Page 22 - Landscape-Issue141(2)

IRRIGATION FEATURE

DRIPLINE SELECTION:

A HOLISTIC PROCESS

In the drive to promote the precise application of water and nutrients, drip irrigation

is advocated as the optimal solution. It offers elevated levels of efficiency, increased
yield size and quality, as well as resource savings as the main benefits. All of this is
however, dependent on suitable water availability, the selection of suitable driplines
and other equipment, correct installation, smart scheduling and maintenance.

any important selection and cost to ensure optimal ROI. • Filtration requirements
planning decisions must be made to To achieve this, selection decisions must be • Turbulence coefficient
Mensure the success of drip irrigation made in four categories: • Pressure exponent
in the field - once it has been selected as the • Dripper type and features • Head loss
most suitable irrigation method based on a • Dripline wall thickness • Dripper size (longevity)
holistic view of the farming conditions and • Dripper flow rate • Wall thickness suitability
production goals. Dexter Neethling, product • Dripper spacing
manager at Netafim South Africa, lists the To make optimal decisions around a dripper’s
following as some of the important factors Dripper deliberation technical specifications and features,
that should be considered when selecting According to Neethling, an important part Neethling lists the following as impacting
the most suitable irrigation method: of dripline selection is considering the many factors:
• Climate innovative dripper features and determining • Installation: surface or sub-surface
• Crop and production season which attributes are required for the task at • Required dripper longevity (seasonal vs
• Soil type, composition and behaviour hand, keeping cost-efficiency in mind. These permanent drip)
• Water quality and availability features are: • Topography
• Topography • Pressure compensation • ROI calculations (crop value and other
• Electricity availability • Anti-siphon impacting factors)
• Risk of diseases and pests • Flap outlet • Possible production challenges.
• Fertiliser requirements • Root intrusion inhibitors
• Capital and running costs of the system • Non-drainage Dripper delivery
• The farmer’s knowledge and skills Beyond selecting the correct type of dripper
• Installation, operation and maintenance Beyond dripper features aimed at based on the features and characteristics
limitations overcoming specific challenges, Neethling discussed here, Neethling explains that two
• Possibility of theft says that every dripper has certain technical other very important decisions must be
specifications that will determine both its made to ensure water and nutrient delivery
Dripline decisions suitability to the application and how well are in line with requirements. These are
Neethling explains that selecting the correct it can do its job. These data points contain dripper flow rate and dripper spacing along
dripline requires you to check the following: crucial information for the designer when the dripline.
• select the dripline with the most suitable designing the drip irrigation system, and These two decisions are impacted by
specifications and features include: many factors and important information
• select a high-quality dripline • Size of the effective filtration area must be collected in order to determine the
• balance dripline performance and dripline • Working pressure range correct dripper flow rate and spacing. It all

20 Landscape SA • Issue 141 2024 Check us out www.salandscape.co.za