Advances in Center-Pivot Technology

VOLUME 10 ISSUE 3 March 2019

By Kris Polly

When I told a friend that the newest issue of Irrigation Leader was about new advances in center-pivot technology, he said with a smile, “Are there any of those?” To answer in a word: Yes! From the development of new monitoring and management software to improvements in the strength and effectiveness of the physical structure of mobile irrigation systems, center pivots are getting better, faster, more sophisticated, and more reliable.

Our cover story this month highlights Monty Teeter’s Dragon-Line, an ingenious system that converts a center pivot into something new: a mobile drip irrigation system. In one sense, mobile drip is a simple concept. We all know about drip irrigation and center pivots. But combining the two required the development of specialized technology like pressure-compensating emitters. By controlling the exact placement of irrigated water, Dragon-Line achieves high levels of efficiency and precision. Mobile drip irrigation is likely to be more and more widespread in coming years.

In this issue, we also check in with some of the biggest mechanized irrigation companies in the country. Neal Schlautman of T-L Irrigation tells us about his company’s PPT graphic display panels and its shared real-time kinematic GPS base stations, which help irrigation systems achieve sub-inch accuracy of movement.

Chris Righter of Valley tells us about the X-Tec drive system, a robust constant-move drive with a switched-reluctance DC motor. Cody Bailey of Reinke tells us about how his company is applying advances in material science as well as both in-field and cloud-based computing.

We also look at good old-fashioned feats of engineering accomplished by two family-owned businesses. Herb Besler of Besler Industries introduces his company’s new tractordrawn pivot track closer. And Dana Rosendahl of General Irrigation and Dewatering tells us about the genesis of his company’s powerful Dyna Flo pump.

The novel application of well-known technologies; the invention of brand-new computer systems; and the development of new, more reliable machines are all changing irrigated agriculture for the better. Advances in center-pivot technology are all around us. We hope that this issue of Irrigation Leader introduces you to a couple of them.

Kris Polly is editor-in-chief of Irrigation Leader magazine and president of Water Strategies LLC, a government relations firm he began in February 2009 for the purpose of representing and guiding water, power, and agricultural entities in their dealings with Congress, the Bureau of Reclamation, and other federal government agencies. He may be contacted at Kris.Polly@waterstrategies.com.