Author
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LAMM, FREDDIE - Kansas State University Extension Center |
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Submitted to: Transactions of the ASABE
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/2015 Publication Date: 11/10/2015 Citation: Lamm, F.R. 2015. Cotton, tomato, corn, and onion production with subsurface drip irrigation – a review. Transactions of the ASABE. 59(1)263-278. Interpretive Summary: As water availability from the Ogallala Aquifer decreases, farmers will need more water efficient irrigations systems to use the remaining water wisely. Surface drip irrigation (SDI) potentially is the most efficient means of delivering irrigation water; however SDI is still a minor irrigation system because knowledge of its management practices are not fully developed. A scientist from Kansas State University in the ARS led Ogallala Aquifer Program reviewed the literature related to cotton, corn, tomato and onion production with SDI. The results indicate that SDI is an efficient way to deliver water to these four crops and are of interest to farmers and crop consultants. Technical Abstract: The usage of subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) has increased by 89% in the USA during the last ten years according to USDA NASS estimates and over 93% of the SDI land area is located in just ten states. Combining public entity and private industry perceptions of SDI in these ten states, the major crops were tentatively identified as cotton, processing tomato, field corn, and onion. An extensive literature review of SDI usage for these four crops was performed concentrating on irrigation system comparisons, water and/or nutrient management, and SDI system design criteria. Although many crops potentially can be grown with SDI, the results presented here may be a relatively representative cross-section of the various opportunities and challenges of SDI for general crop production. |
