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Drip Irrigation For Mid-America

Drip Irrigation For Mid-America. Mark Burgess, C.I.D. Bootheel Irrigation Conference December 15, 2003. Drip Irrigation. A method of uniformly delivering water and nutrients to a plant’s root zone in the precise amounts in order to meet plant needs. Sub-Surface Drip Irrigation (SDI).

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Drip Irrigation For Mid-America

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  1. Drip Irrigation ForMid-America Mark Burgess, C.I.D. Bootheel Irrigation Conference December 15, 2003

  2. Drip Irrigation • A method of uniformly delivering water and nutrients to a plant’s root zone in the precise amounts in order to meet plant needs

  3. Sub-Surface Drip Irrigation (SDI) • A low pressure irrigation system that uses polyethylene driplines that are permanently buried below the soil surface, placing water directly into the root area of a crop.

  4. Benefits of Drip Irrigation • Crop yield and quality increase • Improved field access during cultural operations such as cultivation, spraying, or harvesting • Uniform delivery of water, chemicals and fertilizers • Water usage reduced by irrigating only the root zone • Lower pumping requirement and energy costs • Less percolation of chemicals and fertilizers into the groundwater • Controlled Wetted Area • Reduced disease and weed growth • Allows more saline water to be used for irrigation • Irrigate small or irregularly shaped fields

  5. Benefits of SDI • Same as those of drip • Reduced irrigation labor costs over Center Pivot (CP) • Considered a permanent system

  6. Things To Consider • Water Availability • Water Quality • Crop Needs • Field Conditions (soil, topography, dimensions, row configuration, and etc) • Expectations (Lifetime of system, costs, uniformity, and etc.) • Availability of technical assistance • Maintenance

  7. System Components 1. System controller (If automated) 2. Pump 3. Back flow prevention valve 4. Fertilizer injector/tank 5. Filter tanks 6. Butterfly valve or ball valve 7. Pressure gauges 8. Mainline control valve 9. Mainline 10. Flow meter 11. Air vents at high points, after valves and at ends of lines 12. Pressure relief valve 13. Field control valve 14. Submain secondary filters 15. Pre-set pressure regulator 16. Submain 17. Lateral hookups 18. Laterals 19. Flushing manifolds 20. Flush valves

  8. Next Step • Design • Installation • Flush system • Take benchmark flow rates and pressures

  9. Common Problems • Filtration • Leaks • Clogging

  10. Filtration • Filter Needs Cleaning • Damaged Screen or Disc’s • Flush Valves Not working • Tank Failure • Bad Gaskets and/or Seals

  11. Leaks • Broken Mains or Submains • Damaged Laterals • Loose Connections

  12. Clogging • Biological • Chemical/Mineral • Sand and/or Sediment • Root Intrusion • Maintenance Injection

  13. Georgia Example • GA – 7 year rotation corn/peanuts • Row spacing – 32” • Tape spacing – 64” • Soil – Sandy clay • Tape depth – 9” • No till • Tape – 15 mil 12 in. outlet • Tape flow – 24 gph/100 ft • Corn – 240 bu/ac • Peanuts – 6,000- 6,500 lb/ac

  14. Kansas Example • Crop - Corn • Row spacing – 32” • Tape spacing – 40” • Soil – Loessial, silt, loam • Tape depth – 16” – 18 ‘ • Ridge Till, conventional • Tape – 15 mil 12 in. outlet • Tape flow – 15 gph/100 ft • Corn – 210 bu/ac

  15. THANK YOU

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