Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
In addition to the potential for increasing disease problems, sprinkler sys-
tems have several major drawbacks, particularly for larger orchards. The
first drawback is increased operation costs. A large commercial orchard re-
quires large amounts of water and powerful pumps to lift the water from a
well or other source and push it through the system, which can be quite ex-
pensive.
There are also several serious drawbacks with using sprinklers for frost
protection: You need large amounts of water during and shortly after spring
bloom, you need a system that will cover all parts of every tree, and, finally,
the weight of the ice can break branches. As an alternative to sprinklers,
you could use large fans or heaters to protect against frost (see box on page
Drip irrigation and microsprinklers.
Many orchards today are irrigated us-
ing drip systems that apply water directly to the soil at the base of the trees.
These designs can be used on flat or sloping ground, use water very effi-
ciently, and eliminate erosion problems associated with sprinkler and flood
irrigation. One disadvantage is that it is harder to spot clogged emitters in a
drip system.
Microsprinklers set in the crop rows to irrigate the fruit crops, alley crops,
and in-row living mulches provide a compromise between a drip and a
sprinkler system. It is easy to spot clogged microsprinklers, and this design
uses much less water than older large-volume sprinklers. Microsprinklers
have several advantages over drip systems. Microsprinklers cover relatively
large areas. The wider distribution of irrigation water across the orchard
floor can help encourage the development of larger, better-anchored root
systems for fruit trees than is common with drip irrigation alone. The larger
root systems can provide better drought tolerance for the trees than the lim-
ited root systems that sometimes develop under drip irrigation.
Microsprinklers and drip systems require either city water or a series of
filters to trap sand and organic matter that would clog the emitters. They
also require pressure regulators to ensure that each irrigation line receives
