Key Management Strategies in Drip Irrigation

David Lankford

First topic: Management Considerations of Drip Irrigation

Plastic culture with drip irrigation offers the grower management of 4 of the 5 main elements needed to grow crops. Those main elements are: water, air, nutrients, heat and sunlight. Soil is composed of the soil its self, organic material, air and water. The soil type and the relationship of these elements in the soil greatly influence the productivity of the plants on plastic culture. Understanding how soil types effect water movement and the availability of water and nutrients is needed if the grower is to manage his drip system to its full potential. Developing a watering schedule that can be verified is an essential part of any drip management strategy. Management of a drip system also requires that the grower doesn't over water or over fertilize their crop to prevent adversely impacting the environment or to reduce the economical return of the crop.

Second topic: Equipment Needed for a Good Drip System and Management

There is some basic equipment needed to have a good drip system. There are many other items that can be added to a drip system that make the system easier to use but are not necessary for the system to work well. All drip systems start with a properly designed system. Too often people use the cookie cuter approach. This is where the parts are sold as a system based on acres instead of being designed for the exact field the system is being installed in. Just because the system worked on one field does not automatically mean the design will work on any other field of the same acreage. Next important step is to have the components match the needs of the grower and the water source. Water volume and quality should be considered before a system is designed. Future expansion plans should also be discussed with the designer before the system is purchased. Safety devices should be included in the design to protect people and the environment. Flow meters and pressure gauges are needed if the drip system is to be managed correctly. Some devices for measuring the moisture in the soil will be necessary to assure the drip system is doing what the manager is trying to achieve. A properly designed drip system gives a grower management possibilities like no other system currently being sold. A poorly designed drip system ends up costing the grower more than if he did nothing.