Drip irrigation is an efficient water-saving technique that utilizes ground irrigation equipment to evenly seep clean water drop by drop into the roots of crops. Applying drip irrigation technology in greenhouse cultivation can improve the growth environment of crops and achieve the goal of cost-saving and efficiency enhancement.
Application Effects
- Supplying water to crops in a drip manner helps maintain loose and aerated soil, keeping the surface moist without waterlogging. By determining the irrigation quota and volume based on crop growth characteristics and soil moisture conditions, the irrigation water utilization rate can reach 95%, resulting in a 60% water saving compared to traditional furrow irrigation methods.
- Localized moisture on the soil surface reduces water evaporation loss, lowers the air humidity inside the greenhouse, mitigates the proliferation of crop diseases, and enhances the water conduction function of crop roots.
- Combining irrigation with fertilization helps overcome environmental pollution and reduced product quality caused by excessive fertilization. Compared to traditional fertilization methods, it can save 40% to 50% of fertilizers.
Equipment Installation
The drip irrigation equipment in greenhouses mainly consists of plastic irrigation pipes, drip irrigation pipes, fertilizers, filters, valves, couplings, elbows, and other components. The installation procedure is as follows:
- Connect the pressurized water main pipe to a reasonable position inside the greenhouse, and install valves and branch interfaces on the pipe head.
- Install the fertilizer dispenser near the junction of the main pipe and the branch pipe for easy connection. The fertilizer dispenser should indicate capacity scales and be equipped with matching filters and movable disassembly parts.
- Install a branch water supply pipe perpendicular to the main pipe along the edge of the furrow, leaving interfaces according to crop row spacing or furrow spacing. The diameter of the branch pipe is determined based on actual needs.
- Lay out drip irrigation pipes inside the furrow according to crop row spacing or furrow spacing.
Operation Methods
- When irrigating with clean water, open all water supply pipe valves, with a water volume of 75 to 150 m3/hm2 per irrigation. Adjust the valve of the drip irrigation pipe according to the water needs of the crops.
- When irrigating with fertilized water, first fix the filter on the fertilizer container, match the fertilizer, and control the fertilizer concentration between 500 and 1000 mg/L. Close the valve of the main pipe and open the valve connecting the branch pipe to the fertilizer dispenser for fertilization.
Precautions
- The installation of drip irrigation equipment should be neat and straight to ensure smooth water flow.
- The water used for drip irrigation must be clean and free of pollution, with suspended solids not exceeding 0.8mm in diameter. Fertilizers should be fully dissolved and filtered before irrigation.
- After fertilization, rinse the residual fertilizer inside the pipes with clean water to prevent the accumulation of chemicals from blocking the drip holes.
- Pay attention to maintaining the pipes and drip irrigation equipment during cultivation, operate correctly, and extend their service life.
- If sediment accumulation in the pipes or clogging of drip holes is found due to sedimentation, clean or replace them promptly.
- After harvesting crops, remove the drip irrigation pipes before clearing the crop residues and store them properly in a cool place.