Drip Irrigation | Advantages and Disadvantages of Drip Irrigation

Drip irrigation is one of the methods of irrigation that saves water and fertilizer. In drip irrigation method, water drips slowly to the roots of the plants either onto the soil surface or directly onto the root zone through a network of valves, pipes, tubing and emitters. The process is completed in narrow tubes so that water is given directly to the root of the plant. Drip irrigation is also termed as localized irrigation or micro irrigation.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Drip Irrigation

The advantages and disadvantages of drip irrigation are discussed briefly below.

Advantages of Drip Irrigation

The advantages of drip irrigation are as follows

1. Water is used at maximum level.
2. As water is applied locally and leaching is reduced, fertilizer/nutrient  loss is minimized.
3. Weeds can not absorb water as no water is available for them.
4. Yield of crops are maximum.
5. Fertilizers can be used with high efficiency.
6. Weed are grown in less number.
7. Operational cost is low.
8. Soil erosion is not taken place.
9. Soil infiltration capacity is increased.
10. Fertilizers and ground water is not mixed.
11. Seed germination is improved.
12. We can use recycled water safely.
13. It is not necessary to level the fields.
14. We can irrigate water in irregular shaped lands.
15. Waste of fertilizers are lessen.
16. Energy cost is reduced as it is operated in lower pressure than other irrigation methods.

Disadvantages of Drip Irrigation

Disadvantages of drip irrigation are as follows:

1. Expense specially initial cost is high.
2. The lifetime of the tubes used in drip irrigation can be shortened by the sun causing wastage.
3. May cause clogging if water is not filtered correctly.
4. Problems in moisture distribution.
5. Salinity problem.
6. Germination problem.
7. High skills are required.