Untitled Document

Micro Irrigation ..is irrigating plant not the soil

Water - Scarcity	Micro - Irrigation?	Conventional Irrigation
Micro - Irrigation Technology	Fertigation?	Coamparison using graphs

Challenges to Indian Agriculture

To produce & feed the growing population without degrading
- Natural resource base and the environment
To produce additional 5-6 million tonnes of food grain annually
Low productivity
About 11MT against about 30 MT/Ha in developed worldlTo increase productivity per unit of land, water, energy and time
By ensuring
- No damage to
- Ecological foundations of agriculture
(Land, water, forests, biodiversity, atmosphere)

Water - Scarcity

Water is the basic necessity for all life. Water received as rainfall has been estimated to be 4000 km3 annually. But it has been possible to harness only 690 km3 for beneficial use.
India's groundwater is not in a very good state. Water scarcity due to ground water depletion is the major problem in India. The annual recharge of water is far less than what is consumed. The ground water potential is estimated at 450 km3. The population has tripled since 1950 and the water demand has multiplied to double the sustainable yield of the aquifers.
Aquifer depletion could bring down India's potential crop harvest by 25%. More than 230 blocks in our country are facing a severe shortage of water resources.
Irrigation practices like drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigation are the remedies or solutions available to ease the problems of scarcity.

Top

Why Micro - Irrigation ?

Why Use Drip Irrigation?

Alleviate water stress during critical periods of vine growth and fruit development
Maintain consistent yields
Maintain fruit quality
Facilitate fertility management
Prevent significant winter injury
Micro-irrigation will enhance production per unit inputs applied

Top

Conventional Irrigation


First Three days after Irrigation	Middle Three days	Last Two days

Drip Irrigation

Top

Micro - Irrigation Technology

Drip Irrigation System:

“Application of water in the form of discrete droplets directly to the root zone of the crop through a network of pipeline”

MIS - characteristics

Low-pressure delivery systems,	10 - 50 meters
Low discharge rates,	2 - 300 liter/h
Long duration irrigation,	4 - 24 h
Frequent irrigation cycles,	1 - 4 days
Water applied near or into the plant's root zone,	partial wetted soil
Use of fertigation	as a concept!

Advantages of Drip Irrigation

High water use efficiency (~95%, compared to less than 50% in surface),
Flexibility of wetted area,
Versatile selection of emitters: type, discharge rate, position,
Economy in weed control,
Low interference with cultivation,
Day and night irrigation,
Prevention of leaf wetting,
Water Saving 30 - 70% ,
Energy & Labor saving up to 50% , about 1200-1500 kwh/ha electricityImproves fertilizer use efficiency up to 95%
Enhanced plant growth & yield up to 30 - 50%Salinity control,
Irrigation at variable topographic conditions.

Factors effecting gross water application / consumption

Limited Root zone with Drip Irrigation Systems

Nutrient reservoir is ~30% of total area, thus creating a limited supply of organic matter and mineralization products

Higher depletion rate in the wetted zone, thus a frequent supply of nutrients is needed
Frequent irrigation intervals may cause leaching and loss of nutrients
Broadcasting fertilizers is inefficient

Root Zone

Root Zone Aeration

Compact & effective root zone

The system concentrates the roots in a defined volume of soil.

Improving the uptake efficiency of water and minerals.
Develops optimal moisture and aireation conditions.
Compact root zone saves the plant's energy.
Better intake of nutrition.

Limited Root zone with Drip Irrigation Systems

Scheme of Salt Accumulation in the Irrigated Volume by a Dripper

Advantages of the dry zone

No weeds can develop.
Saving weed control expenses.

Free transport of for farm equipment.
Prevention of the soil erosion between plants.

Soil Types

The shape of the wetted zone depends on the physical properties of the soil.

In light soils the distribution of the water will be narrower and deeper.
In heavy soil the distribution of the water will be relatively spherical in shape.

Top

What is Fertigation?

Fertigation is the application of plant nutrients through the irrigation system.

We take the chemical fertilizers and dissolve them into the irrigation system.

The plant roots receive WATER + FERTILIZERS at the same time and location.

Fertigation vs. Fertilization

Application of Nutrients


Conventional preplant fertilizer: Plants get a larger dosage of fertilizer than they require at the time it is applied. Losses occur.	-	Fertigation: Fertilizers are applied according the need for nutrients, following the uptake rate of the crop.