Water Use in Agriculture

Drip irrigation is the most common type of “micro-irrigation”. This method includes water running through small horizontal pipes (with holes in them) either buried or lying slightly above the ground next to the crops that slowly drip water onto the crops roots and stems.

            Pros:

·      Is low pressure, low volume irrigation system suitable for high-return value crops such as fruits and vegetable crops.

·      Can increase yields and decrease water, fertilizer and labor requirements.

·      Applies water only to the plants root zone, saving water because of the high application efficiency and high water distribution

·      Any water-soluble fertilizer may be injected through a micro-irrigation system.

           

            Cons:

·      Costly investment

·      Requires frequent maintenance

·      Requires constant monitoring

Sprinkler Irrigation is a method of applying irrigation water, which is similar to rainfall. Water is distributed through a system of pipes usually by pumping. It is then sprayed into the air and irrigated entire soil surface through spray heads so that it breaks up into small water drops, which fall to the ground.

            Pros:

·      Low pressure to save energy

·      Achieves high uniformity of application

·      Water irrigated efficiently if combined with a scheduling system

·      Easy to apply

·      Fixed systems are cheaper to manage

            Cons:

·      Higher capital costs

·      Needs care in windy conditions so uniformity isn’t distorted

Surface irrigation is one of the oldest methods, where farmers flow water down small trenches running through their crops.

            Pros:

·      Cheap / low-tech method

·      Less water is lost to evaporation

·      Less affected by climate and water factors

·      Easy to see effectiveness

            Cons:

·      More water can be lost from runoff at the edges of the fields

·      More labor required

·      Drainage could be an issue

·      May be a higher disease pressure

My Opinion:

I would say sprinkler irrigation is the best of the three for farmers use. I chose this method because it has the most pros and the least cons, so it would be the best choice in my opinion. Sprinkler irrigation has low pressure to save energy, achieves high uniformity of application, is a scheduled system, is easy to apply and is cheap to manage. The main downside of this method is that it is costly however the efficiency is great; therefore sprinkler irrigation would be the best of the three methods.