Irrigation and its Advantages

• Sprinkler Irrigation

1. Adaptability to doses, application rates and times as required by the needs of the plant and the type of soil.
2. Independence from the topography of the area.
3. Utilization of the entire area with no need for channels.
4. Possibility of admixture of weed killers, fertilizers and pesticides.
5. Possibility of irrigating for other purposes: sprouting, frost protection or cooling during hot periods.
6. Permits nocturnal irrigation without ongoing supervision.

• Gravity Irrigation

1. Little equipment is necessary and the work requires no technical expertise.
2. There are substantial savings in labor as there is no problem of laying and transferring pipes (particularly in tall crops).
3. Wind has no effect, thus diurnal irrigation is feasible.
4. By not wetting the leaves of the plant, diseases and many pests are avoided.
5. The method allows irrigation of soils with a limited capacity for percolation.
6. It requires no energy input at all in order to distribute the water.

• Drip irrigation

1. Greater adaptability than sprinklers to irrigation doses and rates; also more suitable for especially hard soils due to lower infiltration capacity.
2. Prevention of evaporation losses, resulting in more precise control over the moisture depth and thus more efficient utilization of the available water.
3. Avoiding wetting the foliage reduces the incidence of diseases/pests.
4. Wind has no effect, meaning irrigation is possible at all hours of day or night.
5. Requires less energy than sprinklers.
6. There is no dependence on the topography of the area.
7. Facilitates application of fertilizers and pesticides, etc. to the soil via irrigation.
8. Irrigation possible over long periods without ongoing labor inputs.
9. Suitable for all types of crops at all stages of growth.
10. Better than other methods for keeping the field free of weeds.