by Nick Emanuel, CropX Lead Marketing Agronomist
Profit from Precision Series: Episode 1 – Why Do We Focus on Water?
Water is the #1 yield influencer—and yet, most growers aren’t accounting for when and how much water their crop truly needs.
Yes, crops need water to grow—but timing and rate are just as important as volume. Precise irrigation timing is key to maximizing plant health and photosynthesis. And the only way to get that right is through accurate soil moisture data.
Here’s why it matters:
Watering too often or too early can lead to anaerobic soils—conditions where oxygen is lacking. Even a few hours of oversaturation during the day can create stress that adds up over the season. Plants growing in anaerobic soils face serious disadvantages:
- Root respiration is impaired – Roots can’t produce energy efficiently without oxygen.
- Nutrient uptake is reduced – Oxygen-deprived roots can’t absorb key nutrients like N, P, and K.
- Toxic substances build up – Harmful byproducts like methane and hydrogen sulfide can damage roots.
- Beneficial microbes decline – Aerobic microbes that help plants thrive are suppressed, while harmful anaerobes take over.
- Root rot risk increases – Wet, oxygen-poor soils are breeding grounds for pathogens like Pythium and Phytophthora.
All of this leads to a stressed crop and reduced yield potential.
The problem? These anaerobic conditions are easier to create than most realize—and every soil and field is different. That’s why real-time soil data matters.
Water is the one input that impacts the effectiveness of every other input you apply.
If you want to get the most ROI and push your yield potential, it starts with watering smarter—not just more.
This is what precision irrigation is all about. This is why we focus on water.
Watch Episode 1 now and start making every drop—and every dollar—count.
