VÍDEO: Aqua-Traxx Cinta Premium de Riego por Goteo (Español)
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NEW FlowControl Drip Tape Gives Growers the Best of Both Worlds
After several years of intense and dedicated development, Toro has launched FlowControl Drip Tape, an exciting new product that creates an entirely new category within the drip irrigation marketplace. In the past, growers had to choose between uniformity and control over flow rates. Now, FlowControl drip tape gives growers the best of both worlds: improved uniformity (compared to turbulent flow devices), and superior ability to control the overall system flow rate (compared to pressure-compensating devices).
This innovative new product gives growers a level of control not possible in the past. Now growers have a new tool to help them achieve their objectives – increasing yield and quality, while at the same time using water, fertilizers and other resources in the best way possible.
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California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Funds Water Efficient Projects for Drought Assistance
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has awarded $3.6 million for 93 different projects to implement on-farm water irrigation systems that reduce water and energy use, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). The funding for the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) is part of emergency drought Legislation (SB 103) signed earlier
5 Components Of Drip Irrigation Systems
Drip irrigation systems aren’t rocket science. They’re durable and built to last for reasonable lengths of time, and with the proper care, can last far longer than expected. In most cases, the environment and crop application will dictate the type of product you use. These are five different water distribution / drip irrigation product types.
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California Utility Company Can Help Farmers Save Water During Drought
California Utility company, PG&E, sees a big opportunity to help farmers reduce their water use and electricity use, at the same time. By doing so, it can save precious water, help farmers save money, and help the power company itself reduce overall electricity demand – which means avoiding having to build costly new power plants.
PG&E has a few tools at its disposal, the biggest being financial incentives to help farmers switch to water-saving technologies such as drip irrigation.
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Farmer Saves Big with Subsurface Drip Irrigation on Potatoes
A Florida-based potato farmer who recently won an award for his sustainable irrigation methods firmly believes all farmers should adopt subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) for the good of the planet.
Riverdale Potato Farms vice president and third generation family member Bryan Jones, last month received one of the state’s Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Awards for the subsurface drip irrigation system he developed with his father.
“The results are remarkable.”
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Cutting-Edge Farmer Uses Drip Irrigation and Other Techniques to Maximize Water Efficiency
Don Cameron, a member of California’s State Board of Food and Agriculture and general manager of Terranova Ranch, is on the cutting edge of irrigation. His wine grape vineyards stretch for 1,300 acres, so maximizing water is a top priority. Cameron has used drip irrigation on these vineyards since 1982, a time when drip was still uncommon.
Making the switch to micro-irrigation has saved Terranova Ranch 15-20 percent on water costs. When Cameron took over as general manager, he recalls, “I was told we couldn’t grow tomatoes. I was told the ground was too light.” Processing tomatoes now occupy 2,300 acres at Terranova, due in large part to Cameron’s implementation of drip systems. He contends, “We eliminate evaporation from the soil surface and provide uniform distribution of water and reduce fertilizer usage along with producing a 28 percent higher yield. We no longer have excess water accumulation at the end of fields as we did when we furrow irrigated.”
But drip irrigation isn’t the only practice that makes Cameron a pioneer in water use efficiency.
10 Ways Farmers are Saving Water
As California faces a historic drought, many farmers are relying on groundwater reserves to carry them through the dry season. Pumping groundwater is currently unregulated in California (that could soon change), and drawing on reserves now could cause shortages in the future. Sustainability-minded farmers are looking ahead and using an arsenal of ways to save water. Here are just a few:
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Free Agricultural Workshop to Highlight Drip Irrigation on Onions & Watermelons
South Texas farmers, crop consultants, technicians and anybody involved in crop irrigation are invited to a workshop to help brainstorm ideas on how to generate incentives for water conservation, according to experts at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Weslaco.
The free program, Rio Grande Valley Agricultural Conservation Workshop, will be held from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday at the center, located at 2415 E. U.S. Highway 83 in Weslaco.
Among things discussed will be a test plot of drip irrigation on onions and watermelons in which water use was cut in half and yields were double. According to Dr. Juan Anciso, a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service fruit and vegetable specialist at the Weslaco center, “using a [drip irrigation] system can pay off for growers.”
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The Pros and Cons of Drip Irrigation Systems
Drip Irrigation has typically been used in high-value fruit, nut, and vegetable crops. Recently, it has become popular in field crop applications, including corn/soybean rotations and alfalfa, cotton, and processing tomatoes. USDA’s recent Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey reported 3.76 million acres in the U.S. are under drip. This acreage is expected to be significantly higher in the 2013 report, which will be released this fall.
Drip is gaining in popularity because the systems are flexible and can accommodate diverse cropping and application demands.
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