Major challenge in subsurface drip for vegetable cultivation is emitter clogging by soil or roots. Any effective solution to this issue?? I am operating the system in sandy loam soil with one day irrigation interval. Emitters are placed 15 cm below soil surface.
It is relevant to idetify what type of clogging occurs, by an accurate sampling of depositions. Remedies are then applied to the case, http://www.smart-fertilizer.com/articles/emitter-clogging
The clogging of subsurface emitters can be avoided by keeping the system pressure correctly and regular flushing of the end caps. The acid treatment is also advised before and after rainy season. Maintenance of the drip system physically, chemically and biologically is essential to avoid clogging.
I maintain optimum operating pressure. I can proceed with acid treatment as suggested, but i am not sure of type of acid that can be used for the treatment of emitters and at what dilution level? Please guide on this issue. Little information is available on this particular aspect of maintenance of the subsurface drip system.
The sources of clogging are : Physical , Chemical and Biological causes. So to avoid clogging emitters take the following steps :
-Test the irrigation water for the 3 types of clogging causes.
-Removing the potential source of plugging from the water before it enters the irrigation system;
-Filter large particles or aggregates, such as sand and clay, before letting the water enter the emitters.
-Eliminate microorganisms by proper disinfection and water treatment.
- Prevent sedimentation of chemicals in the irrigation system by adjusting pH levels, monitoring solubility limits of fertilizers and avoiding chemical interactions between fertilizers.
- Maintain the irrigation lines and emitters by periodical flushing.
There are different causes of emitter/dripper clogging in a drip irrigation system, one of which is biological clogging. When the irrigation water or the soil type in the irrigation scheme has high amount of manganese, iron or hydrogen sulfides, it might favor the development of algae and bacteria. This in turn may favor the development of plants/weeds near the emitters, which results in clogging by the plant roots. In such cases addition of acids might not be a solution. Mechanical removal of the plants weeds or using herbicides accompanied by periodic flashing with relatively higher pressure (in addition to the regular flashing of the irrigation system) and regular injection of chlorine can overcome the problem of clogging by the plant roots. It is good also to maintain the maximum permissible velocity of water in the system so that it doesn't allow or minimizes the settlement of nutrients near the emitters or in the laterals.
Flashing with acids is rather recommended for clogging by salts. However, the type of acid to be used depends on the type of salts in the irrigation water or in the soil that can cause clogging of the emitters.
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