GrowPilot provides you with several important weather and irrigation-related data points. Here's what each of them means and how you can use them:
🌡️ Temperature (Celsius):
Temperature refers to the outside/outdoor temperature. It plays a significant role in plant growth, development, and water requirements.
☀️ Accumulated Radiation (J/cm2):
Accumulated Radiation measures the total amount of solar energy received over a specific period. It is a main driver of plant transpiration and evaporation. This data point helps in understanding the energy input your crops are receiving from the sun, which directly affects their growth and water needs.
☁️ Vapour Pressure Deficit (VPD) (kPa):
The difference between the amount of moisture in the air and how much moisture the air can hold when it is saturated. For example, a higher VPD indicates a relatively drier environment at a given temperature, which might exert stress on the plants, and you might need to monitor and adjust the environment to reduce any stress on the plants.
🌱 Evapotranspiration (mm):
Evapotranspiration, specifically Reference Evapotranspiration (ETo), is an estimate for how much water will be lost due to a combination of evaporation and transpiration of a reference crop (a 0.12 m tall hypothetical grass crop), given the forecasted weather conditions. For example, if ETo for tomorrow is estimated to be higher than today, you might need to consider adjusting the irrigation plan to compensate for the higher expected water loss tomorrow.
How can I use my daily weather forecast and irrigation insights?
The way you use GrowPilot's daily weather forecast and irrigation insights will depend on your specific crop, operation, and irrigation strategy. However, here are some general recommendations:
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Take note of daily accumulated radiation, times of peak temperature, VPD, and evapotranspiration for the day. Use these insights to carefully consider adjusting your irrigation plan.
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Take note of increases or decreases in evapotranspiration for today (compared to yesterday) or tomorrow (compared to today). This will help you understand what changes you might need to make to the irrigation plan.