WHAT IS IRRIGATION?

What is irrigation and how is it done? In some soils, the water given by flooding is called irrigation, in some soils, the water given by sprinkling is called irrigation, and in some soils, the water given by drip is called irrigation. The most common irrigation system in our country and in the world is the drip irrigation system. Water given through drops is as valuable and beneficial as breast milk. 100% of modern walnut orchards are irrigated with a drip irrigation system. Walnut trees should be watered regularly, once a week.

DRIP IRRIGATION

The basic principle of the drip irrigation method is to administer small amounts of irrigation water at frequent intervals, with the help of pressurized pipes and drippers, only to the environment where the plant roots develop, without creating tension in the plant. The most important feature of the humidity system is that the entire area is not wetted, only a wet strip along the plant row. It is achieved and a dry area remains between the rows of plants. Thus, the available irrigation water is utilized to the maximum extent. Apart from this, we can list the advantages of the drip irrigation method compared to other irrigation methods as follows. In cases where water is limited and the cost is high, a larger area can be irrigated since the entire land is not wet. Since the wetted surface of the soil is shaded by the plant, evaporation from the soil surface and therefore water consumption of the plant is less. -Since the necessary moisture environment is provided in the plant root zone, the plant absorbs water from the soil without consuming much energy, which is an important factor that increases the product. Irrigation water is used when the plant needs it, thus making the most of the fertilizer. Plant rows Since the soil surface is not wetted, weed growth is not allowed. Since the soil surface is kept dry, tillage, spraying, crop harvesting and transportation are facilitated, thus agricultural operations are minimized. Since the aboveground organs of the plant are not wet, the development of plant diseases is prevented. An even distribution of moisture in the plant root zone. Irrigation water can be applied in the desired amount and with the best control, water application efficiency is very high, easy to use and irrigation labor is at a minimum level. In addition to these advantages of the drip irrigation method, there are also some factors that limit the application of this method. We can list them as follows: The most important problem is the clogging of the drippers. To prevent this, irrigation water must be filtered very well in the control unit and the system must be washed with dilute acid at regular intervals. In areas where drip irrigation is applied, some salt accumulation occurs in the soil. In places where the average annual precipitation is more than 300 mm, these salts are washed into the lower layers. In areas where rainfall is insufficient, supportive surface irrigation methods must be applied to wash the bottom of the plant root area. The initial installation cost of drip irrigation is very high. However, under high economic value plant growing conditions, it is generally economical to obtain more product from a unit area, as a larger area can be irrigated. As explained above, by taking into account these advantages of the drip irrigation method, products that are sensitive to moisture deficiency in the soil and have high economic value can be obtained in conditions where water resources are limited.