IDE Drip Irrigation Demonstrations
Introduction
Thank you for testing the new drip irrigation technique on your farm. This is not yet a product of IDE and we do not yet have it for sale. At this time we are only testing it to see if it will be suitable for small farms in Myanmar. We will provide you with some of this equipment for testing free of charge. In exchange we only ask that you keep good records of your crop production and that you tell us what you think about this technique. Your feedback is very important to us so please tell us what you honestly think of it (good and bad).
Why Use Drip Irrigation?
Drip irrigation works by supplying water directly to the root zone of plants. Not much water is wasted on bare ground or giving water to weeds. Less water can be used compared with sprinkler cans and it is much less work—you do not need to carry the water to the plants. Also, there is less chance of fungus diseases because leaves of the crop are not getting wet. Water comes out very small holes in the drip tubes and, drop by drop, over a few hours, supplies all the water required by the plants. It can be used for many kinds of crops including vegetables, melons, flowers and fruit trees.
How to Use Drip Irrigation?
Your IDE demonstrator or agent will help you set up the drip system in part of your field. We would like to set up drip in only part of the field so we can compare it to your watering with sprinkler cans. First you mustinstall a 25 to 55 gallon steel or plastic tank. With the help of the IDE demonstrator or agent, you must raise your IDE treadle pump and the tank on a stand. Raise the pump to a height of about ….ft from the ground. The bottom of the tank should be at least 3 ft from the ground. You will have more water pressure and it will work better if the bottom of the tank is 4-5 ft from the ground.
We will show you how to do these steps the first time:
1. Use clean water whenever possible. Water from a tube well is best. If the water is very dirty, use a cloth as a filter when you fill the tank and then let the water stand in the tank overnight so that dirt will settle to the bottom.
2. “Flush out” the drip lines. After your pump, tank, and all the drip lines have been installed, the system needs to be cleaned out. Little pieces of plastic from the installation process can stop up the tiny holes in the drip lines. First fill up the water tank. Then open the end of each drip line. Next open the main valve at the water tank and let the water flow out the end of theline for about 1 minute or until the water running out is clear. Do the same thing for every drip line—one by one.This is called “flushing” the lines clean. Now you can close the main valve and close the ends of the tank. You are ready to being watering.
3.Check and clean the filter every time you use the drip system. Clean the filter screen it if it is dirty—use an old toothbrush and water. Don’t forget to check the filter every time before you begin watering.
4. Look for any clogs or breaks in the drip lines. Wait about 5-10 minutes for the lines to fill up with water and then look for any problems. You should see drops of water coming out from every opening. If water is not coming out, it may be clogged with dirt or plastic. If your system uses very small tubes (“microtubes”), flip the end of the tubes with your finger. If that doesn’t work, remove the tube and blow through it.
If you have a system that does not have the very small dripper tubes, find the water outlet in the tubing and flip it with your finger or squeeze and massage it with between your fingers.
How much water do I need to use with drip irrigation?
The answer is not easy. It depends on what crop you are growing as some crops need more water than others. It also depends on the size of the cropand if the crop is grown under shade (like betel leaf or bitter gourd or in full sun.A full-grown tomato plant with many fruits, for example, will require much more water than a younger, small plant with no fruits.
Sometimes you will need less water compared with sprinkler cans, but the root zone of the plants (below the surface) should never dry out. Dig in the soil near the plants with your hand to check sometimes—to see if the soil is moist. When it begins to dry out a little bit, it is time to water again. Usually watering from the tank every other day is enough.
A steel or plastic water tank holds about 55-60 gallons. For one 50 ft long bed, most crops will require between 20 and 40 gallons of water every two days. We will provide an estimate of the water requirements for your crop on the next page. We know that this is a new technology for Myanmar farmers so do not be shy to ask your IDE demonstrator or agent for more help.