These systems are more commonly used because of their potential for increasing the efficiency of irrigation application and the opportunity to automate the irrigation process. This increased capability to control irrigation is expensive and must be used intelligently to realize its full potential to provide economic benefits. In addition to the requirement of good mechanical operation of the mobile irrigation systems, accurate scheduling is critical in realizing their full potential. Automated scheduling is possible with mobile irrigation systems. This method requires an accurate measurement of plant foliage temperature.
Infrared thermometers can provide an accurate remotely measured temperature.
However in a cropped field, information is needed on plant temperature variability to design a system that measures temperature that is representative of the crop foliage. This question is the basis for our study of the variability of plant temperature in an irrigated cotton field. The objective was to measure and analyze plant canopy temperatures in a field to quantify their variability for the purpose of designing a system of temperature measurement that represents the field. The rows were in a circular pattern and spaced 40-inches apart. A road bisected the field in a East to West orientation.