Sprinkler irrigation systems

Let me note this right away: many people still confuse sprinkling with regular watering, considering it simply “spraying water.” In fact, this is a complex hydraulic system, where every element - from the pumping station to the nozzle - requires precise calculation. I myself saw how in the Krasnodar Territory they tried to save money on filters - after a season, half of the sprinklers failed due to sand in the water.

Main mistakes when designing sprinkler systems

The most common mistake is pressure. It happens that they install powerful pumps, but they do not take into account the height differences in the field. Last year I consulted on a farm in the Voronezh region - because of this, a third of the sprinklers did not work at all, and the entire scheme had to be redone.

Another point - many save onsprinkler irrigation systems, buying cheap imported components. And then they wonder why the valves can’t withstand our pressure. Although worthy Russian analogues have now appeared, the same Rostselmash makes good controllers.

I noticed an interesting detail: even experienced agronomists sometimes underestimate the influence of wind. In steppe areas it is necessary to install sprinklers with smaller increments - otherwise the unevenness of watering reaches 40%. They tested it on wheat fields - the difference in yield between correctly and incorrectly configured systems could be up to 15 c/ha.

Practical solutions from Shandong Lingyao Co.,Ltd

Colleagues fromShandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology Co.,Ltd(their projects can be viewed at https://www.lyzhihuinongye.ru) offer an interesting approach - they immediately design systems with a reserve for modernization. For example, they leave space for soil moisture sensors, even if the client is not yet ready to install them.

Their filters are worth attention - a multi-stage system with the ability to wash without stopping watering. It’s a small thing, but it’s important when you’re working with a crop like carrots, where you can’t skip watering times.

What is especially valuable is that they do not just sell equipment, but accompany the project until launch. I remember a case in Tatarstan, where it was necessary to quickly change the sprinkler placement pattern after the first tests - specialists arrived on site within two days.

Nuances of operation in different regions

In the southern regions, the main problem is calcium in the water. It clogs up the injectors within a season or two. You have to either install additional softeners or develop a flushing schedule. In Crimea, for example, they learned to use citric acid for this - cheaper than special reagents.

But in Siberia there is another problem - temperature changes. Standard HDPE pipes do not always hold up. You have to either dig deeper or use more expensive materials. Although in recent years good domestic composite pipes have appeared - they have been tested in the Altai Territory, and they show themselves better than imported ones.

Another important point is preparation for winter. Many farms still neglect the conservation of systems, and then are surprised by pipe ruptures. Although the procedure has been worked out to the point of automaticity - purging with a compressor, draining all components, checking valves.

Integration with fertigation systems

Modernsprinkler irrigation systemsThey rarely work on their own anymore. More often they are integrated with fertilizer application systems. It is important to maintain concentration here - a solution that is too saturated can damage the sprinklers. Centrifugal pumps are especially capricious.

Shandong Linyao LLC specializes in such comprehensive solutions. Their automatic control systems allow you to simultaneously manage both watering and plant nutrition. On sugar beets in the Belgorod region, such a system gave an increase in sugar content by almost 2%.

But I warn you - automation requires qualified maintenance. I have seen cases where complex equipment was idle due to the fact that there was no one to change the simplest firmware. It is better to immediately include staff training in the contract.

Economic aspects and payback

Many people are afraid of the initial investment insprinkler irrigation systems. Yes, the cost of a high-quality system is from 100 thousand rubles per hectare. But if you consider not only the cost of the equipment, but the full cycle - water, electricity, labor - the payback rarely exceeds 3-4 seasons.

It is especially beneficial for crops with high added value - vegetables, vineyards, seed crops. There, additional investments in precision irrigation can provide a 30-50% increase in profits.

By the way, you don’t always need to strive for complete automation. For small farms, semi-automatic systems are often more profitable - they are cheaper to maintain, and the efficiency is not much lower. The main thing is to choose the right technology for specific conditions.

Prospects for technology development

Nowadays, the direction of precision sprinkling is actively developing - when each plant receives a precisely calculated amount of water. It is still expensive, but the first results on experimental fields are impressive - water savings of up to 40% without loss of yield.

Interesting developments are being carried out byShandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology Co.,Ltd- their latest systems use satellite data to adjust irrigation. True, for now this is more suitable for large agricultural holdings.

Personally, I believe that the future lies in hybrid systems where sprinkling is combined with drip irrigation. This allows you to flexibly control humidity at different stages of the growing season. The first such projects are already operating in greenhouse complexes in the Moscow region.