Surface drip irrigation is a type of drip irrigation system that is installed on the surface of the soil. In surface drip irrigation systems, water is delivered to plants on the surface of the soul. The root zones of plants get water on the top of the soil surface.
Emitters and drippers are placed on the surface of the soil in the surface drip irrigation system. Drip tapes and drippers are not buried in the soil in surface drip irrigation systems. Surface drip irrigation systems enable farmers to irrigate the crops all year round. It can also positively impact the income of farmers as they can grow crops all year round.
Surface drip irrigation can reduce water loss as compared to other forms of irrigation like flood irrigation and sprinkler irrigation. Surface drip irrigation can also increase crop yield because of the precise way it passes water to plants.
One of the main merits of surface drip irrigation over subsurface drip irrigation is the ease of maintenance.
Components of a Surface Drip Irrigation System
The following are the components of a surface drip irrigation system:
Drip Tapes
The drip tapes are the main parts or components of a drip irrigation system. The drip tapes are polythene pipes or tubes laid beside the rows of plants. For the drip tapes to work, they must have emitters attached to them. The emitters may be pre-installed or the removable type. Emitters are fitted at pre-determined intervals on the drip tapes. The intervals can be 20cm, 30cm, 40cm or 60cm etc. Drip tapes come in rolls or bundles of 500 metres, 1000 metres, 1500 metres and 2000 metres etc.
Drip tapes can get blocked but there are ways to clean the drip tapes when blocked.
Valves
Valves control the flow of water in the drip irrigation system. They also enable the stopping the flow of water to a zone on the drip irrigated land. Valves can also enable a farmer to channel water flow or supply to areas on his farmland. The valves used in drip irrigation system are similar to that used in plumbing work. There are types of drip irrigation valves that can be controlled by the internet.
Backflow Valve
This type of valve prevents water from flowing back into the source of water. The backflow valve is also called backflow preventer. In drip irrigation systems, some farmers fertigate fertilizers and chemicals to their crops, in order for the farmer to prevent the chemicals not to flow back into his source of water, he can use a backflow valve. The valve will stop the flow back of chemicals into sources of water like river, well, boreholes and dams etc.
Pressure Regulators
All drip tapes have a level or pressure they can work it. If you have a drip tape that can work with 1 bar, your water pressure must not be more than 1 bar, otherwise you damage the drip tape. A pressure regulator can be used to regulate the water pressure. Farmers can use pressure regulators to adjust their water pressure so that they will not damage the drip irrigation system. A lot of pressure regulators in Nigeria are made with plastic or brass.
Filter
Filters are used in the drip irrigation system for stopping debris, impurities, particles and silt from getting into the drip tapes. Without filters, the drip irrigation system may be rendered unusable. Drip tapes have emitters; impurities getting into the drip system can block the emitters. If the emitters are blocked, the whole drip irrigation system will be unusable as water will not drip out of it again. The filter is usually installed on the main line or pipe in the drip irrigation system. Some filters come in 120 mesh size, 150 mesh size and 100 mesh size etc.
Emitters
These are thin shaped devices on drip tapes or drip tubes. The emitters or drippers emit water on to the root zone of plants. Without emitters, the drip irrigation system cannot perform its role of irrigating crops or plants. The emitters are also used to emit chemical and fertilizer solution to the root zones of crops. Emitters can be pre-installed on drip lines, some are also removable. Most emitters on drip tapes emit between 1-4 litres of water per hour.
Mainline
The mainline or main pipe in drip irrigation systems comes from the source of water. The main line brings water to the sub-mains in the drip irrigation system. For small holder farmers, the mainline is usually 2-inch in size. The mainline can be a layflat hose, PVC pipe or galvanized pipe. The mainline is usually very rugged as it can last for up to 20 years in some cases.
Lay Flat Hose Connectors
These are also called croco connectors. The lay flat hose connectors are used to connect the drip tapes or drip tubes to the lay flat hoses. A punch tool is usually used to create holes on the lay flat hose for the lay flat hose connectors to be attached to it.
Venturi Injector
This is a vital component in a drip irrigation system. It is used for fertigation and chemigation. The venturi injector is used to inject fertilizer and chemical solution into the drip irrigation system for fertilization of crops.
Other components of a drip irrigation system include take-offs, grommet, manifold, end plugs and dosing pump etc.
You can contact Veggie Concept through sales@veggieconcept.ng or 08025141924 if you need any surface drip irrigation component.
Read about spray tube vs drip tape.