Soil irrigation: methods and rules for carrying out, possible problems

Getting a full-fledged harvest is the most important concern of farmers, and of all people in general. This is due to the fact that the population is growing, and the amount of suitable land is constantly decreasing. Therefore, the problem of irrigation of dry soil comes to the fore. There are a lot of similar sites on the planet, so introducing them into agricultural circulation through irrigation will help solve the nutrition problem in many ways.

What is soil irrigation

Lack of moisture in the soil leads to the fact that plants do not gain green mass, bear fruit poorly and may not survive to harvest at all.That is why soil irrigation is of such importance - supplying water to areas allocated for various agricultural and ornamental crops.

Irrigation is designed to increase the amount of moisture in the layer of earth in which the bulk of plant roots grows. Together with drainage, it is included in the main types of land reclamation and is its hydrotechnical variety.

The use of soil irrigation leads to a decrease in temperature in the layer of air closest to the ground, increases the level of humidity and, most importantly, helps to increase the supply of the root system of plants with water and nutrients dissolved in it.

Irrigation System Components

Irrigation systems are areas where facilities are located that provide water supply to a particular area. They are open and closed. In the first case, channels are used to supply water, in the second - pipelines.

In most cases, irrigation systems consist of a number of components:

1. Source of water.
2. Water intake facility.
3. Plumbing devices or a whole network of them.
4. Irrigation network and devices.
5. Drainage-drainage network.
6. Drainage.
7. Additional and auxiliary facilities.
8. Infrastructure.

Depending on what components are used to create an irrigation system, they can be gravity or water-lifting if pumping devices are used.

Irrigation methods

The main irrigation methods include the following:

1. Irrigation in grooves and furrows with water from an irrigation canal or when pumped. The oldest irrigation method used to this day.
2. Sprinkling by supplying water through pipes.
3. Spray irrigation, in which water is sprayed with small sprays. Serves to cool and humidify the layer of air near the surface of the earth.
4. Intrasoil irrigation, in which water is dripped to the plants directly in the root zone.
5. Sprinkling - spraying water with circular or frontal systems, which can be self-propelled or transportable.
6. Irrigation of the firth type, in which local waters overflow once in the spring and deeply moisten the soil.

The choice of irrigation method depends on the area planted, soil types, climate, plants grown and more.

Rules

For proper irrigation, it is necessary to calculate the amount of moisture needed for the full vegetation of plants. This takes into account the specifics of the climate, the condition of the soil, the requirements of plants in different periods of the growing season.

Irrigated soil cultivation

When watering, a soil crust is formed, which must be destroyed to allow air to enter the roots and further penetration of moisture. Mulching can also help in such cases.

If the soils are dense and heavy, the processing should be intensive and thorough. It is combined with pruning and removal of weeds. Plantings also need regular fertilization, the rate of which is calculated based on the requirements of plants and soil conditions.

In the spring, such soils are carefully leveled to avoid the accumulation of moisture in the lowlands and waterlogging. Plants on irrigated land also require the use of pesticides, but they need to be handled with the utmost care so as not to lead to the accumulation of toxic components in the soil.

What crops are grown on irrigated soil?

Theoretically, any crop can be grown on irrigated land. It depends on the climate, soil quality and plant species, as well as the method of irrigation and the amount of water used. For example, in Israel, most fruit, berry and vegetable plants are grown on drip irrigation, and in the UAE, under hot desert conditions, even palm trees are grown.

In industrial agriculture, irrigated land is essential for growing most gourds (except watermelon) because they love sun and heat but have shallow roots.Irrigation is also required for growing cotton, corn, rice and other crops.

What problems might you encounter

Despite the significant advantages of soil irrigation, it also has a number of significant disadvantages:

1. Secondary salinization. This is a threat that manifests itself with uncontrolled irrigation in a desert climate.
2. Pollution of water - underground and surface.
3. Erosion of irrigation origin (erosion).
4. Cultural soil horizon accumulation caused by irrigation use.
5. Wamping.
6. Relief subsidence.
7. Shoaling of reservoirs.

These negative results require a serious approach to the application of soil irrigation.

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