saving of water and increase of productivity through use of drip and sprinklers

Not AvailableIndia is the largest freshwater user in the world and the country’s total water use is greater than any other continent. The Agricultural sector is the largest user of water, followed by the domestic sector and the industrial sector. As water demand from cities and industries is increasing rapidly, pressure is also mounting on agriculture to enhance water efficiency. In intensive agriculture, both fertilizer and irrigation management have contributed immensely in increasing the yield and quality of crops. Traditional irrigation methods are no longer viable. The dominant method of irrigation practiced in large parts of the country is surface irrigation under which crop utilize only less than one half of the water released and remaining half gets lost in conveyance, application, runoff and evaporation. Micro irrigation (MI) methods like drip and sprinklers need to be employed for efficient distribution and application of water for crop production. Drip and sprinkler irrigation is a solution that reduces conveyance and distribution losses and allows higher water use efficiency. Drip irrigation has the greatest potential for the efficient use of water and fertilizers through fertigation. Hence, this present study was undertaken to examine the yield using different irrigation and fertigation schedules by drip irrigation and to suggest the most efficient irrigation practice. Comparison of normal furrow irrigation efficiencies with drip and sprinkler method with mulch and without mulch yield of maize was noted. Both the efficiencies i.e. water application and water use efficiency, were maximum in case of sprinkler irrigation system as compared to furrow irrigation system. Use of sprinkler irrigation during early crop season helped in saving water when the soil infiltration rate was very high and need of water in the root zone was less. Using sprinkler irrigation system, 30.8% and 28.3% higher water use efficiency and 21.1% and 9.0% more water application efficiency was achieved as compared furrow irrigation system.Not Availabl