Agriculture has found drastic changes in past few years. The world has witnessed revolutionized approach in carrying out tasks in the field. The on-field agricultural practices have been greatly supported by inventions and discoveries that have hit the science world. Also usage of sophisticated tools and equipments has gathered substantial interests of farmers. This has empowered them to build up comprehensive farming with less effort generating huge dividends for the money invested. Importance of ambient conditions can be visualized with development of hybrid seasonal crops. The modern scientific aids to modern agriculture are also provided through researches carried out all over the world. Farming has now channeled its path towards thoughtful use of conditions with optimized usage of resources available. For instance, one can get huge throughput by planting right crops at right seasons. For instance during summers, one can engage cultivation of crops that favor higher temperature during their growth. This makes the overall process of farming refined totally conducive for people to march down to sustainable development.
Basic Irrigation Facilities
Winter Drip Irrigation Farming, Hose Couplers in Use
Irrigation plays a major role in the development of crops. Water can be utilized judiciously for the growth of the crop. There are various types of irrigation facilities available for the farmers present globally. Starting from ground water supply to supply from rivers. Researchers have also modularized the irrigation facilities to cater to ever-increasing demands. The use of sprinklers can be used to cover large area of field in short duration of time. This can also be by-passed by usage of overhead irrigation. Some of classical methods of irrigation include terracing and furrow irrigation. Furrow irrigation involves constant monitoring of farmers to regulate channeling of water to respective fields. Recent developments of science and technology have included drip irrigation to this long list.
Importance of Drip Irrigation
Drip irrigation involves the type of irrigation wherein the supply of water is confined to the root zones of each and every plant. This can greatly lessen the fritter of water. Also one can be sure of getting necessary supplied nutrition to the plant. Every other types of irrigation include surface evaporation of water. This can reduce moisture content that is required for the growth of plants. The pressure of water channel can send the water deep down into the earth at desirable spots near the root zone. Also by utilizing efficient computer module, one can monitor the flow of water and timing of watering to crops. This can be cashing for labor in many ways but the operating cost can fetch fruitful results for farmers. In recent years, sprinkler type of irrigation is replaced by unique type of drip irrigation referred as sub-surface drip irrigation.
Usefulness of Drip Farming in Winter
Microsprinklers wet larger soil volume, irrigation emitters monthy water contents
Drip farming includes the laying down structural lines for channeling water to respective spots underneath the soil. This can also be aided by several hydraulic components such as pressure relief valves and hoses. These can have handsome impact from lowering of temperature during winters. The temperature changes can affect any physical element by changing the microscopic properties of materials used. Drip farming has major impact during the winter as it can get hoses and hydraulic accessories to get frozen with water that is capsulated within them. So to avoid mishaps, one can adopt popular winterizing technique. This involves expelling the water contained through special equipments that employs purging air to accomplish this act. Blown air would remove all contaminants and undesirable particles present in hydraulic lines. Electronic components associated with drip farming methods can be stored in secured place avoiding direct exposure to moisture. Regular checking is to be instituted for retaining cleaner fluid lines over the field area during winter season.
Agriculture field has envisaged several progresses in recent years. One can validate those progresses from the output of cultivable land in some part of world. In countries like Australia, due to hot climate it is possible to raise certain type of nuts. Hazelnuts can be cultivated in these regions. Some of fruit tress can be cultivated in European countries. Fruit trees such as apples can be cultivated in hilly regions. Though the climatic conditions and product after cultivation differs, the common thing that binds all crops is irrigation. The irrigation fruit trees are considered to be challenging task for cultivators. Since different tree crop require different watering amount, it complicates the issue of irrigation. But irrigation of fruit tress can be done by certain qualified methods.
Fruit trees cultivation
Fruit trees can be cultivated in different landscapes. The agricultural practices have shown that fruit trees cultivation involve large amount of time to make the crop earn fruits in large number. Based on the techniques employed in science and technology, one can develop hybrid crops that fruits in short interval of time. Also one can be sure about the type of irrigation that is to be employed based on the type of crop cultivated. Generally cultivation of fruits such as oranges and other citrus fruits are done in places where cool atmosphere is maintained through some 3 or 4 months in a year.
How to irrigate fruit trees
Generally fruits are cultivated in orchards. These orchards are generally irrigated by drip irrigation and sprinklers that tend to provide massive supply of water with better range in short duration of time. Fruit trees can be irrigated based on the shape and size of the land that is used for cultivation. Some of major irrigation systems employed for cultivation involve furrow irrigation. The furrow irrigation can be employed to facilitate increased supply of the water to tree crops that are placed along the channels. Also some fruit trees require only optimum range of moisture content to be maintained upon. Hence drip irrigation can be employed.
Article Summary:
Irrigation of fruit trees is generally dependent on the water productivity that can be achieved through the crops. The water productivity of different crop varies. Accordingly type of irrigation employed can differ from furrow irrigation to sprinkler irrigation. Based on water supplies available in a particular location, cultivation of fruit tree can be instituted. In difficult terrains, channels are made to irrigate fruit crops.
