The Effect of Fertigation on Clogging of Emitters in Drip Irrigation System

Abstract

One of the potential advantages of drip irrigation is allowing the use of fertilizer and poison with irrigation water. In this study, the effect of fertilizers on clogging dripper and drip irrigation system performance has been investigated. This study in a randomized block design framework was done that its factors were three treatments of fertilizer (ammonium phosphate) includes treatment F0 (control), and a F1 with concentrations of 5 g/l, respectively, and three dropper treatment (the in line long path and two outline long path). Dropper with codes A, B and C were named. In order to investigating dropper clogging, reduce discharge rate, efficiency of uniform distribution, Kristiansen uniformity coefficient and coefficient of discharge variation was calculated. After test period the percentage of reduce discharge for droppers was obtained 19.9, 20.78, and 11 percent for treatment F0 (control) respectively, and 26.48, 26.49 and 16.65 percent for treatment F1, respectively. The results were shown increasing concentration of irrigation fertilizer caused increasing dropper clogging and have a significant effect on Changes in discharge.

Keywords

• drip irrigation
• fertigation
• emitter
• clogging