What are the advantages of Lateral Move Irrigation System?
The 5 advantages/pros/benefits are:
1. Precise application:
The systems are able to apply a prescribed volume of water to match crop water requirements. It reduces the opportunity for surface runoff or deep percolation if the system is designed to match soil infiltration characteristics.
2. Lower labour requirements:
Labour requirements are generally lower than surface irrigation but depends on the system and or the degree of automation of the machine.
3. Reduced variability:
The reported application efficiencies for new well designed machines are generally in the 80-95% range, compared to 50-90% for surface irrigation systems.
4. Opportunities for fertigation:
Fertigation allows the targeted application of small quantities of nutrients, with a reasonable uniformity of application and less risk of nutrient losses. The irrigation system may also be used to apply herbicides and pesticides.
5. Less landforming:
The system can work on rolling topography. However, there might be a need for some landforming for surface drainage or rainfall induced runoff.