EXPERT SYSTEM FOR TURF IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT

Abstract

Water shortages and high water cost are expanding global problems. So good management is required to achieve turf quality, reducing water use and minimizing water and nutrient loss beyond the root zone. The problem of mismanagement rises to irrigation water use and its cost, losses from irrigation system and problem of choice of the proper irrigation system for different plants. This problem reflects on final turf appearance and quality. Good turf management minimizes costs and maximizes benefits across a wide variety of site conditions for good appearance and quality. Expert Systems (ES) programs had been designed to solve problems , and assist irrigation engineering, and owners for the choice of the best irrigation system under site condition, and the best irrigation management. This reflects on the final turf appearance and quality in site. ES programs are tested on a number of different and various site conditions. Most of the results obtained indicate: • Subsurface drip , self-compensating surface drip systems, in all case studies, get the highest score among tested irrigation systems. Bubbler irrigation system gets the lowest score among tested irrigation systems in all case studies, for lawn, shurbs and ground cover plants. • Bubbler, self-compensating surface drip, and non-self- compensating drip irrigation systems were most appropriate, due to gains in score compared with other irrigation systems, in all case studies, for trees, that corroborate with site conditions.