crop health, vegetation, soil, photosynthesis and moisture levels, farm mapping, water, and was also useful to view a tree's internal structures for the forestry industry.

Aqualinc was a finalist in the irrigation awards for their GeoRural GIS Database System which used Geographic information systems (GIS) functions, which helped farmers to develop and manage farm environment plans as well as survey data, climate and hydrology information.

Southern Rural Life