Design and Evaluation of Drip Irrigation System for Sugarcane in India

Abstract

Design of drip irrigation system (DIS) for any crop is to be done based on the root spread of the crop and its soil type to maximize the benefits with minimum wastage of water and fertilizers. Soil moisture sensing is very useful in ascertaining performance and to improve real-time operation of the irrigation system. In the present work, design of DIS was done for sugarcane crop grown in sandy clay loam soil, and evaluation of the functioning of the DIS was done by installing soil moisture sensors in the root zone. Daily actual evapotranspiration was estimated using the water balance analysis in the root zone. Deep drainage from the root zone was estimated at every 15-min interval using the Darcy–Buckingham equation. Daily average drainage rate below the root zone was found to be 0.34 mm/day for drip irrigated sugarcane crop in sandy clay loam soil. From the soil moisture sensor observations, it was found that the width of wetted strip never went beyond 60 cm laterally from the lateral. Dripper spacing of 0.3 m was found to be suitable to optimally apply water and fertilizers for sugarcane crop grown in sandy clay loam soil. The information obtained from this study is useful in management of irrigation and fertigation optimally.