There’s not much prettier than a beautiful, green field being watered, the summer sun hitting the spray and making a rainbow that follows you as you drive past. But there’s a lot more to getting a good crop than just pumping water on your field with whatever equipment is cheapest and most readily available. Our buyers’ guide features some of the most innovative irrigation equipment on the market, custom-made for your farm’s success.
T-L Irrigation Company
(402) 462-4128
Precision Point Touch Pivot Controller Pro Version
T-L Irrigation Co. introduces Precision Point Touch Pro, an add-on board combined with a firmware upgrade that dials up simplicity, options and functionality for pivot system controls while decluttering the irrigation workspace.
The Pro board, which can be retrofitted to an existing Touch system or added as an option to a new pivot, combines into one simplified package:
- Water pump control
- Water-pressure triggered start
- Two additional auxiliary equipment controls
- Water pressure monitoring
- Detailed safety readouts for easy troubleshooting
- USB datalogging of multiple system parameters
- Load control
- Telemetry connectability
Besides eliminating the complication and expense of external hardware systems, Precision Point Touch Pro adds capabilities such as water pressure monitoring and management.
Additional auxiliary relays that allow for specific degree inputs for turn-on and shutoff make it easy to dial in precise pivot management.
McCrometer
(951) 652-6811
McMag2000
The McMag2000 has an innovative modular design, minimizing downtime by allowing quick, in-field serviceability, resulting in a low overall cost of ownership. This meter can retrofit in-field using the McPropeller’s saddle. Offering a five-year full-meter warranty, the McMag2000 is a lasting solution for your irrigation metering needs.
Dura Mag
The Dura Mag features a five-year full warranty, including batteries, and its fusion-bonded UltraLiner has a lifetime liner guarantee, eliminating the risk of delamination and liner separation. The Dura Mag comes in a flanged and wafer-style meter.
McPropeller
Since 1955, the McPropeller has been the classic flow meter chosen by the American farmer. Offered with a mechanical or digital register, the McPropeller is also compatible with a FlowConnect telemetry unit. FlowConnect automates data collection to provide accurate and reliable information for water resource management.
Ceres Imaging
(888) 704-9398
Irrigation Optimization Suite
Ceres Imaging has released a new irrigation optimization product bundle, strategically positioned to help growers make precision irrigation easier and more efficient. The new irrigation optimization solution integrates soil moisture sensors and other in-field data with Ceres’s imagery.
Integration between different technologies is the next step of the precision irrigation evolution. The irrigation optimization suite provides powerful solutions to optimize limited water sources in times of drought.
Imagery provides precise data about the health of crops across your operation. Sensors help growers see constant, real-time data for a single location of their farms.
Seeing in-field sensor data and imagery together shows the full picture of a farmer’s irrigation strategy, from application to its impact on a crop. Growers can now use Ceres Imaging’s sensor integrations to better understand the water applied to fields and spot issues, errors and discrepancies faster, putting precious time back in their day.
Valley Irrigation
X-Tec HS
X-Tec HS gives operators the option to move 10 times faster than standard pivots, completing a standard circle in just 90 minutes. Speed like this can benefit a wide variety of crops. It’s ideal for precise application during germination and for cooling high-value crops in the heat of the day. The investment in an X-Tec HS can reduce labor, equipment rentals and maintenance costs.
What takes a standard pivot 16 hours to cover it takes only 90 minutes for a pivot equipped with X-Tec HS. Valley engineered the high-speed drive in response to growers who want to reduce or eliminate many of the expenses of applying crop protectants. X-Tec HS lets growers apply them uniformly and at the proper concentration directly through the pivot.
Machine Diagnostics
Machine Diagnostics is now available when growers connect to Valley 365. This industry-leading technology provides detailed insight and alerts to changes in pivot performance and health. Through sensor-driven technology, operators can optimize the health of the pivot as it pinpoints the exact location of a fault related to alignment, tire inflation, motor and gearbox, or water application.
Machine Diagnostics monitors key components of the machine and sends an alert directly to a grower’s device when an issue occurs. No one wants to walk the pivot to see which tower is out of alignment or discover a flat tire without the right tools. With Machine Diagnostics, growers can choose what they want to monitor based on specific machines and needs.
Lindsay Corporation
(402) 829-6800
FieldNET Advisor
Save time, boost profits and enhance sustainability with FieldNET Advisor, the industry’s leading irrigation scheduling tool, with proven models for potato crops. The world’s first cloud-based irrigation scheduling tool, FieldNET Advisor delivers automated, daily irrigation recommendations, helping growers decide when, where and how much to irrigate. Gone are the days of having to manually track your crops’ development and make complex calculations to know daily water usage; leave it to FieldNET Advisor.
