Drip irrigation is an efficient water-saving technique that evenly supplies water to crops through ground irrigation equipment using drip emitters. The application of drip irrigation water-saving technology in greenhouse cultivation can improve the growth environment of crops and achieve cost-effective results.
I. Application Effects
- Watering crops in a drip manner helps maintain loose and well-aerated soil, with the surface soil moist but not waterlogged. By determining the irrigation quota and each watering volume based on crop growth characteristics and soil moisture conditions, the irrigation water utilization rate can reach 95%, saving up to 60% of water compared to traditional furrow irrigation methods.
- Partial soil surface wetting reduces water evaporation losses and lowers greenhouse humidity, thereby reducing the occurrence and spread of crop diseases and enhancing the water-conducting function of crop roots.
- Combining irrigation with fertilization helps overcome environmental pollution and product quality reduction caused by excessive fertilization. Compared to traditional fertilization methods, it can save 40% to 50% of fertilizers.
II. Equipment Installation
The drip irrigation equipment in the greenhouse mainly consists of plastic irrigation pipes, drip tapes, fertilizers, filters, valves, swivel joints, elbows, and other components. The installation process is as follows:
- Connect the pressurized water main pipe to a reasonable location inside the greenhouse, and install valves and branch interfaces at the pipe head.
- Install the fertilizer applicator near the junction of the main pipe and the branch pipe for easy connection. The fertilizer applicator should indicate capacity scales and come with matching filters and movable loading and unloading components.
- Install a branch water supply pipe horizontally and vertically at the edge of the bed, connecting to the main pipe, and reserve interfaces according to the crop row spacing or bed spacing. The diameter of the branch pipe should be determined according to actual needs.
- Arrange drip tapes inside the bed according to the crop row spacing.
III. Operational Methods
- When irrigating with clean water, open all water supply pipe valves, with a water volume of 75-150 m3/hm2 each time. Adjust the valve of the drip tape according to the crop’s water demand.
- When irrigating with fertilized water, first fix the filter on the fertilizer container, match the fertilizer to control the concentration of the liquid fertilizer between 500-1000 mg/L. Close the main pipe valve, open the valve connecting the branch pipe and the fertilizer applicator for fertilization.
IV. Precautions
- Install drip irrigation equipment in a straight and neat manner to ensure smooth water flow.
- Use clean and uncontaminated water for drip irrigation, with suspended solids not exceeding 0.8mm in diameter. Fully dissolve the fertilizer and filter before irrigation.
- After fertilization, rinse the residual fertilizer in the pipe with clean water to prevent chemical accumulation from blocking the drip emitters.
- During cultivation, maintain and operate the pipes and drip irrigation equipment correctly to prolong their service life.
- If sediment accumulation in the pipes or clogging of drip emitters is found due to sedimentation, clean or replace them promptly.
- After harvesting crops, remove the drip tapes before clearing crop residues and store them properly in a cool place.