Low pressure low cost (LPLC) drip irrigation system for small land holders
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Date
2009
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MPUAT, Udaipur
Abstract
A field experiment entitled “Low Pressure Low Cost (LPLC) Drip Irrigation System for Small Land Holders” was conducted during 2008-09 at Horticulture Farm, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Udaipur. Manually operated affordable low pressure low cost (LPLC) drip system was constructed from locally available materials. The system consists of Krishak Bandhu (KB) pipes, KB pressure treadle pump with pressure drum (source), microtubes and medical infusion set as emitters. The KB pressure treadle pump is basically a foot operated, medium lift, double-stroke, vertical reciprocating and positive displacement pump. It was appropriated with non return valve with bend arrangement. The field experiments were conducted on different aspects for tomato and broccoli, such as vegetative growth parameters, hydraulic performances, crop water requirements, water use efficiency and cost economics. Sprouting broccoli (Brassica olreacea L. var. italica) cv. Aishwarya (F1 - Hybrid) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) cv. Dev variety were grown. Emitters clogging which is common menace with drip systems were controlled by weekly addition of lime in storage tank. Treatments combinations were as under
T1: Broccoli grown on level ground with medi-emitters
T2: Tomato grown on 0.5 % up slope with medi-emitters
T3: Tomato grown on level ground with microtubes
T4: Broccoli grown on 0.5 % up slope with microtubes
The experiment was laid out with four treatments, which were treated as twenty-one replication (without treatment) for randomized block design (RBD). Each sub plot was comprised of 21 numbers of rows with 566 numbers of plants, out of which 5 plants were selected randomly as observational plants. Paired rows planting pattern was adopted with improved planting geometry. Row to row and plant to plant spacing was 0.60 m and 0.45 m respectively.
It was found that male can perform the pump operation more efficiently than female having same weight. Since the total lift of pump is 13 m, the farmers can use this pump for drip, sprinkler and supplemental irrigation from available source of water (ground water, pond and storage tank, etc). Its cost was Rs 2900($65). Ergonomically designed KB pressure treadle pump found to operate satisfactory, divisible and affordable for small land holders.
System was operated under 6 m pressure head, discharge of emitters and its hydraulic parameters were evaluated. The application time was calculated on the basis of Kc and pan evaporation (35 years weekly climate normal during growth period of vegetable crops, RCA). Discharge rate of emitters under 6 m head was 2.29, 2.11, 1.05 and 0.86 l/h for treatments T1, T2, T3 and T4 respectively. Flow through medi-emitter was laminar where as flow through microtubes was turbulent. It was scheduled daily based on crop water requirement and daily soil moisture observation was recorded by AIC tensiometer at 30 and 60 cm depth of soil profile in each subplots. Soil moisture content was found closer to field capacity.
Uniformity tested under 4-8 m head, Qvar, Hvar, Cv, UCS, CUC and Ed found in the range of 8.58 to 24.29 %, 16.36 to 48.84 %, 0.0945 to 0.1675, 86.15 to 90.82 %, 85.69 to 92.44 % and 58.33 to 75.17 % respectively.
The performance of four treatments was assessed by vegetative growth parameters with four biometric parameters: crop residue (all leaves + steam but without fruit mass), fruit mass, aboveground biomass and root mass. Fruit mass was significantly different in case of treatments T2 and T3 where as insignificant in case of T1 and T4 (p ≤ 0.05). Yield of fruit (per ha) of broccoli and tomato in treatment T1 (29.27 t/ha) followed by T4 (17.33 t/ha) and T3 (63.46 t/ha) followed by T2 (56.03 t/ha) respectively. The vegetative growth parameters were high and superior quality in treatments T1 and T3 compared with T4 and T2.
The Water use efficiency (WUE) is one of the best tools for the evaluating the performance of different irrigation treatments. As the ground water contribution was nil (GWT › 10 m), the seasonal water requirement was found to be 20.08, 19.68, 18.61 and 21.06 cm respectively for treatments T1, T2, T3 and T4 and corresponding WUE are 1.46, 2.85, 3.41 and 0.82 t/ha-cm. T1 saved the water to the extent of 4.65 per cent over T4 and T3 to the extent 5.46 per cent over T2. The overall efficiency of water use within this experiment was high.
The developed system has pay back period of one season only, benefit to cost (B/C) ratio varies from 1.52 to 5.31 (without subsidy). This design therefore presents an attractive prospect for the advancement of affordable micro irrigation technology. However, for proper functioning of the medi-emitters, require a weekly check against clogging. Thus, appropriate, affordable, accessible, low operation and maintenance cost, users friendly LPLC drip irrigation system is better alternative for small land holders. This water efficient irrigation methods (LPLC) can significantly improve food production and the livelihoods in water scarce areas of developing countries, promoting greater economic and food security.
Description
Low pressure low cost (LPLC) drip irrigation system for small land holders
Keywords
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Citation
Sah and Purohit, 2009