Dear Researchers,
Although it is well-known fact that water-conserving techniques such as drip irrigation are smart enough to supply adequate water directly to the root zone. However, my concern is, whether it is limited to maintaining, in general, soil health in the context of salt (mineral) content and recharging groundwater? Thank you.
Sincerely,
Aman Srivastava
Disadvantages of Drip Irrigation System
- The installation process needs time. Sometimes may need court approval in some lands.
- Sun heat affects tubes, sometimes they get broken for excessive heat production.
- Plastic tubes affect soils fertility. Sun degrades plastic sometimes and that affect soil and fertilizers too.
- Tubes get clogged sometimes. Water cannot pass through and roots get dehydrated.
- If Drip Irrigation is not installed properly, then it is a waste of time, water and heat.
Regarding Flood irrigation, it is the least efficient form of irrigation. More water loss from evaporation, infiltration, and runoff. Building and taking down levees is labour-intensive.
Regards
Proper positioning of drip irrigation comes from some investigation with regard to soil type, groundwater level, ground slope, vegetation type and the predominant sun's position with reference to soil surface.
Drip irrigation does not allow deep percolation of irrigation water to be able to recharge the groundwater. Flood irrigation has excess water which can lead to groundwater recharge.
Drip irrigation results in hard pan of the soil. Flood irrigation results in easy tillage of land because of soft soil.
Not supporting fully, in rajasthan or like other states drift watering cultivation is the aim to use water less. simultaneously soil water level also very less. Here flood watering is expensive and corps return benefit also less.
Most important of all is , why drip irrigation ensures much higher water use efficiency compared to flood irrigation ..? In drip irrigation , water is delivered right into the rootzone and roots have to absorb water at almost uniform soil water potential throughout growth period of the crop . While in flood irrigation , everyday , plant has to absorb water at different soil water potential , resultantly ends up with much lower water use efficiency..
I think these could help you;
Drip irrigation; an astonishing technology of precision agriculture works upon the principles of application of input(water) in right amount (minute miniature spray), right place(root zone area)with right time...water productivity and efficiency will be greatly enhanced as compared to other methods but quantity of water is very less which is restricted to root zone area so as to make proper wetting slowly and slowly...ground water recharge may not be possible as what so ever water is applied, it seems to be absorbed efficiently by root for consumptive use demand... percolation losses, leaching losses are negligible thereby no space for recharging ground water...on the other hand if we look for soil fertility status after incorporating drip irrigation, soil fertility may be maintained as there will be optimum water potential and content which ensure adequate and efficient supply of all the essential nutrients need for proper growth and development... nutrients may not be losses or very negligible losses with drip irrigation...
See as we know Earth is a rotational object. So the resources are also in rotation. Keeping it in mind the decision should be taken. In flood water irrigation a part of the water evaporated, keep it moised in surroundings, another part goes to under mud to restore for some time being, the growth of roots will be better one. To restricts the evaporation green house concept can be accepted. If any cells that may be plant or animal are not sufficiently moised, the physiological development will be limited and the output will be according to it. Nitrogenous composition
There is no question about the advantage in the short term with drip irrigation, but in the long run, some of the moisture will evaporate at the ground surface and salinity will develop. The salinization will be slow but must be countered by periodic flushing of the accumulated salts down into the groundwater as with flood irrigation.
Stuart.
The limiting factor associated with drip irrigation is that evaporation is minimal, water is supplied at almost consumptive use of the crop and hence, neither deep percolation no lateral flow to recharge groundwater.
However, flood irrigation technique involve supplying the irrigation water by intution. So evaporation rate is high which could give rise to development of salinity if proper drainage system is not available as in developing nations, infiltration is also high, giving rise to deep percolation and in some cases subsurface/lateral flow recharging both surface and underground water. In addition, fertility is lost the downstream lands unless the land is extensively developed to checkmate the effect, which requires annual investment cost and is tediously compare to drip irrigation which requires sonly initial investment cost to put everything in place.
Whether flood irrigation or drip irrigation, the major aspect in choosing the irrigation methodology by any individual is the water availability. If the land is near the riverside and the water availability is in plenty, nobody thinks of drip irrigation. However, in places of water scarcity, no body takes the risk of planting water intensive crops and adopt the drip irrigation for better utilisation of the limited water sources. As far as the groundwater recharge is concerned, when a farmer irrigates the land through any method, he is only considering the water demand of the crop and not whether the water is going to recharge groundwater or not. Groundwater recharge from irrigation activities is always considered as in-direct benefit.
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