Drip irrigation is a popular method of irrigation worldwide. It involves the controlled application of droplets or small volume of water to the root zones of plants. It is water efficient as it uses only a fraction of water used by other methods of irrigation.
The drip irrigation system also called trickle irrigation system consists of drip tapes, drip tubings, connectors, venturi injector, hoses, pumps and other components. These components enable the drip irrigation system to function properly.
Types of Drip Irrigation
The types of drip irrigation are discussed as follows:
Pre-Installed Emitter Lines (Pre-Installed Emitter Drip Tapes or Tubes)
This type of drip irrigation system has drip tapes or drip tubes with pre-installed emitters. This means that the manufacturer of the drip irrigation system has already pre-inserted the emitters on the drip tapes.
These emitters cannot be removed as they have been permanently fixed on the drip tapes by the manufacturer. The emitters are usually spaced at a predetermined interval.
The advantages of this type of drip irrigation include:
- It can be used to target irrigate every plant by emitting water to the roots of each plant.
- It is water efficient.
- It can significantly increase crop yield.
- It can be used for Fertigation and Chemigation.
- It reduces the need for manual labour, this can go a long way in reducing the overall cost of labour.
The disadvantage of using this type of drip irrigation is the initial cost which may seem high for some people.
Another demerit is that the emitters can get clogged and Irreparable.
Porous Drip Irrigation Pipes
The porous drip irrigation pipes are pipes with perforated holes. The perforated holes enable water to be passed to the roots of plants.
This type of drip irrigation can be designed by DIY. You just need to get some pipes or hoses, perforate them and lay them beside the rows of plants. PVC pipes can also be used to make porous drip irrigation pipes.
The porous drip irrigation hoses are also called soaker hoses.
The advantages include:
- It provides much needed water to plants for all year round farming.
- It can be used to pass soluble fertilizers to crops.
- It reduces weed pressure unlike sprinklers.
The disadvantage of using the soaker hose is that it cannot be effectively used with gravity system as pressure drop at the end of the soaker hose will affect the emission of water.
Punch-In Emitter Drip Irrigation
The punch-in emitter drip irrigation is a type of drip irrigation where removable emitters are inserted into hoses or pipes after holes are created on the pipes or hoses.
A punch tool is usually used to create holes on the pipes or hoses. After the creation of the holes, the punch-in emitters are inserted. These emitters drip water to the roots of plants.
The advantages of using the punch-in emitter drip irrigation are:
- The emitters are removable so they can be cleaned easily.
- It allows for all year round irrigation of plants.
- It reduces weeds pressure
The disadvantage of using this type of drip irrigation is the high cost of acquisition.
Now that you know the types of drip irrigation, if you have any question about drip irrigation, please do not hesitate to ask in the comments’ section.