From 2020 to 2024, our team conducted field research to better understand how irrigation management can be improved for crop production on Minnesota’s irrigated sandy soils. The study was designed to evaluate how different irrigation strategies affect crop water use, yield, and overall water productivity under real field conditions. Research was conducted at multiple field sites representing irrigated agricultural systems in Minnesota, with a focus on understanding when additional irrigation improves crop performance and when it may no longer provide meaningful yield benefits. The main findings showed that crop response to irrigation depends strongly on seasonal rainfall, soil water-holding capacity, crop growth stage, and total water availability. In some years, irrigation helped reduce crop water stress and supported higher yields, while in other years, rainfall and stored soil moisture met much of the crop demand. These results highlight the importance of using data-driven irrigation scheduling rather than applying water based only on fixed routines. Detailed results, figures, and site-specific findings will be added as the project report is finalized.
Study period: 2020–2024
Research Team: Vasudha Sharma, Yuxin Mioa, Fabian Fernandez
Funding: Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council (AFREC)