Optimizing Drip Irrigation System Uniformity With Proper Design and Management

Agricultural irrigation system uniformity directly affects resource use efficiency as well as yield and quality potential.  This is because highly uniform systems will require less run time for the driest portion of the field to receive adequate water, and thus will consume fewer resources including water, fertilizer, energy, labor, chemicals, etc.  For example, if a farmer wishes to apply 1” of water with a drip irrigation system that has a 90% EU, fewer operating hours will be required to achieve this than an irrigation system with lower EU. As a result, drip irrigation systems with a high EU consume fewer inputs than less uniform systems since they are operated fewer hours to achieve desired results.  In addition, highly uniform drip irrigation systems have been reported to provide higher yields and improved crop quality since crops may be spoon fed inputs evenly and when needed.

In order to optimize drip irrigation system uniformity, Toro Micro-Irrigation has recently released two free tools that assist with the proper design, installation, operation and maintenance of a state of the art drip irrigation systems.  First, Toro has released AquaFlow 3.2 Design Software which enables the end user to evaluate drip irrigation design options more quickly and accurately, leading to better, more effective drip irrigation design decisions and systems. As a result, drip irrigation systems are better able to improve farm profitability and increase resource use efficiency.  Second, the Toro Micro-Irrigation Owner’s Manual is a heavily referenced, 129-page, four-color, fully illustrated, spiral-wound document that provides a comprehensive guide to the operation and maintenance of both new and existing micro-irrigation systems for row, field and permanent crops. The resource comes in both English and Spanish versions, with measurements in English and Metric Units. Chapter titles include Drip Irrigation System Overview, Starting Up Your System, Basic System Operation, Fertigation and Chemigation, Salinity Management and System Maintenance. Both the Software and the Manual are available for free download from toro.com or driptips.toro.com.

This presentation will provide an overview of these new tools and will highlight their practical usage by both field practitioners and academic interests alike.