FIELD EVALUATION OF DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEM FOR SMALL

SCALE BANANA (Musa)ORCHARDS

K.J.K.T. PRIYANJITH

, D.S.P. KURUPPUARACHCHI

and
H.A.W.GUNATHILAKA

Department oI plantation Management,

Department of Horticulture and Landscape Gardening,

Facultv of Agriculture and Plantation Management,
Wavamba Universitv of Sri Lanka, Makandura, Gonawilla (NWP).

ABSTRACT

A commercial drip irrigation system was evaluated Ior small scale banana cultivation at
the Regional Agricultural Research and Development Center, Makandura Irom August 2001 to
February 2002. In the Iield study, an attempt has been made to evaluate the perIormance oI the
irrigation system based on the uniIormity oI distribution, wetting pattern and root distribution.
The moisture depletion rates were studied during the drying cycle to determine optimum
irrigation scheduling.

In uniIormity estimates, emission uniIormity was not in acceptable range mainly due to
clogging oI Iew emitters. However, the statistical uniIormity and absolute uniIormity were
within the acceptable limits. It has been revealed that the inline emitter used in the study, can wet
up to a horizontal distance oI 50 cm Irom the source, while the depth oI wetting increased with
the rate oI application. The root distribution was observed to be conIined mainly to 60 cm sphere
and the optimum rate oI water application under the prevailing condition was observed to be 10 1
per plant every day, Ior 20 1 per plant every 4 days.

KEY WORDS : Evaluation, Drip irrigation, Discharge rate, UniIormity, Irrigation, scheduling.

INTRODUCTION

Banana (Musa) is a common Iruit in Sri Lanka. It is consumed Iresh as well as in
processed Iorms like jam, cordial, chutney etc. It has a very good potential Ior export. It can be
grown in all agro-ecological conditions within Sri Lanka, although the commercial level
cultivation conIines mainly to dry intermediate zones. There are several constraints in increasing
total production area oI banana in the dry zone. Among those constraints, water scarcity is the
most prominent one. In the dry and intermediate zones oI the country there are dry spells
extending up to 6 - 8 months within a year, which necessitates irrigation Ior optimum
productivity. The traditional Ilood irrigation methods results in very low irrigation eIIiciencies. It
has been reported that to produce 1kg oI Iruits, banana plant consumes 550 1 oI water
(Kuruppuarachchi and Pain, 1981). II water is deIicient during the growth period oI banana, it
causes severe reduction in the yield. ThereIore, to improve water use eIIiciency in Iruit crops like
banana, it is very important to have a proper Iield water management where the selection oI the
method oI irrigation plays a vital role. Banana yield improvements up to 240 has been reported
with drip irrigation in the dry zone oI Sri Lanka, and Drip irrigation is reported to be superior to
sprinkler and basin irrigation Ior banana in terms oI technical and economic Ieasibility
(Mohanakanthan, 1983). In this method, water can be applied daily near the root zone oI each
plant in small quantities with the help oI low cost plastic pipes under medium pressure, where
water is applied Irom point source-drippers. The drippers achieve a 3-diamentional spread oI
maintaining soil moisture level closer to the Iield capacity throughout the growth period. The
water is supplied along the lateral pipes laid at uniIorm intervals according to the spacing along a
row. As the required quantity oI water is supplied daily, the area around the root zone is usually
maintained at the minimum stress and this Iacilitates eIIicient use oI nutrients throughout without
any excessive Iluctuations during drying and wetting cycles oI the (Ramulu, 1998).

The drip irrigation system was Iirst introduced in 1970's to Sri but it did not spread and
popularize among Iarmers as expected. Although the beneIits oI a drip irrigation system were
well known, the high cost oI modern pressurized drip systems and the lack oI experience
required in operation restricted the wider use oI such system in Sri Lanka.

InIormation concerning emitter discharge rates and uniIormity essential inputs Ior
designing and operation oI an irrigation system (Grove Well, 1978). The evaluation oI these
parameters can be done by using me Ior describing uniIormity oI water Ilow and discharge rates
(Keller Karmeli, 1974).

Among many Iactors involved in successIul design and management drip systems,
wetting pattern is the most important (Hillel, 1978). The optimum rate and Irequency oI water
application Ior a particular crop are crucial Iactors that determine the eIIiciency oI the irrigation
system, and to quantiIy these Iactors, it is essential to study the moisture depletion pattern in the
eIIective root zone during a drying cycle.

ThereIore this study was done with the main objective oI evaluating perIormance oI drip
unit Ior Iruit growers by observing uniIormity oI distribution, wetting pattern, root distribution
and moisture depletion pattern oI the crop in order to determine optimum irrigation scheduling
under country intermediate zone.