Resource Box Info: One can acquire useful information about irrigation fruit trees from this article. To obtain sufficient information regarding the topic, one can run down pages at website http://www.agricultureguide.org/. Also one can vital information regarding special irrigation systems employed in modern day agriculture.
Developments in the field of agriculture have brought in tremendous changes in the irrigation systems. Also people are interested in adopting special ways to cater to all the irrigation needs of crops. Irrigation plays a major role in development of crops. The quality of crops can be influenced upon by the amount of watering that is obtained. The field generally has widened area over which irrigation seems to have certain practical obstacles. These practical hindrances can be overcome by adopting furrow irrigation. This is type of irrigation largely depends on the overall topography of the land.
Furrow irrigation
Furrow irrigation is a unique variety of irrigation that is employed at varying contours of field. Parallel channels that are dug divide the field. The channels are utilized to mobilize the water that is sent from one end of furrow. Also one can be sure about the application of furrow irrigation in specific cultivation methods. For tree irrigation one can adopt furrow. Furrows can be dug in different manner. Based on the furrows plan, one can plant crops so as to get maximum output. Certain crops such as maize require constant supply of water through its growth phase. This is greatly satisfied by furrow irrigation technique.
Requirement of furrow irrigation
There are certain implied requirements that are to be fulfilled by the cultivable land in order to impose furrows over the land surface.
Mild slopes are required in order to facilitate better conveyance of water throughout the channel. This slope should also assist drainage of excess water during rainy days. These slopes should accommodate the surface run off. Steep topography prompts cultivators to use terraces and along these the furrows are built.
Presence of sand type of soil can make inflow rate to slow down heavily. The rate of infiltration varies from one type of soil to another enabling the change in the type of furrows dug. Also clay soils tend to have totally different furrows when compared to other soils thus slowing down the travel of water.
Article Summary:
Furrow irrigation provides ample opportunity for the crops to get adequate supply of water. The efficiency of the irrigation system can be increased substantially rendering proper vegetation growth. Furrow irrigations help use of contour of land to channel water to the crops efficiently. The inflow rate can be limited based on the distance of furrows made over the cultivable land. It is suited for cultivation of cotton and maize.
Resource Box Info: This forum supplies vital information regarding furrow irrigation. One can gain some more details about this topic from the website http://www.agricultureguide.org/. This website can also provide details about other irrigation systems in practice now. Also some comparative study about irrigation systems can be gained through information provided.
Melons belong to the Cucurbitaceae family. The plant grows in the form of a vine. It is basically a fruit, but some of it forms may be taken as ‘culinary vegetables’.
Many different varieties of melons are produced including Crenshaw, Juan Canary, Persian and Honeydew. Here is a look at the different factors involved in agricultural melon production.
Soils
Melons grow best in well-drained soils. Heavier soils are proffered because they can hold more water, which slows the start of the collapsing of vines, to ensure that melons grow with as little soil contact as possible, beds should left cloddy.
Irrigation
Too much saturation can be a stimulant for root rot diseases and ground spotting of fruit especially close to harvesting time. Furrow-irrigation method is usually used for melon production because sprinkling has a cooling effect on soil. Irrigations are scheduled as required to allow the replacement of moisture in the beds. The last irrigation is usually scheduled a week before the harvest.
Fertilization
Preplant P2O5 at 100 to 150 pounds/acre is used by majority of the growers. Materials that are commonly used for fertilization include liquid ammonium phosphate (10-34-0) as a band application near the lines of the seeds or ammonium phosphate (11-52-0) prior to listing the beds. A side stressing of N is used at 150 pounds/acre. It is a normal practice to use to use a liquid solution of UAN-32 (urea-ammonium nitrate.32-0-0) or AN-20 (liquid ammonium nitrate, 20-0-0) as the N source in place of dry N fertilizers.
Pollination
The recommendation is at least one colony of bees/acre; one and one-half colonies/acre is best. The distribution of bees should be such that they are present on at least two sides of a 40-acre field; it is even better if the bees are present within the fields. If the bees are present in large numbers yields are increased. Fruit-producing flowers open only for a day. A well pollinated flower will be visited by 15 bees on average during this period of time. The flower aborts if it’s poorly pollinated. Near the crown of the plant is where the best quality, largest size and earliest maturing melons are produced. For this reason, an adequate number of bees should be present in the field when the first male blossoms develop.
Integrated Pest Control
This includes weed control and insect identification and control. The herbicides that are available for weed management are not very effective, Majority of the growers use mechanical cultivation and hand hoeing for weed control.
Melons produced in the fall season are attacked by crickets, cutworms, aphids, ground battles and some other insects. Spring melons are attacked by mites, melon aphids, cutworms and a few other insects.
Furrow irrigation reduces sudden wilt, which is a serious problem that affects melons after fruit set
Post harvest Handling
Mixed melons can be injured by wrong chilling temperatures. 7 degree centigrade is the temperature that is best for honeydews, Crenshaw’s and Persians and 10 degree centigrade for casabas.
Irrigation is pouring water to the soil using proper methods and in proper times as required by the plant growth as a result of insufficient rain. The success of irrigation depends on the selection of the most proper irrigation method as per the conditions and planning, projecting, establishing and operating the irrigation system necessary for that method. [click to continue…]