Craig Andrus is no stranger to sprinklers, but has been using drip on his 400 acres of romaine lettuce, Southeast of Salinas for over four years, now. He used to have a linear, but when it came time to replace it, he noticed the trend towards drip and made the change.
“My yields are higher, the crop is more uniform, and the quality is better because of perfect growing conditions.”
Choosing the right drip tape emitter spacing can be more of an art than a science. This is because of the many variables that exist in each farming application, including tape placement, soil type, crop, plant population, soil and water salinity, tape quality and cost, etc. Fortunately, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s recent Drip and Micro Irrigation Design and Management Manual, published by the Irrigation Training and Research Center (ITRC) in 2007, provides a great deal of guidance for this important decision. In particular, the new manual discusses how closely spaced drip tape emitters can enhance salt management for seed germination, leach salts in permanent crops, and dilute soil salinity for salt sensitive crops. In addition, the manual highlights some of the agronomic and economic disadvantages of using widely spaced emitters.
The “Typical Drip Irrigation Layout” illustration has been developed to help those who are unfamiliar with drip irrigation understand basic drip irrigation system components and concepts. The drip irrigation layout illustration is organized into two halves. First, the “headworks” portion of a drip irrigation system shows the typical water sources, pumps, filters, chemical injection equipment and controls used in a drip irrigation system. Second, the “field” portion of the drip irrigation system shows typical layouts for five different types of drip irrigation: field crop subsurface drip irrigation (SDI), short term vegetable crop, longer term vegetable crop, vineyard and orchard. Although every application and design will be different than this illustration, it provides a starting point for discussion with viewers unfamiliar with drip irrigation. Watch the animated drip system to see the multiple steps of the drip irrigation process. [swf src=”https://driptips.toro.com/wp-content/uploads/toro_micro.swf” width=680 height=500] For more information about a typical drip irrigation
Drip irrigation is a mainstream technology in dozens of other crop production systems throughout the world because it allows producers to evenly spoon-feed precious water and nutrients directly to every plant’s root zone despite variable soil conditions, undulating terrain, odd field dimensions or long lengths of run. But potato producers have been slower to adopt drip since there are significant changes in bed configuration, agronomic decisions, and planting and harvesting equipment that go along with this technology.
Despite these challenges, cutting-edge producers, suppliers, and researchers are coming up with viable answers in hopes of bolstering the potato industry against the inevitable vagaries of the market, economy, costs, and resource availability, and are discovering significant benefits in adopting drip irrigation for potato production.
Many corn growers are adopting drip irrigation because drip irrigation optimizes yields, minimizes inputs, and maximizes profits. Plus, in many cases the system pays for itself in less than two years.
Loyd Jordan is a 3rd generation farmer who cultivates 3,500 acres southwest of Lubbock in Terry and Lynn counties, Texas. He irrigates 1,250 acres with pivots and, most recently, 300 acres with subsurface drip irrigation. A neighbor had tried drip and said good things about water savings, getting increased yields on fewer acres, and how easy it was to apply fertilizers and control insects. So in 2004, Jordan installed 40 acres. He liked it so much that he installed an additional 120 acres in 2007, and then another 140 acres in 2009. Now he prefers drip to the pivots he has used for so many years.
Watch the following Drip Irrigation Installation video to find out how Midwest growers are using subsurface drip irrigation to grow better crops with fewer inputs. The investment often pays for itself in less than two years.
The greenhouse and nursery business has a profound affect on general agriculture and landscape plantings around the world, in addition to fresh fruit, vegetable and flower production. This is because high density nursery and greenhouse plantings are often replanted on much larger tracts of agricultural or landscape land later, and/or reflect significant revenue sold fresh. Water is an essential ingredient in plant growth, and nowhere is it more important than in the nursery and greenhouse business where natural rainfall is either non-existent or grossly inadequate. Drip irrigation technology was developed decades ago and has been adapted in a myriad of ways to assist in achieving high yields, improved quality, and reduced costs, while avoiding the runoff and deep percolation issues associated with other irrigation technologies in the nursery and greenhouse environment. Greenhouse and nursery operators have reaped the benefits of drip irrigation technology in a number of ways. In field
Drip irrigation technology has evolved into a popular way for landscapers to maximize the aesthetic beauty and quality of landscapes, while at the same time optimize resource use and reduce damage and risk from applying water to non-planted areas. In short, landscapers typically use drip irrigation where it doesn’t make sense to use traditional sprays or sprinklers, or to water by hand. The following are advantages to using drip in landscape applications: Water is confined to the targeted plant’s rootzone, so overspray onto sidewalks, buildings, cars and roadways is prevented. Flow rates and application rates are typically very low, so runoff from heavier soils, or steep slopes, may be avoided. Water is not applied into the air so wind drift or pattern distortion does not occur. Plants are not wetted which can result in the reduction of disease. Weed growth is reduced if non-targeted areas are not wetted. Water is
The agricultural business produces the food, fiber, and fuel that enhance people’s lives all over the world. Water is an essential ingredient to crop production, and where rainfall does not occur naturally, or in the right amount at the right time, farmers must irrigate. Drip irrigation technology was developed decades ago and has evolved into a popular way for farmers to maximize profits, optimize resource use, reduce risk, and improve their lifestyle. The various benefits of drip irrigation are so significant that the system often pays for itself quickly. High value fruit, nut, vegetable, and fiber growers were the first to adopt drip irrigation technology because the investment was readily warranted. Yield and quality enhancements were of primary interest while cost savings and other benefits were secondary. But as crop inputs such as water, fertilizer, chemicals, fuel and labor become more expensive, or less available, even lower value crops such