Subsurface Drip Irrigation Systems Subsurface drip irrigation
, also known as SDI, involves applying water below soil surface through emitters, with discharge rates similar to drip irrigation. SDI is a method of irrigation that enables the targeted delivery of water and nutrients to the plant below the surface, optimizing root and plant growth. This approach uses fertilizers, water, and energy, making it the most advantageous strategy from an economic, agronomic, and environmental standpoint.
Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) is an irrigation system that delivers water directly to the plant's root zone through buried lines or tubes, minimizing water loss and promoting water efficiency. It is widely used in agriculture, particularly in areas with limited water resources or where water efficiency is a priority. SDI benefits include improved plant health and yield, reduced weed growth, enhanced nutrient management, and flexibility and automation. However, it has limitations such as higher initial costs, maintenance requirements, soil suitability, and risk of clogging. To maximize its benefits, careful consideration of site-specific factors and proper system maintenance are essential. SDI is a method of irrigation that allows for the localised provision of water and nutrients to the plant below the surface, hence optimizing root and plant growth. This approach allows for the utilization of water, energy, and fertilizers, establishing it as the best economic, agronomic, and ecological choice. SDI system is the newest irrigation technique and most effective way to irrigate agricultural crops and landscapes. The productivity and water use efficiency of sub-surface drip irrigation may be higher than that of other irrigation techniques. The surface drip irrigation (SDI) might not be as effective at reducing environmental impact and increasing water use efficiency as SSDI.
Vegetable growers in many regions would gain significantly from this system. The high ongoing expense of drip irrigation and the damage to customary cultural activities may also be mitigated by this method. SSDI is accomplished with a low-pressure, high-efficiency system that uses underground drip tubes to supply the crops' water requirements. Crops can be grown with SSDI to provide great yields without harming the environment through runoff or leaching. SDI reduces groundwater pollution by limiting nitrate and salts, saving water and nutrients, controlling salinity, and ensuring durability than traditional surface drip systems. Its spherical soil surface allows for easy access and movement, reduces weed growth, restricts root rot, and prevents crust formation. This may be due to the spherical soil, water wetting as compared to the half-spherical in the case of the surface drip system. SDI is also less exposed to sunlight and extreme weather conditions, resulting in longer material life and labor savings. All crops, whether they are large (maize, barley, or alfalfa) or woody (almond, vine, olive, pistachio, or peach trees), respond well to SDI. SDI can save 25-50% of water used with flood irrigation, offering benefits like higher yield, improved crop quality, multiple harvests, chemical application, and reduced plant diseases. Research on corn in the Great Plains showed water savings of 35%-55% compared to traditional methods. Subsurface drip irrigation improved potato tuber yield, quality parameters, and nutrients content.
Experimental investigation shows SDI replaces 60% daily evapotranspiration for maximum corn yields. SDI is commonly used in agriculture, particularly in areas with limited water resources or where water efficiency is a priority. Also, salt accumulation in the soil's top layer can reduce yield in arid and semiarid climates. So, SDI systems can help wash away salts beyond the root zone, as successful on mature pear trees. Subsurface drip irrigation reduces water use for corn by 35-55% compared to traditional methods, and has been shown to be less water-consuming and produce similar or better crop yields. SSDI techniques were conducted on a variety of crops, it has proven its superiority in cotton tomato, potato, corn, row crops, cucumber, and with date palms. Therefore, our studies aim to evaluate the tomato and cucumber water regimes and lead to amazing results at king Saud university in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The benefits of subsurface drip irrigation include:
1. Water efficiency: SDI improves water efficiency by directly delivering water to root zones, reducing evaporation and loss.
2. Improved plant health and yield: SDI improves plant health and yield by providing consistent water supply to roots, enhancing crop yields and produce quality.
3. Reduced weed growth: SDI minimizes weed growth by targeting water to root zones, reducing herbicide and manual control requirements.
4. Enhanced nutrient management: SDI enhances nutrient management by applying fertilizers directly to root zones, minimizing runoff and leaching.
5. Flexibility and automation: SDI systems offer flexibility, automation, and reduced labor requirements for farmers through precise scheduling and delivery. Despite its advantages, subsurface drip irrigation also has some limitations:
1. Initial cost: SDI systems may have higher initial installation costs compared to traditional methods.
2. Maintenance requirements: SDI systems require regular maintenance, including flushing, cleaning, filter replacement, and monitoring.
3. Soil suitability: the system performance of SDI may be affected by soil conditions like heavy clay or high-water table.
4. Risk of clogging: Clogging risk in drip lines increases with improper maintenance and sediment or organic matter levels.
Overall, subsurface drip irrigation offers significant advantages in terms of water efficiency, improved plant health, and nutrient management. However, careful consideration of site-specific factors and proper system maintenance are essential for maximizing its benefits