Many farmers need irrigation systems to grow their crops, especially during these hot, windy days and the continued drought. Texas A&M AgriLife Research (AgriLife) partnered with Texas Alliance for Water Conservation to conduct a study in the Texas High Plains to identify the most efficient irrigation system.
The study was part of the eight-year project, “An Integrated Approach to Water Conservation for Agriculture in the Texas Southern High Plains,” which was initially funded by the Texas Water Development Board. A more efficient irrigation system allows a larger percentage of the applied water to reach the root zone and not be lost to soil evaporation or evaporation from plant surfaces, according to AgriLife Today.
Approximately 75 percent of the Texas High Plains irrigated acres use center pivot systems, which can be equipped with different types of emitters. Selecting the proper emitter or switching between different emitter types for crop growth phases, can improve yields.
Mid-elevation spray application (MESA) uses spray emitters positioned 4 feet or higher above the ground. Low elevation spray application (LESA) have spray emitters located less than 4 feet above the ground. Low energy precision application (LEPA) systems use emitters at ground-level to put water directly onto the soil.
Comparing LEPA and LESA irrigation systems in drought conditions during a three-year period, with both systems having applied the same amount of water, it was found the efficiency of application of the water made the difference. LEPA provided a direct application of water concentrated in a smaller area, which reduced surface evaporation and resulted in an increased in growth and yields.