Drip irrigation and its advantages
At a time when water resources are depleting, innovative agricultural irrigation methods are important. Drip irrigation is an agricultural method which changed water requirements in agriculture due to drop by drop irrigation which not only saves water but also keep plants healthy and has improved plant yield.
Advantages of drip irrigation
- Water Conservation : Drip irrigation technique saves a lot of water and water in irrigation is used efficiently and it thus maximizes use of available water.
- Increase crop production : Through drip irrigation water is directly fed to the roots of the plant, which help in healthier plants and thus higher yield.
- Reduces weed growth : As discussed earlier, drip irrigation provides water directly to root zone, thus minimizing moisture between plants. This is the place where weed grows
- Reduces diseases : As drip irrigation feeds water directly to the roots, it minimizes water contact with stem, leaves and fruit of the plant
- Reduces soil erosion : Drip irrigation reduces soil erosion
- Evaporation is reduced : As water is fed directly to the roots of the plant, evaporation is reduced.
But with drip irrigation there are challenges as well :
- High installation cost
- Vulnerable to clogging and dysfunction
- blockage in pipe leads to crop loss
- problems with moisture distribution
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