MATERIALS AND METHODS
Location

The experiment was conducted using an existing drip irrigation system Ior banana (Musa)
at the Regional Agricultural Research Centre Makandura. The experiment site was located in the
low country intermediate zone (IL-I ) at an elevation oI 30m above mean sea level. The soil was
moderate to drain and characterized by soIt lateritic sub soil.

The Drip irrigation system consists oI 4 laterals with 2 cm diameter and each lateral
contain 21 inline emitters. Water was supplied to the drip unit at 2 bar pressure with a 5 cm
water pump.



Field evaluation

The perIormance oI the irrigation system was tested in several ways. The criteria used in this
study were;

a. UniIormity oI distribution oI discharge rate .
b. Wetting pattern
c. Root distribution
d. Optimum irrigation scheduling

Experiments
1. Measurements oI uniIormity oI distribution and discharge rate

From water pump















Figure 1. The lay out of the drip irrigation system in the banana plot

As shown in Figure 01, 24 emitters out oI 84 ( 6 Ior each lateral), selected. Discharge volumes
Ior 10 minutes, through selected emitters were collected. Discharge rate oI each emitter was
calculated per hour.
Discharge rate Volume collected (l) x 60 (l/ha)
Collecting time (min)
The values oI discharge rate were computer generated to calculate standard deviation and
coeIIicient oI variation. They were used in calculation oI Iollowing uniIormity parameters.

I. Emission uniformity (Eu) - by Keller and Karmeli (Keller and Karrne1i, 1974).
Eu |1-1.27 Cv/Ne| Q min/Q ave


Eu Emission uniIormity Q min Minimum emitter Ilow 1/hr
Ne number oI emitters Q ave Average emitter Ilaw l/hr
Cv CoeIIicient oI variation

According to index oI emission uniIormity, Eu should not be less than 90 the values below
90 show poor emission uniIormity.

II. Statistical uniformity (Us) - by Bralts and kesner (Nakayama and Bucks,1980)
Us (l-vq) 100 (I-Sq / q)

Vq Total coeIIicient oI variation Ior discharge
Sq Standard deviation oI discharge
q Mean emitter discharge

In statistical uniIormity, Us values have categorized in diIIerent ranges.
60 - 70 - poor uniIormity
70 - 80 - UniIormity well
80 - 90 - UniIormity quit well
~90 - extremely well
II. Absolute Emission uniformity (Eua) - Keller and Karmeli (Sivanappen and
Padmakumary, 1980).
Eua (100/2) (Qn/Qa Qa / Qx)

Qx Average discharge rate Ior highest 1/ 8 oI Ilowing emitters.
Qa Average discharge rata Ior lowest 1/ 8 oI Ilowing rate.
Qn Average discharge rate

Absolute emission UniIormity (Eua) should be greater than 90 to be accepted as the uniIormity
in the system.

2. Wetting pattern
Initially the bulk density, Iield capacity and permanent wilting point oI soil were
measured.

In determination oI the wetting pattern, ten emitter points oI banana cultivation with
known discharge rates were selected randomly. Water was applied continuously at 0,2,4,6,8
litres and same treatment was given to two emitters at a time. From the trickle source, sampling
points were marked laterally with 20cm intervals as 20, 40, 60 cm respectively at either side oI
the trickle source. In each point soil samples were taken at depths oI 20, 40, 60 cm using an
auger at 6 hours aIter irrigation. Moisture content was measured by gravimetric method.

3. Measurement of root distribution of Banana
Three plants were selected Ior root distribution measurement. First oI all, drench was
made 30 cm Irom the base oI the banana plant. The drench was 150 cm in length, 60 cm in
depth, and 60 cm in width. Then, root distribution the plant on the drench wall was marked with
using 5cm square polythene grid. Finally the root distribution was taken in to a normal grid
paper.

4. Optimum irrigation scheduling
In determination oI irrigation scheduling, 10 emitters were considered. Water was applied
at oI 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 litres only Ior the Iirst day. Same treatment was given Ior 2 emitters at a
time. Undisturbed soil samples were collected in a vertical direction oI 15,30,45, 60cm depths at
15cm away Irom plant base. Measurements were preceded at an interval oI 6,24,48,72,96,120
hours aIter irrigation. Soil moisture content was measured using the gravimetric method.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

1. Uniformity of distribution of discharge rate
Mean discharge rate oI all emitters was 2.8 I /hr. The Figure 02 shows that most emitters
operate close to the mean discharge rate, although in the last lateral, the variation oI discharge
rate was ~20. However, other 3 laterals showed almost even discharge rates.

The result show that Emission uniIormity (Eu), Statistical uniIormity (Us), Absolute
emission uniIormity (Eua) were 53, 88 and respectively. Eventhough Eu was not in
acceptable range, Us and Eua satisIactory. The low emission uniIormity was mainly attributing
to the variation in discharge rate oI some emitters in the last lateral, and the variation was mainly
due to clogging oI emitters.













