A Knowledge-based System for Preliminary Selection and Economic Evaluation of Sprinkler Irrigation Systems

A knowledge-based system (KBS) was developed as a tool that can be used by farmers and extension agents for preliminary economic analysis of irrigation systems. The goal was to develop a tool that is simple to use, minimizes user input, and provides quick evaluation of center-pivot, traveling gun, and portable pipe systems for site-specific conditions. The KBS has three major components. A rule based expert system serves as system integrator, controls information flow, interacts with user, accesses databases, selects appropriate irrigation systems based on site characteristics, and runs irrigation cost models. Databases provide soil, crop, and drought information, greatly reducing the input required of the user. The irrigation cost models estimate total annualized cost and incorporate crop yield estimates with user-specified high and low crop prices to estimate profit for each irrigation system.