In areas with irregular rainfall or fields with water-intensive crops, farmers need to use artificial methods to hydrate thirsty plants. Various forms of irrigation exist to serve the different requirements of farmers.
Surface Irrigation – The oldestand the most common form of irrigation uses gravity or the slope of the land to spread the water to the entire fieldto wet it and infiltrate it into the soil. It is also known as flood irrigation as the field gets partially flooded as commonly seen in rice fields (paddles). The efficiency of surface irrigation is typically lower than other forms of irrigation.
Drip Irrigation: Water To the Roots – A modern approach to irrigation is sending water directly to the roots of the plantsusing a drip irrigation system or a subsurface drip irrigation system. A drip irrigation system is made up of hoses with holes throughout that pump water directly to plant roots within the soil. While this irrigation method is more expensive, farmers see a reduction in water applied. Drip can also be beneficial to oddly shaped or sloped fields.
Centre Pivot Irrigation – This method of irrigating involves long steel arms and sprinkler nozzles and pivots, usually electrically, around a central base to reach the entire field. Most centre pivot systems have drops hanging from a U-shaped pipe attached at the top of the pipe with sprinkler heads that are positioned a few feet (at most) above the crop, thus limiting evaporative losses. Centre pivots can help reduce water usage without reducing the yields of crops.
Sprinkler irrigation -Uses sprinklers or sprays to distribute the water which is firsttransported to one or more central locations within the field using pipelines.Sprinklers can also be mounted on moving platforms connected to the water source by a hose allowing flexibility in usage.
