EPAMIG project tests Low-Cost Irrigation technique in the Jaíba region

A project led by the Agricultural Research Company of Minas Gerais (EPAMIG) seeks to evaluate ideal and economically viable irrigation conditions that can be adopted by banana farmers in the Jaíba Irrigated Perimeter. The work, coordinated by the researcher, João Batista Ribeiro S. Reis, with sub-coordination by the extensionist from Emater-MG in Mocambinho, Igor Paranhos Caldas, has as its main objective to establish indicators for the optimum irrigation depth and time.

The evaluations consider the phenological cycle of the banana crop and the implementation of low-cost equipment (sensor) to carry out management and detect the need for irrigation. “The porous capsule is installed in the soil at the depth of the root system and enters water balance with the soil within a few hours. When measuring the state of the water, if the soil is wet, the air passage through the porous capsule is blocked. That is, water does not enter the tub because air does not leave the system, which means that the soil remains sufficiently moist. On the other hand, when the soil dries and the humidity drops below a critical value, the porous capsule becomes permeable to the passage of air and the air-water meniscus moves to equalize with the water level in the flask. When this occurs, the soil must be irrigated,” explains João Batista.

To conduct the project, 24 rural banana producers who work in the Irrigation District of the city of Jaíba were selected. “We exclusively consider the banana crop, which is predominant in the region, and specifically in Mocambinho, where these farmers are established. But the idea is to adapt the results to other crops, especially fruit crops that are also grown in the region”, says the researcher.

The irrigation sensor application methodologies and how monitoring will be carried out throughout the project activities were discussed in a training held on April 20th, which included a technical lecture by researcher João Batista, from EPAMIG, and field dynamics, guided by extensionist Igor Paranhos.

“The next actions are related to the installation of sensors in the selected areas (which have already started) and the beginning of the meteorological monitoring monitoring that will serve as a comparative result to the sensor monitoring”, informs João Batista, who adds: “Among other expected results, Our goals are broad training for rural banana producers in the Jaíba irrigated perimeter and high efficiency in water application, which allows for savings on water and fertilizers and also a reduction in energy costs on properties and a reduction in environmental impacts” .

The project “Low-Cost Monitoring and Management of Irrigation in Banagroves in the Irrigated Perimeter of Jaíba” was included in the 2021 Universal Notice of Fapemig and is valid until 2024.