Toro Ag
(888) 698-6768
Tempus Automation System
The Tempus Automation system is the first in the industry to feature 4G/wi-fi/LoRa/Bluetooth technology. With longer range connectivity in real-world field conditions compared to competitive systems, growers can be confident they will spend less time setting up and maintaining their irrigation system and more time growing a healthy crop with the Tempus Automation system.
The intuitive online platform can be accessed through a computer, phone or tablet. This platform allows the user to have instant access to every controller, valve and sensor. Operators can control and monitor both the main and field valves remotely, and will be immediately alerted if any issues occur anywhere in the system through push notifications.
Tempus Automation controllers and measuring sensor devices are certified IP68 for water- and dust-proofing and powered by a nine-volt battery. Additionally, the Toro Tempus controllers and measuring sensor devices are potted, completely eliminating issues with not only items related to water or humidity intrusion, but also insect intrusion.
The base station allows growers to control valves and monitoring devices within a bubble of up to one mile. To extend the system range, additional base stations can easily be installed.
Aqua-Traxx Azul Line
Toro has expanded its precision irrigation Toro Aqua-Traxx Azul drip tape product line. The Azul line has offered growers field-proven performance since its introduction by providing superior clog resistance through an innovative emitter design, with multi-stage filters resulting in greater filtration area. Toro is the first in the industry to offer ultra-low emitter flows at such low filtration requirement rates as: 0.07 (140 mesh), 0.09 (120 mesh), and 0.10 gallons per hour (120 mesh).
Benefits of Toro’s ultra-low flow emitters and lower filtration offerings include greater distribution uniformity; lower filtration requirements; closely spaced emitter options available to develop desired wetting pattern; ultra-low flow emitters for greater control over water infiltration rates in challenging soil textures; and drastically reduced clogging risks.
SNF
(912) 884-3366
SOILPAM Tracklogs
SOILPAM Tracklogs have several benefits including increased soil moisture in the root zone, decreased soil crusting, and reduced wheel track ruts caused by center pivot irrigation systems. The Tracklog allows for longer periods of soil treatment and hangs from pivot irrigation systems, treating the soil below and reducing wheel track ruts.
Seametrics
(855) 471-5965
AG90 Magmeter
The AG90 battery-powered insertion Magmeter is an easy-to-install direct replacement for propeller meters. It offers less pipe obstruction, with no routine maintenance necessary and no moving parts or bearings to replace. The AG90 comes with Pulse Output standard, a four-year battery life, and an industry-leading five-year warranty, making it one of the best values in irrigation flow measurement.
Reinke Manufacturing
Electronic Swing Arm Corner
Reinke’s electronic swing arm corner (ESAC) technology is available for growers in the U.S. and Canada. The winner of both an AE50 award from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers and the Irrigation Association New Product People’s Choice Award for agriculture irrigation, ESAC provides highly efficient, uniform water application to increase yields under Swing Arm corners.
Dedicated to irrigation innovation, Reinke searches out ways to help growers get the most they can from their operations. With the electronic zone control of Reinke’s Swing Arm Corner (SAC), growers have been able to increase the number of irrigated acres in their fields. Combined with ESAC, they now have the technology to control sprinkler water application and virtually eliminate under- and over-watering on corners.
In field research, ESAC improved water precision application, making it a major improvement for irregularly shaped fields and corner applications on rectangular fields. With electronic zone control based on GPS positioning, ESAC then optimizes water or chemical applications to individual field specifications by controlling sprinklers utilizing either six or 12 zones.
ReinCloud and CropX
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Maximize the performance of your Reinke irrigation system with CropX and ReinCloud. By integrating the technologies and support of two industry leaders, growers are able to access soil health information with the world’s finest irrigation scheduling tools.
Built by farmers for farmers, the CropX soil monitoring sensor is far more than a tool. Each sensor leverages thousands of data points above and below ground—including soil health, crop behavior, precise weather patterns, topography maps and more. CropX auto-optimizes Reinke irrigation scheduling by reading those data points in real time to maximize yield and minimize waste.
Whether controlling 400 acres or 4,000, CropX integration through Reinke’s ReinCloud software platform creates a complete solution for understanding crops and controlling irrigation with power and precision.
From high-level data to in-depth graphs, ReinCloud + CropX crunch the numbers so growers can make informed decisions on the go, staying connected on any of your devices—smart phone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer.
Maximum H2O
(800) 263-0048
Maximum H2O Solutions
Maximum H2O transforms water into a productive, energized state. This innovative green technology transforms irrigation, spray and wash water by changing its physical structure, making it more bioavailable to the cells of plants and animals. Maximum H2O technology is university-proven to increase stand, yield, as well as irrigation performance and efficiency.
