Technological Approaches to Improving Agricultural Irrigation Efficiency

Technological Approaches to Improving Agricultural Irrigation Efficiency

The core objective of improving agricultural irrigation efficiency is to achieve the same or even better crop yield and quality with less water and energy input. This requires systematic technological optimization across the entire chain from the water source to the crop roots. The main technological approaches include improving field water distribution, upgrading irrigation methods, implementing precision management, and utilizing intelligent assistance.

The primary approach is to upgrade the field water distribution system to reduce "in-transit" losses. This is the most fundamental and effective technological improvement. Traditional earthen canals and ditches should be converted into impermeable pipelines (such as PVC and PE pipes) or lined channels whenever possible. This technology can quickly and securely transport water directly from the water source to the field, reducing leakage and evaporation losses, and increasing water delivery efficiency from approximately 50% for traditional earthen canals to over 90%. Building upon this, combining it with technologies such as laser land leveling to achieve precise field leveling is crucial for ensuring uniform irrigation and preventing localized waterlogging and under-watering.

The core approach is to promote efficient water-saving irrigation technologies to achieve "precision irrigation." This includes:

Sprinkler irrigation: Water is evenly sprayed onto the field through pipes and sprinklers, similar to artificial rainfall. It is suitable for field crops and lawns, saving 30%-50% of water compared to traditional surface irrigation, and is easy to combine with fertilization and automation.

Micro-irrigation (mainly including drip irrigation and micro-sprinkler irrigation): This is currently the most efficient field irrigation technology. Drip irrigation delivers water and nutrients directly and slowly to the crop roots through pipes and drippers; micro-sprinkler irrigation uses low-pressure small sprinklers for localized spraying. Micro-irrigation technology has extremely significant water and fertilizer saving effects (40%-70% water saving), greatly improving water and fertilizer utilization efficiency, and is particularly suitable for orchards, greenhouses, cash crops, and water-scarce areas.

The key approach is to apply soil moisture monitoring and irrigation decision-making technologies to achieve "on-demand water supply." This changes the habit of irrigating based on experience and calendar schedules. By deploying soil moisture sensors, real-time monitoring of moisture content in different soil layers allows for scientifically determining when and how much water is needed for irrigation. Combined with evaporation and rainfall forecast data provided by weather stations, more precise irrigation plans can be developed. This technology is key to achieving the transformation from "watering the land" to "feeding the crops," effectively preventing over- or under-irrigation.

A complementary approach is the development of automated and intelligent control technologies to achieve "smart management." Based on efficient irrigation systems, integrating automatic valves and irrigation controllers allows the system to automatically turn on and off based on time or sensor signals, enabling timed and quantitative irrigation, saving labor and improving accuracy. Furthermore, an Internet of Things (IoT) smart irrigation system can be built, linking soil and weather data with irrigation equipment to achieve fully automated, intelligent, and precise water and fertilizer management. This represents the future direction of efficient agricultural irrigation.

In summary, improving irrigation efficiency is a process of technological layering and integration. Starting with basic work such as pipeline renovation and land leveling, then selectively adopting sprinkler and drip irrigation, and finally applying monitoring and automatic control, each step brings significant efficiency improvements. Farmers can choose appropriate technological approaches based on their own conditions and economic capabilities, implementing them step by step to gradually move towards water-saving, efficient, and intelligent modern agricultural irrigation.