Abstract
The aim of this research paper is to design a drip irrigation system for a Pineapple orchard in the Federal University of Technology Owerri school farm. This work takes into account the preliminary studies of the study area (general relief, topography and soil nature), water quality and quantity assessment (water sample collection, testing and analysis), soil and field analysis (moisture content test, infiltration tests and grain-size analysis) and climatic influence on the area to make resolute conclusions on the parameters required for the design of the drip irrigation system. With reference to the peak consumptive use of pineapple (1.928mm/day) and peak potential evapotranspiration (4.794mm/day) obtained from application of empirical formulas; the drip irrigation system designed comprises of 48 laterals (Inside Diameter of 10mm, 1104 emitters, Discharge of 0.012L/S, and Friction Loss of 13.44m), 1 submain(Inside Diameter of 28mm, Discharge of 0.56L/S and Friction Loss of 3.65m) and 1 mainline (Inside Diameter of 42mm, Discharge of 0.57L/S and Friction Loss of 0.02m) with an actual emission uniformity of 85%.
Highlights
Study AreaIrrigation is the controlled application of water artificially to the soil for the purpose of supplying the moisture needs and requirements of the crop(s) for production and optimum performance in the field or farm
Drip irrigation is the frequent, slow application of water either directly into the land surface or into the root zone of the crops, (James, 1988), according to A.M Michael, 1991, drip irrigation is a method of watering plants with a volume of water approaching the consumptive use (CU) of the plants
The chemical quality of water determines the suitability for irrigation use, the most important characteristics of irrigation water are the total concentrations of soluble salts, properties of sodium, toxic elements and carbonate concentrations plus magnesium (USDA, 1954,1974,1976)
Summary
Irrigation is the controlled application of water artificially to the soil for the purpose of supplying the moisture needs and requirements of the crop(s) for production and optimum performance in the field or farm. Drip irrigation is the frequent, slow application of water either directly into the land surface or into the root zone of the crops, (James, 1988), according to A.M Michael, 1991, drip irrigation is a method of watering plants with a volume of water approaching the consumptive use (CU) of the plants It is the slow even application of low pressure water to the soil and plants using plastic tubing placed directly at the plants root zone (Malheur Experiment Station, 2006). The slope of the area of consideration falls between 1%-2%
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