Page 364 - FRUTAS DEL TRÓPICO

364 Frutas del trópico

Types of irrigation systems
To select the appropriate irrigation system for a crop, key crop characteristics must be iden-

tified. It is important to know the time between planting and harvest, the period during the

calendar year that the crop is grown, the water requirements of the crop, and the initial and

final height and canopy of the crop. In addition, field physical properties and available water

sources must be considered in the irrigation design. A short description is provided for the

most common irrigation types:

1. Microjet or microsprinkler systems emit water at discrete points at relatively high rates. Mi-

crojets are generally used for fruit trees, nursery production, and other large plants. Microjets

are an efficient irrigation system with properly operation and maintenance. Common appli-

cations: avocado, container production

2. Drip irrigation systems apply water from point source emitters molded into ‘tapes’ or delivery

lines. Drip systems are highly efficient when properly maintained. Drip systems operate un-

der pressure and require that delivery tapes by supplied to all plants. Drip irrigation may not

be economically feasible for large areas of low value crops. Common applications: tomato,

papaya

3. Sprinkler irrigation systems supply water by spraying it through nozzles mounted on pres-

surized pipelines. Sprinkler nozzles should be staggered throughout a planting to provide

uniform distribution of irrigation water. Sprinkler irrigation may result in excessive losses due

to evaporation and wind drift; therefore, timing of sprinklers should be such that these losses

are minimized. Common applications: container nursery, fruit trees

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