Drip Irrigation

• Precise application and adjustment of quantity and rate possible.
• Most efficient utilization of limited water supplies due to less evaporation and runoff.
• Leaves remain dry so leaf diseases are not enhanced.
• Most efficient use of power for water application.
• Fertigation and chemigation (pesticides) can be utilized.
• Small wetted area so weed control requirements are lessened.
• Reduction in the time taken till harvest has been demonstrated in Israel and S.Africa due to higher plant temperatures (less evaporative cooling from wet surfaces).
• Other management tasks not obstructed during irrigation application.
• Suitable for automation.

• Drip emitters are subject to clogging and require expensive filtration systems and periodic chemical treatment of water.
• Drip emitters and laterals are easily damaged by workers particularly during desuckering and harvest.
• Drip systems require expert management for best performance.
• Effectiveness of application is difficult to assess without tedious inspection.
• Laterals must be moved periodically to prevent 'pinching' by suckers and to ensure drip emitters are positioned to supply water near to the base of the plant where it is most needed and useful.
• Regular/frequent applications are required because of the limited wetted zone produced.
• Mite damage often worse than crops with overhead irrigation.

Undertree Minisprinklers/Microjets

• Precise application and adjustment of quantity and rate possible.
• Low pumping costs, operating at the same pressure as drip irrigation.
• Larger wetted zone than with drip irrigation thus plants are less likely to suffer from water stress should there be any delay in irrigation.
• Leaf disease impact is uncertain, leaves remain dry but relative humidities will be enhanced.
• Fertigation and chemigation can be utilized.
• Intermediate wetted area regarding weed control compared to drip and overhead sprinklers.
• Other management tasks generally not obstructed during irrigation application.
• Suitable for automation.
• Efficient utilization of limited water supplies and no runoff.
• Filtration is required but is not as critical as for drip irrigation.

• Mini-sprinklers and laterals can be easily damaged by workers, but a single lateral with mini-sprinklers down the centre of double rows out of harms way is fairly trouble-free.
• Intermediate management expertise required relative to drip and overhead sprinklers.
• Ants can block some mini-sprinkler emitters.
• Mini-sprinklers should be checked regularly to ensure they are functioning correctly for optimum coverage, uniformity of water distribution is easily obstructed by plant parts.
• Mite damage often worse than crops with overhead irrigation.

Overhead Solid-Set Sprinklers

• Long life of components.
• Relatively free from breakdowns (low maintenance).
• Filtration is not required unless there is a lot of floating rubbish in the water supply.
• Suitable for automation.
• Mite damage often less than with undertree systems.

• High running costs.
• Inappropriate timing of irrigation could wash pesticides off plant.
• Distribution patterns are distorted by wind and fluctuating pump pressures resulting in uneven application. Generally the potential for uniform application of water is less than with undertree systems.
• Leaf disease impact is uncertain. Leaves are wet for a brief period every 5-10 days.
• Water loss from evaporation and runoff is high (up to 25%).
• Leaching and runoff of fertilizers can be enhanced.
• Other management tasks obstructed during irrigation application.
• Generally unsuitable for fertigation.
• Wet roadways.

Travelling Irrigators

• Very readily portable system thus they can be flexible in their utilization and well suited to short term lease situations.
• Low maintenance requirements.
• No filtration required.
• Mite damage often less than with undertree systems.

• High running costs.
• Distribution patterns are distorted by wind.
• Their portability often leads to them being utilized to irrigate more area than they should to ensure regular applications (every 5-10 days depending upon the time of year).
• Unsuitable for unevenly shaped blocks and broken terrain.
• Unsuitable for automation.
• Unsuitable for fertigation.
• Water loss from evaporation and runoff is high (up to 25%)
• Other management tasks obstructed during irrigation application.
• Leaching and runoff of fertilizers can be enhanced
• Wet roadways.
• Leaf disease impact is uncertain. Leaves are wet for a brief period every 5-10 days