Maximum H2O improves infiltration, permeation and soil moisture retention, and reduces runoff and evapotranspiration. Growers can mobilize water and soil-bound minerals, converting them into bioavailable nutrients and improving uptake by plants while unlocking the soil. Mineral scale can be controlled naturally, keeping pumps, pipes, emitters, and equipment free of mineral scale buildup.
With the help of Maximum H2O, growers increase flow rates and distribution uniformity while reducing drift and minimizing pumping costs. They see healthier soils and higher-yielding crops while using 20% less water. Defense and tolerance against disease and drought are improved, and chemical inputs can be reduced by 10 to 30%. A full return on investment is typically realized within the first growing season.
Maximuum H2O products are easy to install and come with a 10-year warranty and two-year money-back satisfaction guarantee.
Agri-Inject, Inc.
(970) 848-5336
MacRoy Series G System
The MacRoy Series G line of metering pumps from Agri-Inject are designed specifically to provide operating efficiency and economy for large-scale fluid injection projects. MacRoy Series G Pumps are ideal for precisely applying fertilizer, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, soil amendments, acid products, wetting agents and more through an irrigation system. These high-quality pumps are engineered and constructed to handle high-viscosity fluids and non-soluble materials in slurry form with ease.
Pump Defender Oil
Pump Defender heavy-duty injection pump oil stems from the maker of the world’s most recognized and trusted chemigation and fertigation systems. Pump Defender features advanced proprietary formulas designed to keep Agri-Inject metering pumps operating properly through the season. These advanced, top-quality lubricants ensure outstanding and proven wear protection; resistance to oxidation, which prevents formation of sludge; and non-foaming, superior performance with hydraulic actuation. Combining Agri-Inject MacRoy Series G metering pumps with Pump Defender provides efficiency, accuracy and reliability when delivering vital nutrients to crops.
Sentek
(530) 488-0314
Soil Moisture Probes
Sentek manufactures soil moisture profile-monitoring probes that measure soil moisture, temperature and salinity for agriculture and environmental research. Sentek probes were designed to collect data in a soil profile format delivering accurate root-zone volumetric water content, which allows farmers to determine infiltration rates and accurately determining irrigation run times. Sentek has been leading the world for precision measurement and management of water and salinity dynamics in the soil profile. Sentek is focused on the provision of high-quality, durable and reliable products with the most accurate soil moisture monitoring solution.
Dragon-Line
(844) 424-3724
Dragon-Line Drip Irrigation
Adapted from the same concept as mobile drip irrigation, Dragon-Line is transforming pivot irrigation through drip technology. Dragon-Line patented technology combines the efficiency of surface drip irrigation, with the flexibility and economics of mechanized irrigation systems.
Dragon-Line is orange drip line tu bing co-extruded from a blend of high-quality PE resin. The pressure-compensating emitters are continuous self-flushing, welded to the internal wall of the drip line, and fully operation at 7 PSI. Dragon-Line emitter tubing is attached to Dragon Flex hose, which drags completely on the soil surface, thus the name “Dragon-Line.” As DragonLine is pulled behind the system, the emitters deliver a uniform water pattern across the full length of the irrigated area. This process significantly reduces evaporation and soil compaction and eliminates wind drift.
Nelson Irrigation Corporation
(509) 525-7660
Nelson Family of Products
Vast differences in crops, soils, farming practices and climatic conditions, along with regional differences in the availability of water and energy, require an array of sprinkler performance characteristics. Nelson Irrigation has the latest in sprinkler technology, pressure and flow control, and end-of-pivot solutions that growers need to get the job done from pivot point to end gun.
Nelson’s 800 Series Control Valve and ACV200 offer optimal air and water control at the headworks and pivot point. The Rate-of-Flow function helps avoid unwanted water hammer or surges, which can damage system pipes during system fill. For sprinklers, the R3030 Rotator with brown plate (high uniformity) or olive plate (low pressure) provide maximum performance, with rotating streams over a wide pattern—a proven way to improve soil.
The O3030 Orbitor is another great choice, particularly when dealing with dirty water. The multi-Function 3NV nozzle allows for quick and easy line and nozzle flush, while the bracketless design of the Orbitor prevents debris hang-up and eliminates drool. Pressure regulators ensure a uniform depth-of-water application, controlled sprinkler performance (droplet size and throw distance), and flexibility in system operation. Pick up added ground with Nelson End of Pivot Solutions. Options include the R55VT, R75, SR75 and SR100 Big Gun.