Economics of drip irrigated cauliflower - chili sequence

Viewed from the perspective of water stress due to lowering of ground water table, the purpose of irrigation is to keep water status at a level that maximize yield within the constraints of irrigation supply and weather. In this connection, drip irrigation is a relatively new technology of irrigation especially in water scarcity areas. The system has proved its superiority over other conventional methods of irrigation, especially in vegetable crops owing to precise application of water in the root zone. The major drawback of the drip irrigation system is its high initial investment; however, cost can be recovered in a short span if proper water management and design principles are followed. Among the various components of the drip irrigation system, the cost of the lateral is a major factor, which influences the total cost of installation. Any effort made to reduce the length of lateral per unit area will result in reduction of system cost. Many scientists reported that drip irrigation in chill-cauliflower is very economical by reducing the cost and water use by 50%, when these crops were planted in paired row patterns [1, 2]. Further, it has been observed that it is not a viable option to use the drip irrigation system only once a year for taking a single crop. Therefore, the present study was conducted to study the yield response and economic viability of drip irrigation system in cauliflower-hybrid chili sequence