Drip Irrigation and Soil
Introduction
Irrigation has had a substantial effect on agricultural history, from its use by Egyptian and Iranian farmers over 2500 years ago through modern agriculture (Troth 1980). The most common irrigation techniques of today are furrow, flood, sprinkler and drip. Furrow and flood both flood the irrigated area, while sprinkler and drip are direct applicators. Drip irrigation is gaining popularity for its efficiency of irrigation.
Drip Irrigation
Drip, or trickle, irrigation is a process of selective water application. A number of emitters are placed either on or below ground level. Placement of emitters is numerous in order to directly apply water to the crop. A pressurized pipe system supplies the emitters with water which then wets the soil within the root zone. Frequently, fertilizers are also applied using this method.
Water efficiency is one of the most important characteristics of this recently developed technique. 90% of applied water is available for crop use (Troth 1980). The constant presence of water in the soil has a positive effect for crops. (Bresler, 1977).
Water efficiency also provides for a slower application of water to the soil. The application rate controls infiltration rate which allows for a more uniform wetting in the individual root zone. In furrow and flood irrigation, waterlogging and water fluctuation can cause evaporation losses, plant damage, and erosion (Singer, 1996). Selective application prevents such instances from occurring under drip irrigation.
Effects on Soil
Irrigation plays a significant role in soil structure. The effects could be either beneficial or harmful to the soil, while separately affecting its short term crop productivity. Long-term damage to the soil, however, will result in decline of soil productivity. Farming techniques which use earth-moving machines can appear effective for crop production, but will eventually damage the topsoil (McLaren, 1990).
Erosion
Any irrigation will decided role in the structure of a soil. The effects could be either beneficial or harmful to the soil, while separately affecting its short term crop productivity. Long-term damage to the soil, however, will result in decline of soil productivity, and regardless of the initial bountiful harvests crop yield will decrease. For example, farming techniques which use earth-moving machines can appear effective for crop production, but will eventually damage the topsoil which thereby decreases crop productivity (McLaren, 1990).
Erosion is a substantial contributor to deterioration of soil quality. Flood and furrow irrigation use a high influx of water to immerse the crop area.
Landscaping techniques, such as drip irrigation and xeriscaping can reduce California's use of water immensely. Eighty Percent of the state’s developed water supply is used on agriculture, but much of that eighty percent is wasted because of sprinkler systems. The water sprayed from sprinkler systems often evaporates, and more water is wasted to water the plants. A drip system is specifically placed at each plant and lets the water seep into the roots, so no water can be wasted through evaporation. This would require less water to be used on plants, because more is actually reaching the roots, saving the rest of the water for California. Xeriscaping is a type of “dry landscaping.” This means that materials and plants, such as native plants, succulents, gravel, and water flowers are used to design a beautiful outdoor space, instead of using grass which consumes an average of about fifty-seven inches of rain per year. Grass needs to be watered frequently, using up California’s water supply, but a dry landscape would use little to no water, benefiting California. Farmers and Homeowners can employ these landscaping techniques to reduce the use of California...
As Jensen points out, farming and industry accounts for the vast majority of total water usage in the world (477). The increasingly scarce resource is a necessary ingredient when growing food. Technology continuously improves to make it easier for farmers to grow crops while using less water. Scientists at the University of Georgia utilize what they term “variable rate irrigation” to let farmers automate the current systems of irrigation to water only the crops that need it (Gies). This is an example of retrofitting current farms, but there is a new way of farming coming to cities that reuses practically all of its water and stakes claim much less acreage in the process. The future of agriculture belongs to vertical and urban farming. These types of farms reduce the use of water, chemicals (such as pesticides, herbicides and fungicides), soil and space (The Economist). These farms are so cutting edge that they are mostly in the experimental stages. Firms like Famgro farms are testing “stackable” farming systems that can scale with demand, even further reducing waste. Famgro’s stackable farms are ideal for cityscapes where land is at a premium; furthermore, reaping the added benefit of being in close proximity to the customers that they serve. Customers will enjoy high quality, fresh produce at only a slightly
To Kill a Mockingbird is regarded as a classic also due to the timeless moral values it holds dear. The words of others should not dictate personal values, using educated thought is crucial before acting and finally, statements should not always be acknowledged as truth until you are able to authenticate them for yourself.
