Members projects

For three years, PepsiCo has been evaluating the impact of drip irrigation technology on water and chemical use efficiency and its effect on the energy footprint of potato production.

In the U.S., a study showed success in reducing irrigation water by more than 20 percent, with an average yield increase of 19 percent.

By utilizing drip irrigation to deliver crop inputs, the number of tractor passing through the field can be reduced while optimizing timing and accuracy of delivery. Nitrogen was applied several times in smaller targeted amounts, optimizing nutrient uptake and avoiding leaching versus conventional fertilizer application that applies the entire amount at the beginning of the season. This application method resulted in improved plant health and better crop yield, and saved one tractor pass that equates to a savings of $15 per acre.