Editorial by Françoise Thuillier

 

April 2002, April 2017, we have seen so many technical changes over the last fifteen years.

Neither social networking or smartphones existed in 2002.

 

April 2002, April 2017, we have seen so many technical changes over the last fifteen years.

Neither social networking or smartphones existed in 2002.

Facebook was created in 2004, Twitter in 2006 and Steve Jobs released iPhone, the first generation of smartphones, in January 2007. The irrigation industry rapidly seized on the possibilitiesofusingthesenew technologies in precision irrigation, e.g. microsprayers connected to a series of sensors in the field (measuring weather conditions, soil moisture, root profile) or linked to satellite-based or predictive measuring devices, for the purpose of meetingthe precise needs of agricultural crops or parks and gardens by adapting to the climatic conditions. And we must not forget the essential maintenance required for these very sophisticated systems.

Nowadays, 80% of the people on this planet have the use of a smartphone, a device that allows irrigation to be controlled several thousand kilometres away from the actual irrigation site, allowing for better resource managementaswellasconservingand controlling the quantity and quality of the water in the soil.