PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an irrigation control system and method each maintaining effective growth of plants and enabling more effective water saving without an excessive amount of irrigation water given to the plants.SOLUTION: The irrigation control system 1 controls the supply amount of water W supplied to culture media 5 where a plant 4 is grown via bottom surface water supply using liquid-absorbing material 3. The system includes: a storing container 11 storing the water W absorbed by the liquid-absorbing material 3 a water level-measuring part 12 measuring the level of water in the storing container 11 a retention container 13 retaining the water W to be supplied to the storing container 11 a conduit pipe 14 conducting the water W to the storing container 11 an electromagnetic valve 15 opening/closing the conduit pipe 14 and a controlling part 16 which calculates the level of water in the storing container 11 at every predetermined interval of time to work out a measured water level, calculates the water level difference between a reference water level and the measured water level, calculates the absorbing amount of the plant 4 based on the water level difference, opens the valve member 15 until the measured water level gets to the reference water level to make control so as to supply the water W to the storing container 11 from the retention container 13.COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&INPIT【課題】植物の効果的な生育を維持し、植物に与える灌水の量が過剰にならず、より効果的な節水が可能な灌水制御装置及び方法を提供すること。【解決手段】植物4が育成される培地5に、吸液材3を用いて底面給水により供給される水Wの供給量を制御する灌水制御システム1において、吸液材3により吸水される水Wを貯留する貯留容器11と、貯留容器11の水位を測定する水位測定部12と、貯留容器11に供給する水Wを滞留させる滞留容器13と、水Wを貯留容器11へ導く導管14と、導管14を開閉する電磁弁15と、所定時間経過毎に貯留容器11の水位を演算して測定水位を算出し、基準水位と測定水位との水位差を演算し、水位差から植物4の吸水量を演算し、測定水位が基準水位になるまでバルブ部材15を開放して、滞留容器13から貯留容器11に水Wを供給するように制御する制御部16とを備えたことを特徴とする。【選択図】図1
