A new application was created to help farmers who rely on irrigation optimize their water use through the growing season.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Services created the TexasET app to calculate crop irrigation needs based on local weather data and provide irrigation recommendations for plants’ water needs.

The app puts precision agriculture innovation in growers’ hands, a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialist said.

“This app makes it easy for growers to get updated irrigation recommendations as their crop moves through different growth stages,” said Guy Fipps, statewide irrigation specialist in the Texas A&M Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering. “We are accessing more and more data that we need via our phones, and this app is moving our web-based concept into that platform to benefit producers.”

The app was based off an online crop water requirements calculator, TexasET Network, created by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Services.

“TexasET is a window into the science behind how much water crops need to grow,” Fipps said. “It’s based on methodologies that go back to 1948. Many years of use and research are behind these solid estimates. It can really help growers optimize their water use.”

Fipps created the network in 1995 and includes about 120 weather stations.

Both the app and network include weather information, current and average evapotranspiration data and irrigation watering recommendations.

The app was created with an improved user experience in mind, providing recommendations for farmers through the entire growing process from seed to harvest.

After the app is downloaded and set up for the farmer’s location and crops, the farmer will receive weekly notifications regarding the water requirements. Farmers can choose the closest TexasET station to their irrigated fields.

Real time information and tips are personalized for each farmer. Recommendations for cotton, corn, peanuts, sorghum, soybeans and winter wheat are based on Texas-specific growth stage measurements.

Water estimates for the crops are based on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations numbers.

The app allows farmers to input their own rainfall data, but it also factors in rainfall from the nearest ET weather station. The app also calculates chill hours and heat units based on localized weather.

The TexasET app is free and available for download on iOS and Android devices.