Automated Irrigation: Exploring the Paradox of Plateauing Adoption Levels and High Perceived Benefits Amid a Labor Shortage in US Nurseries

Authors: FULCHER, AMY - University Of Tennessee; RIHN, ALICIA - University Of Tennessee; VELANDIA, MARGARITA - University Of Tennessee; WARNER, LAURA - University Of Florida; LEBUDE, ANTHONY - North Carolina State University; Altland, James; SCHEXNAYDER, SUSAN - University Of Tennessee; Owen Jr, James

Submitted to: HortTechnology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/27/2025
Publication Date: 3/2/2026
Citation: Fulcher, A., Rihn, A., Velandia, M., Warner, L., Lebude, A.V., Altland, J.E., Schexnayder, S., Owen Jr, J.S. 2026. Automated Irrigation: Exploring the Paradox of Plateauing Adoption Levels and High Perceived Benefits Amid a Labor Shortage in US Nurseries. HortTechnology. 36(2):231-239. https://doi.org/10.21273/horttech05748-25.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21273/horttech05748-25

Interpretive Summary: Automated irrigation technologies have been recognized as beneficial by U.S. nursery producers, yet adoption has remained stagnant. A national survey conducted in 2021 revealed that although timer-based irrigation systems were perceived as helpful, especially for labor savings, their use had not significantly increased over the past 15 years. Larger nurseries, with annual sales above $1.4 million, were found to adopt these systems more frequently than smaller ones. Container nurseries were also more likely to use automation than field nurseries. Despite the affordability and simplicity of timer-based systems, only 57% of irrigation tasks in container nurseries were automated, and just 34% in field nurseries. Labor shortages have been addressed through increased use of the H-2A guest worker program, but manual labor remains heavily relied upon. The perceived helpfulness of automation was rated highly, yet barriers such as a lack of interest or perceived need were found to reduce the likelihood of adoption. Technical challenges, such as buried infrastructure and the risk of disrupting irrigation during installation, were suggested as possible deterrents. Additionally, the opportunity cost of manual irrigation—time that could be spent on other tasks—was not widely acknowledged. Research has shown that automation can reduce labor hours and improve consistency, but these benefits have not been clearly communicated or quantified for nursery operators. Smaller nurseries, which may benefit the most from automation, were found to be the most hesitant to adopt it. To encourage broader adoption, it was suggested that more research be conducted to document labor savings, crop quality improvements, and opportunity costs. Demonstrations and peer observations were also recommended to build confidence in these technologies. In conclusion, while automated irrigation is viewed as helpful, its adoption has not matched its perceived value. Addressing both technical and psychological barriers may be necessary to increase implementation across the nursery industry.

Technical Abstract: The US nursery crop industry relies heavily on manual labor for many tasks, including irrigation. With the ongoing labor shortage and concomitant rise in labor costs, research and extension professionals need a better understanding of how current irrigation practices and systems impact producer’s perceptions and adoption of automated irrigation technologies. A transdisciplinary team undertook a comprehensive nursery labor and automation survey in 2021 asking about adoption levels and related information in 2020. In the present paper, we report results from sub-objectives to evaluate: 1) current adoption of irrigation automation technologies and delivery systems, 2) percent automation of the collective individual tasks that comprise irrigation, and 3) perceived helpfulness of automated irrigation. Data were analyzed by production system and by nursery sales as a measure of nursery size. Above-median nurseries, i.e, those with annual sales > 1.4 million, tend to use irrigation technologies more (78% of the sample) than below-median nurseries (52%; P = 0.001), i.e., nurseries that report annual sales =1.4 million. Container nurseries adopt timer-based irrigation more (69%) than field nurseries (32%; P = 0.021). Irrigation timer adoption is limited for small nurseries and appears to have plateaued since the prior survey, approximately 15 years ago, despite nursery operators recognizing the labor-saving benefits of automated irrigation (4.1/5.0 perceived helpfulness scale; 1=not at all helpful; 5=extremely helpful). Further, the only barrier that related to irrigation adoption was that growers have “no interest/need.” (P = 0.018). Potential influences such as compatibility, including disruptions to current operations, and the importance of relating labor savings to opportunity cost versus dollar-value of time are discussed. These results highlight the need for more research to understand nursery producers’ hesitations, motivators, and how to better overcome barriers to stimulate adoption of irrigation technology.