Modification and evaluation of automated drip irrigation system

Abstract

Water is the most valuable resource in the world and is playing a crucial role in daily activities of living beings on the earth. To meet the ever increasing demand, conservation and management of water resource is very important. Conventional methods of irrigation, like surface and subsurface flooding leads to scarcity of water, which can be reduced by adopting drip or trickle irrigation. Drip irrigation system can be controlled through different automation techniques. The present study was focused on the modification and evaluation of the existing cost effective automated drip irrigation system. In this study, calibration of capacitor type and conductive type moisture sensors were carried out in different soil types viz. black soil, coastal alluvium, forest loam, laterite soil and riverine alluvium. Field study was carried out with Hilton FI variety of salad cucumber under different irrigation and fertigation levels using solenoid valves and GSM modem technique. The automated drip irrigation system consists of two capacitor type and two conductive type soil moisture sensors, solenoid valves and water flow sensors. Total yield and crop growth parameters showed better performance under 100 per cent fertigation when compared with 70 per cent fertigation. Combination of 100 per cent fertigation with 70 per cent irrigation also showed good results, whereas production was less in the case of 70 per cent fertigation with 70 per cent irrigation. The modified automated drip irrigation system is cost effective, portable, durable and can perform better.