130941Integrated sensing and support platform for irrigation scheduling of high-value field cropsClosedFeasibility StudiesInnovate UKIrrigation is essential during the production of crops with high market value, such as leafy vegetables and potatoes. Due to changing climate patterns it has been estimated that irrigation could increase by about 20% by 2020. Currently, 50-60% of farmers do not use scientific methods for irrigation scheduling but rely on personal experience. Commercial irrigation scheduling systems are based either on point measures of soil water or the FAO approach for evapotranspiration and ignore spatial water demand, resulting in irrigation programmes that may not be optimum. There is currently no commercial system which offers a robust irrigation scheduling method based on an integrated sensing and decision support platform founded on different scientific methods for water demand prediction (soil water balance and soil water status). We will study the technical and commercial feasibility of introducing an integrated wireless remote sensing of soil and crop water needs for irrigation management