Methods and Software Used in Irrigation Programming Worldwide

Abstract

Growing pressure on freshwater supplies worldwide demands that agriculture adopt more efficient irrigation strategies. As conventional scheduling methods increasingly fall short, a diverse ecosystem of software tools—spanning FAO-based calculators, physically based simulation models, and IoT-enabled smart platforms—has emerged to guide water allocation decisions. This study provides a comparative evaluation of eleven such tools used globally, assessing their computational foundations, data requirements, strengths, and limitations. Software tools such as CROPWAT, HYDRUS, SWAP, DSSAT, REF-ET, DSS_ET, IAM_ETo, ETo Calculator, DailyET, ETO and AGROS are analyzed in terms of their data requirements, advantages, limitations, and application areas. The findings reveal that integrating IoT and machine learning fosters a profound transformation in irrigation management through real-time monitoring and data-driven decision-making. The study also discusses the status and future potential of irrigation software in Türkiye, highlighting the importance of regional and local solutions for sustainable water management.

Keywords: Irrigation Scheduling, Smart Irrigation, Decision Support Systems