Drip irrigation is an irrigation method that applies water slowly to the roots of plants, by depositing the water either on the soil surface or directly to the root zone. Drip irrigation usually employs devices called emitters, which emit the water in a slow stream, and may also use devices called micro-sprinklers , which spray water in a small area.

Since drip irrigation does not spray water over a large area, fertilizer that is surface applied tends to stay on the surface and is not washed down into the root zone. Fertilizer injection systems can be attached to eliminate the need to spread fertilizer on the surface. The fertilizer is automatically added, from a container attached to the system, in very small quanties to the irrigation water so it is applied with every irrigation cycle.

Drip irrigation systems may be manually operated or may be operated by a controller with electric or hydraulic valves. Drip irrigation systems employing emitters sometimes include filters to prevent clogging of the small emitter orifices.

Drip irrigation helps achieve water conservation by reducing evaporation by applying water more precisely to the plant roots, when compared to other types of irrigation typically spray irrigation.

Subsurface drip irrigation or SDI is the practice of drip irrigation using permanently or temporarily buried dripperline or drip tape. It is becoming more widely used for row crop irrigation especially in areas where water supplies are limited.

Drip irrigation is used by farms, commercial greenhouses, and residential gardeners.

See also

• irrigation

External links

• Drip irrigation tutorial
• MicroIrrigation Forum