Lilayi Farm Zambia

Alan Miller, owner of Lilayi : “I use tensiometers extensively in my centre pivot irrigation fields. At our irrigation center, we rely extensively on tensiometers with 30cm, 60cm, and 90cm probes. The 30cm probe is essential for scheduling irrigation applications, while the 60cm probe is used to assess soil storage capacity. The 90cm probe guides us in determining the appropriate amount of water to apply; if it shows an increased reading after irrigation, it indicates overwatering, prompting us to reduce the application amount on the next cycle. Although we experimented with 150cm probes, they provided readings similar to the 90cm probes, making the 90cm probes sufficient for our needs. Despite our crops' root systems reaching depths of 1 to 2 meters at maturity, they do not extract significant water unless the surface probes indicate overly dry conditions. During the rainy season, tensiometers are valuable for monitoring soil moisture, and during dry spells, they often reveal that we can delay irrigation longer than anticipated. For soybeans, a lower but more frequent application rate has proven effective.

After more than 15 years of using these tensiometers, combined with various software programs that utilize evaporation pans and other metrics, we find the tensiometers to be the most reliable tools for irrigation planning and application. They provide precise data on the soil conditions at the root system, surpassing the accuracy of other programs we have tried.”

“Irrigation is your insurance,” Miller says. Dryland corn yields between 45 and 160 bushels per acre. If the rains are late or if they stop at the wrong time, the consequences are severe. Irrigation eliminates that risk, guaranteeing not only the moisture needed for pollination and grain fill, but also that the crop gets off to a fast, uniform start so it can tap the annual cycle of heat units and sunshine.”