In order to optimize the agronomic outcomes and to give more value to the irrigation, the water must be distributed in adaptable ways to plants and soil and according to the climate conditions. The water distribution must be regular in order not to leave over irrigated or under irrigated areas. Moreover, the water physical-chemical features must impact as less as possible on the machine integrity, on the cultivation and on the soil. A sprinkler selected to respect all these parameters will result in the best long-term outcomes
The main factors to be considered are:
• The type of crop: germination sensitivity, foliage sensitivity to humidity, cultivation practice (rows cultivation);
• The soil features: infiltration capacity, sensitivity to soil sealing;
• The climate conditions: wind and evaporation;
• The water quality: loaded water; ferrous water.
There are a lot of technical solutions to solve these problems and they must be properly found depending on each situation. In particular, you can act on:
• The mode of application of the water (drop shape and speed) thanks to the kind of sprinkler: oscillating, rotary, spray or impact;
• The sprinkler height from the ground, in order to irrigate as close as possible to the crop growing;
• The kind of drop tube to avoid the problems caused by the wind;
• The sprinkler operating pressure to affect the water drop size and speed;
• The distribution and orientation of the sprinklers at the wheels, with sprinklers moved onto boom backs and/or with sector sprinklers to keep the wheel tracks in good conditions.
According to the needs, it is possible to install a watering device at the end. Such device can be useful to cover areas outside the covered area by the machine. As it is installed at the end of the machine, the irrigated surface can be remarkable, therefore such an investment is particularly profitable. You can install:
• A gun, useful for its irrigation efficiency;
• An end sprinkler, that works with the same pressure of the sprinklers to save some energy on the pumping plant.
Otech works with the best international sprinkler suppliers and can satisfy all your requests. Your Otech dealer can help you to make the best choice that will make the difference for your machine.