Figure 2. Discharge rate of selected emitters

2. Wetting pattern
Figure 3 shows that horizontal distribution oI moisture in the root at 6 hours aIter
irrigation. There is no signiIicant variation in horizontal moisture distribution when the
application amount was less than 4 l. However when 6 and 8 liter oI water was applied the
Soil moisture content reached 15 cm/m even at 20-40 cm distance Irom the emitter. Soil
moisture content at 40 - 60cm distance was unchanged even at the application oI 8 I per
emitter, indicating that the maximum lateral spread oI water is less than 50cm Irom emitter.


















Figure 3. Horizontal moisture distribution 6 hours after irrigation
at 60cm depths

According to Iigure 4, vertical moisture distribution was not signiIicantly changed upto 4 1 oI
water application. But, moisture distribution signiIicantly changed with 6 and 81 oI water
application.











3. Root distribution
The highest root distribution percentage in vertical and horizontal direction (54.3, 63
respectively) was Iound at 0-30 cm away Irom the plant base. This shows that the root
distribution too takes the similar pattern oI moisture distribution. Total root distribution
percentage between 0-60 cm in vertical and horizontal direction were 83.5 and 96.9 respectively.
That shows majority oI roots are concentrated in between 0-60 cm Irom plant base. The lateral
spread oI roots seem to conIined to 60 cm while, roots penetrated even upto 90 cm vertically.











60 Depth (em)

Figure 5. Root distribution at 30, 60 and 90cm depths

4. Optimum irrigation scheduling
According to the diIIerent discharge rates, irrigation scheduling varies. At higher levels
oI water applications (20, 25 I ), it takes more than 4 days come to AD level. At 5 and 10 I oI
water application the moisture level at eIIective root zone reach, AD limit within 2 days.













FC - Field Capacity
AD -Allowable Depletion

Figure 6. Moisture depletion cycle for 6 days at 5,10,15,20 and 25 1 of water application.

CONCLUSIONS

The application uniIormity seems to be satisIactory. However, it may be possible to
improve this by removal oI clogging. As the irrigated water is Iree oI dissolved salts, proper
Iiltration may help to improve application uniIormity oI the system. Wetting oI the surIace soil
layer oI 20 cm radius oI emitter may be improved by application oI higher rates (61) oI water.
However application oI higher rates may not improve lateral wetting beyond 40cm radius. At
higher rate oI application (~6 I / plant / irrigation) water penetrate to deep layers beyond 60 cm,
resulting higher losses oI water through deep percolation. 80 oI the roots occur with in the top
60cm oI the soil proIile while 95 oI the roots are Iound within 60 cm radios oI the plant base.
Daily irrigation world be required when the irrigation volume is 10 I or less, however, irrigation
interval can be increased to 4 days when irrigation volume exceeds 20 I per irrigation.

ACKNOLEDGMENTS

The authors wish to express their gratitude to Dr. S.F.M.W. Fernando, Deputy Director Regional
Agricultural Research and Development Centre, Makandura Ior allowing this research to be
carried out and to the staII oI soil Science and Horticultural Divisions. Mrs. Sharmaly Herath and
Mrs. Janaki Alwis oI the Division oI Horticulture are also greatly acknowledged Ior their kind
assistance throughout this study.

REFERENCES

Grove, R.W and well, J.C. (1978). Drip irrigation. J.A.SAE. CaliIornia. III-114. Hillel,D.
(1978).Status oI research in Drip/trickle irrigation. J.A.SAE.

University oI Massachusetts, MA, 01003.
Killer, 1. and Karmili, D. (1974). Trickle Irrigation Parameters. Transaction oI the ASAE, 17 (4):
678.
Kuruppuarachchi, D.S.P and Pain, A.N. (1981). EIIect oI soil moisture depletion yield and water
use eIIiciency oI chille, onion and Banana as latasols oI the North West dry zone. Trop.
Agric.137,1981

Mohanakanthan, K,(1983).' An evaluation oI the eIIiciency oI existing and low - cost
localized Irrigation systems'. Unpublished M Phil Thesis, Postgraduate Institute oI
Agriculture, Peradiniya, Srilanka. .

Nakayama, F.S and Bucks, D.A. (1980). Emitter clogging eIIect on Drip irrigation UniIormity.
J.ASAE. 79 (20): 77-80.

Ramulu, U.S.S. (1998). Management oI water resource in Agriculture,(4):1720.

Sivanappen, R.K. and Padmakumary, O. (1980). Drip irrigation. Tamilnadu Agricultural
University Indial, Coimbatore, India.