Effective application of drip irrigation technology

(Baonghean) - Promoting the application of science and technology (S&T) is an urgent requirement to increase the production value in agriculture. In recent years, Tan Ky district has successfully implemented a number of models of applying S&T to cultivation, contributing to improving economic efficiency and enriching the people.

With nearly 8,000 hectares of sugarcane, Tan Ky is considered one of the key sugarcane production areas of the province. However, most of the sugarcane raw material area is planned to be planted on hilly land, poor soil fertility and harsh weather make sugarcane cultivation here quite difficult. These days, sugarcane growing areas in Tan Long, Giai Xuan, Tan An... can be seen that many sugarcane areas of people have burnt leaves and stunted growth due to lack of water in the prolonged hot weather.

Applying drip irrigation technology for sugarcane (running rubber pipes under the roots) in Nghia Dung commune (Tan Ky).

However, in Nghia Dung, on Mua hill, we see the opposite image when the whole hill is covered with green sugarcane. When asked, we found out that this is the sugarcane area of ​​Mr. Thieu Thanh Long's family with an area of ​​7.3 hectares. Thanks to the drip irrigation method, the sugarcane here has grown normally during the recent dry days. Mr. Long said: "In previous years, during the peak of the hot season, a lot of sugarcane died and burned, the rest were stunted due to lack of water. To irrigate, we had to pull the hose for dozens of meters while the area was large and located on the hilly terrain, so it was extremely complicated and required a lot of labor. However, the efficiency was not high. On the other hand, to fertilize the plants, we had to plow the rows, put fertilizer and then cover them with soil very elaborately, but just a heavy rain could wash everything away. Now, thanks to the drip irrigation method invested by Song Con Sugarcane Company, the family's sugarcane hill is green, ensuring income in the next crop".

Learning more about this drip irrigation system at another sugarcane grower in Tan Long commune, Mr. Luu Quang Minh, the owner of more than 3 hectares, shared: “The irrigation system using this method has two main parts: the pumping station and the water pipeline. At the pumping station, there are devices to control the irrigation mode, mix fertilizers and pesticides. When operating, water and the above mixtures will be led through each branch pipe and then distributed through small pipes to deeply irrigate each tree. Therefore, we can precisely control the amount of irrigation water and fertilizer without fear of being washed away when it rains. Therefore, even in hot weather, the ground still has moderate moisture, the sugarcane is strong and green. It is only the middle of the fourth month that the plants have strong internodes, while normally it takes until the fifth month.”

Taking care of sugarcane at Mua hill, Nghia Dung commune (Tan Ky).

It is known that the above sugarcane growing areas were put into testing by Song Con Sugarcane Joint Stock Company for the stable development of sugarcane material areas. By providing seeds, fertilizers and investing in experimental irrigation systems, at the end of the season, growers will pay through their sugarcane output. Mr. Nguyen Sy Hai, Head of the Raw Material Development Department of Song Con Sugarcane Joint Stock Company, said: “This is the first sugarcane crop applying this method on 20 hectares for 4 households in the most severe communes of the district. Initial evaluation after 5 months of testing shows that the model brings many obvious results. It is estimated that the total investment cost for this irrigation system ranges from 50 - 60 million VND/ha. However, with only a one-time investment, the system can be used well for the next 5 to 7 years. Normally, sugarcane yield only reaches around 60 tons/ha, but with this irrigation method, sugarcane yield can be increased to 100 tons per ha.”

The system is quite simple to operate and use. People only need to turn on the pump 6 hours a day and check that the pipes are not clogged with sediment causing water blockage to be assured. Regarding the source of irrigation water, it is possible to take advantage of natural streams and dams near the planting area. Or build ponds and drill wells to store water. On average, each irrigation valve will drip about 1 liter of water into the roots in one hour, which means that each hectare will only lose about 1.5 to 2 cubic meters of water. From the effectiveness of this technology, in addition to the model of irrigation for sugarcane, people in Tan Phu commune and some communes of Tan Ky district are applying the model of drip irrigation and spraying on squash and other crops, bringing high productivity and efficiency. The process of managing and operating this system by opening valves in each area saves labor and increases productivity by 1.5 to 2 times compared to before. Thanks to the proactive source of irrigation water, people have the conditions to increase production during the year, including the dry season.

THANH QUYNH