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Subsurface Drip Irrigation Shines at Alfalfa Field Day

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On May 15, UC Davis held its annual Alfalfa Field Day to discuss a number of topics, including pest management, varietal trials, and irrigation management. However, the highlight of the field day was the discussion on subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) for alfalfa.

UC Davis Extension agronomist and forage specialist, Dan Putnam, provided the benefits and disadvantages of alfalfa on SDI and introduced a three year project that is currently looking at the water use, yield opportunities, and rodent management strategies associated with SDI. As part of this effort, UC Davis will launch an online sharing group to allow grower collaboration for SDI on alfalfa. More information can be found at http://alfalfa.ucdavis.edu/.

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Subsurface Drip Irrigation, Management & Variety Selection Result in One-Ton Cotton

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SDI on CottonYoung Farmer, Kris Verett, didn’t plan on following in his father’s footsteps and becoming a farmer. But at 28, he joined the One-Ton Club at the Texas Gin Show in Lubbock for his drip irrigated cotton.

Verett contributes his success to Subsurface Drip Irrigation (SDI), good system management, and variety selection. His record yields were produced on two SDI irrigated 40-acre blocks with FM2989 and FM9170.

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How to Save Water and Boost Yields with Subsurface Drip Irrigation

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Subsurface Drip Irrigation (SDI) on CornWith the help of manufacturers, like Toro, and local dealers who design, install, and provide service and support, growers in the Midwest are finding out first-hand how subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) systems not only improve water- and fertilizer-use efficiency, but also provide higher yields. And as the drought continues to affect water supplies, the need for efficient irrigation practices becomes more apparent. Couple this with high crop prices to allow a quicker return on investment, there may be no better time to invest in drip.

In a recent article in No-Till Farmer, reporter John Dobberstein examined the benefits of subsurface drip irrigation for field crops (such as corn and soybeans) and interviewed several Midwest producers who are already seeing payoffs by switching to drip.

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A Shift to Drip Irrigation

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In the wake of the drought, the Midwest is seeing a shift from pivot and furrow irrigation to drip irrigation on some acres. In a recent and great article by Corn&Soybean Digest, reporter Larry Stalcup wrote about making the switch to drip irrigation. Larry interviewed Don Anthony, a Lexington, Nebraska, grower to learn about his experiences with subsurface drip irrigation (SDI), as well as Freddie Lam, an agricultural engineer and irrigation researcher at Kansas State University.

According to Freddie Lam of Kansas State University, more than 300,000 acres are now drip irrigated in the Great Plains, much of which is cotton. But many growers in the western Corn Belt and southern High Plains are also making the shift to drip irrigation for other crops such as corn and soybeans.

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Drip Irrigation Supplies & System Components

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Drip irrigation systems consist of emission devices serviced by a water distribution network that includes control zone equipment.  At the water source, water is controlled with automatic valves, sometimes amended with nutrients or chemicals, filtered and regulated at levels suitable for the emission devices chosen and plants being grown.  From there, water is delivered to

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Cox Valley View Farms, Long Island, KS – Drip Farm Irrigation Systems on Corn and Soybeans

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Even before the perfect storm of diminished water supplies, rising corn prices and government cost-share funding hit the plains, Steven Cox knew his irrigated farms would have to change. That’s why he installed his first subsurface drip irrigation system over nine years ago on his 4,000 acre operation, and has installed an additional 120 acres of drip irrigation since.

The conversion has allowed him to stretch limited water supplies while increasing yields and gain quality at the same time. “Before drip, we were trying to flood irrigate 60 acres with a 250 GPM well. We were lucky to get top yields on 25 percent of the field. I now get top yields on 100 percent of the field because of the increased uniformity and efficiency I get with drip.”

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Typical Drip Irrigation System Layout

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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

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Toro Introduces Thinwall Dripline

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This week, Toro announced its newest micro-irrigation product line, Thinwall Dripline.  Ideal for applications such as subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) and semi-permanent crops, Thinwall Dripline is also great for growers who prefer a flat, molded emitter inside an extruded, thin-walled tube. The following are the features and benefits of Toro’s new Thinwall Dripline: Flat, molded emitter

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