Precision Farming (Plastic Mulching & Drip Irrigation)

Venue of the Experiment:Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering,

Bhopal

Topics covered: Comparison of Chili production with and

without using Plastic Mulching in a Drip irrigated transplanted field.

Clogging and Coefficient of uniformity of Drippers in Drip Irrigation System.

DRIP IRRIGATION + MULCHING = PRECISION FARMING

Precision farmingPrecision farming(Farming with (Farming with preciseprecise inputs of inputs of

water, fertilisers and other water, fertilisers and other agricultural inputs)agricultural inputs)Drip Irrigation

Delivers Water directly to the Root ZoneTo reduce the Water loss/Over Irrigation as

well as Uniform Water distribution to each plant

Plastic MulchingIt is the laying of a polyethylene(Plastic) cover over the Plantation Area, so as to Control Evaporation loss & Weed Growth…

LAYING DOWN OF DRIP LATERALS AND

PLASTIC MULCH OVER THE

PLANTATION AREA

Plantation of Chili Plant under Plantation of Chili Plant under SIX TREATMENTS SIX TREATMENTS WITH WITH THREE THREE

REPLICATIONSREPLICATIONS(Distance of each plant from emitter =

25 cm) Chili Plant

T – 1: Dripper/emitter

Plastic Mulch

T – 2

T – 3 T – 4 T - 5 T - 6

What we observed ???What we observed ???

With Mulching With Mulching Vs.Vs. Without Without MulchingMulching

In a particular Transplanting In a particular Transplanting technique technique

Healthier Plant Lesser Weed Population Maximum Leaf Count More Chlorophyll Content

Plant Height was More

Clogging of Drippers due to Clogging of Drippers due to the “Electrical Conductivity” the “Electrical Conductivity”

of Waterof Water

We Tested for Four different Water Samples (With ECs 3,6,8 & 10 @ 29C) to be pumped through Drip Laterals.

Higher Electrical

Conductivity (EC) of Water

Higher Salt Content in

the Irrigation

Water

Increase in EC Decrease in the Discharge Rate of Laterals

Increase in EC Decrease in the Discharge Rate of Laterals

Coefficient of Uniformity ofCoefficient of Uniformity ofDrip Irrigation Drip Irrigation

(Tested with Online Drippers)(Tested with Online Drippers)

Coefficient of Uniformity is Checked before laying down the Drip laterals.

Measured the Volume of Output Water at five different Drippers in a lateral.

Ten Nos. of Observations taken. If Cu found to be irregular, laterals were

checked for repair/replacement of Dripper/Laterals.

Land preparations made, if necessary.

THANK YOU ALL…

Er. Saurav Kumar Sahoo

E-mail: saurav.pupun@gmail.comCourtesy: Dr. K.V.R. RaoSenior ScientistCIAE, Bhopal, India