Recently, water, energy, fertilizer, pesticides, labor cost and the capital investment in modem irrigation systems have risen dramatically and at a rate greater than farmer returns. Studies have demonstrated that drip irrigation can improve water use efficiency, reduce fertilizer losses and reduce application of pesticides and fungicides, particularly when compared with flood, furrow and sprinkler irrigation. As drip irrigation knowledge has evolved, Netafim Irrigation has developed Low Pressure Systems (LPS) that operate at 3 psi pressure while achieving a distribution uniformity of 90% or better. The conversion of leveled furrow irrigated fields to LPS using pressurized district water eliminates additional energy expenditures. It also conserves significant water and energy and allows the use of low pressure components, thus reducing the capital inputs of LPS. Three years of…
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Maximizing application efficiency (Ae) of irrigation systems depends mostly on the irrigation manager’s ability to:
1. Reduce and/or eliminate runoff.
2. Reduce deep percolation below the root zone.
3. Overcome the infi ltration variability of the soil surface.
4. Optimize irrigation scheduling.
Presently, the subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) method is the only method capable of giving a manager this…
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W.R. DeTar and C.J Phene
OBJECTIVES: To compare subsurface drip to furrow irrigation of Acala cotton on a good soil (uniform, high silt content) and a poor soil (non-uniform, sand streaks and pockets) , by measuring growth characteristics, yields, and water use. Also to verify technical feasibility of drip irrigation and to determine problem areas.
PROCEDURES: Equipment procurement and installation began in the Fall of 1989 for a 1.2 ha field located near the southwest…
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