Water Application Methods - Practices of Irrigation and On-farm Water Management - page 53

2.3.5.2 Suitabilities, Capabilities, and Limitations
Crop Suitability
Drip irrigation is most suited to high-density orchards, tree crops, and high-value
horticultural crops. Drip systems allow accurate amounts of water to be supplied
regularly to a small area of the root zone. Such a system can be used to restrict
the vegetative growth of the trees, an important part of management in high density
planting.
Drip irrigation is more suited to areas where cooler climates and higher rainfall
reduce the need for high volumes of water application.
Water Supply
Drip irrigation is not designed for applying water to large root systems. To obtain
adequate water distribution and application rates, two to three dripper lines per row
of trees are required. As only a small area of the total field is wetted, drip irrigation
is especially suited for situations where the water supply is limited. Drip tubing is
used frequently to supply water under plastic mulches.
Fertilizer Application
Applying nutrients (fertilizers) through the drip system is very effective and may
reduce the total amount of fertilizer needed. Some chemical insecticides can also be
efficiently applied (precision of amounts) via drip irrigation system. This can lead
to significant savings in money and maintenance time of the garden and field. In
this case, care must be taken to ensure that the product is suitable for this type of
application and will not damage the irrigation system.
Utilities of Buried Drip System
Burying the drip system reduces water loss even further by preventing runoff across
the surface, which can occur at very high rates on dry impervious ground. It also
reduces the chance of damaging the system while weeding. The soil surface is also
kept dry, which can reduce invasion by weeds.
Attainable Efficiency
It is the most efficient irrigation system as the water is supplied directly to the root
system, an important consideration where water supplies are limited.
Advantages and Disadvantages
There are several disadvantages and potential problems with a drip irrigation sys-
tem. Costs of the product and its installation can be relatively high compared to
more simple alternatives, although these may eventually be outweighed by savings