Most of water consumed in China is not rationally used. The cause which intensifies the water shortage in China is water inefficient use. For instance, 65%-70% of Chinese water usage is spent on agricultural needs, but more than half of this amount evaporates percolates and loses (Roberts 2009). Besides, majority of another 20%-25% which is occupied by China’s industry is not recycled (Brown 2008a, 16; Roberts 2009). Obviously, improving water distribution technologies and management quality can be one of the options to reduce the water scarcity in China. There are many different methods of improving the water distribution efficiency. Firstly, irrigation technologies should be improved. Farmers in China may use drip and shrink irrigation methods instead of traditional “surface” ones such as furrow and flood irrigation. Drip irrigation method is used mostly in arid and semi-arid zones and it increases the efficiency of irrigation by transporting the water directly to the roots of irrigated plant. The emitters sprinkle the soil under the roots with water which is introduced to the plant by pipes, diminishing water evaporation, deep percolation and leak. In contrast, fur...
The rivalry between the Assad Regime and the Free Syrian Army will continue to rise if the sectarian conflict and involvement of other countries progresses. If the Assad Regime were to be overthrown then more problems would begin to arise.
The United States as a whole is seen as the land of opportunity. New York is a major central for diversity and because of that many people from different cultural atmospheres have brought their families and dreams to New York City. Although Immigration patters throughout the last 200 years have varied, New York has consistently seen people from around the world move to the city and call it home. From the earliest points in our history as a nation, New York has been a center for trade and economic growth. New York is known world wide as a cultural melting pot. While other states have had immigration surges, none have compared to the diversity and sheer number of immigrants that have made their way to the City. This paper will focus on the Immigration patterns and the diverse, yet culturally similar communities within New York.
By implementing new farming techniques provided with the new technological advances in machines we can see abundant harvest in even the poorest third world countries. For example, the Green Revolution has already showed admirable progress in the northern part of India ever since it took start in 1950. By 1997, northern India increased its grain production by 37 percent. This has proven that traditional farming methods are being rendered obsolete. And because by the year 2000, there will be half the land per person in developing countries as there was in 1970, we need to apply ultra-efficient methods to sustain the growing need. Not only does the Green Revolution enhances food output, it also preserves the environment.
As the empire expanded, there was a need for more farmland, but there was not always a water source available. The Incas grew corn, cotton and squash. Garciasco de la Vega, speaking about the farming in the Incan Empire, said, “The engineers showed great cleverness and skill in supplying water for the crops since only scattered sections of the land could grow corn” (Document 4). Their success with irrigation helped them expand their empire. Without it, it would be more difficult for them to subsist in a growing empire.
Such efficiency will allow for a mass amount of crop production through less water use and provide Mother Nature with enough time to restore what is used in a natural manner, thus disproving Hardin’s fear of running out of the most essential natural resource, water (Gul).
Above, is a quote from a man recovered from an article of writing back in the ancient Egyptian times. Irrigation is a form of re-routing water, to parts of land that the water is needed, in farming terms. For Example, there are two crops, one crop is getting all the water, and it’s flooding. With irrigation, the farmer will re-route the water towards the other crop, as well as sharing the water with the crop that was being flooded. So now, both crops are getting enough water and they are not flooding nor suffering from drought.
Agriculture also leads to soil erosion, both through rainfall and wind. This soil can damage the aquatic ecosystems it ends up in, an...
Farmers apply nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, manure, and potassium in the form of fertilizers to produce a better product for the consumers. When these sources exceed the plants needs or if these nutrients are applied before a heavy rain then the opportunity for these excess to wash into aquatic ecosystems exists.
Sandra Postel, on the other hand, has a different opinion than Danielle’s. She proposed that “without increasing water productivity in irrigation, major food-producing regions will not have enough water to sustain crop production”.
Soil is the most important non-renewable resource on any farm. Healthy soil is key to a good
Saline soil is also vulnerable to erosion due to the death of vegetation that held the soil together. Soil that is eroded can ‘pollute’ water too.