Novel solutions to optimise irrigation management

Spoke 6, included in the National Research Center for Agricultural Technologies (Agritech) aims to introduce management models to support sustainability and resilience in agriculture, with a crucial role of water management. Several units are engaged in the acquisition of information, with field and greenhouse tests, both with traditional surveys, therefore observations and measurements in the studied environments, and with the use of sensors and remote data transfer. In parallel, models for optimizing irrigation in greenhouses and open fields are being developed or improved. Furthermore, a new hydrological model is being tested for the evaluation of crop irrigation needs at different spatio-temporal scales, with validation of the model against an independent data source on irrigation water use with national coverage. Data and models implemented will flow into a DSS for the management of irrigation both in the greenhouse and in the open field, with applications at national level.