The amount of water available for agriculture is the most constraining factor for food and fiber production around the world.

Compared to a flood irrigation a sprinkler system can reduce the water needed by about 25% and if the water is applied using drip irrigation with mulch covering the 50% reduction of water needed is available.

Now since we reduce the need 50% we can irrigation twice the area potentially. But it gets better because the use of drip with mulching on raised beds give higher yield and quality and reduces diseases and pests which are favored by water splashing about.

The issue with the drip system is getting the system capitalized and the first application will be high value crops of course.

Irrigation by flood is okay, sprinkler is better but for a world of scarce land and water drip will be area of growth.

Yes I agree with the most of the points stated by Dr Paul. In most of our studies the production also increased to a larger extent and in some cased the production even doubled, if we adopt drip fertigation ( application of water and nutrients). Similarly water use efficiency (WUE) will be higher in the case of Drip than sprinkler and flood irrigation. WUE will be as high as 90 % and as told with drip we can substantiate the area of irrigation with the same quantity of water. Many research papers are available on this line and even you can refer some of our papers too. If you need I can send that also

Definitely sir, As micro irrigation system saves substantially irrigation water not only but from the saved quantity of water we can expand or increase the area under irrigation or cultivation

Basically we need to maintain moisture at field capacity level, it is possible by useing only such pressurised methods i.e.low volume, lower rate and with hogher frequency it is posible by keep all activity in plant at optimum level. for better growth and dvelopment.

my dear friend The pressure of water within the system is not related to the quantity and quality of production, but it is related to the quality of seeds and the number of irrigation, fertilization, control, harvesting and marketing and not to water pressure inside the system, and modern agriculture today using drip irrigation and the use of black plastic sheeting covered by soil except the seed hole that will contribute to the loss of resources This is positively reflected on increased production with the same available resources. With appreciation

During dry spell, sprinkler and flood irrigation is more suitable as per the availability of water. In case of limited water, drip microirrigation system is more valuable for saving of water and also with fertigation as per the recommended irrigations to the crops, definitely can be achieved production of crops. But pressurized and excess quantity of water supplying to the crops, definitely crop production will be doubled but it may be affects on its quality of seed and market price by dilution of some nutrients also.

The main aim of using sprinkler, micro-sprinkler and drip irrigation systems is to reduce water use and water stress to the crop plants. If crop is grown under zero stress conditions like hydroponics systems, quality and quantity at highest level is achieved because there is no stress of water, nutrient and even climate. Hydroponics and conventional cultivation are both extremes. Hydroponics systems like spoon-feeding-baby, the crops are not getting any stress whereas in conventional cultivation, crops face water stress in between two irrigation or two rainfall. Crop spend its stored energy to draw water during the water stress period. More dry period, More stress and More spending energy. More spending of its stored energy became less stored food(Yield) at the end. Hence quality and quantity of produce is more in aeroponics, hydroponics, drip, micro-sprinkler, sprinkler and conventional irrigated agriculture. Least will be the conventional rainfed cultivation.