A Detailed Guide to the Latest Water-Saving Irrigation Methods for Grapes

Grapes are a drought-tolerant fruit tree, and they grow best in areas with 600—800 mm of rainfall. In these areas, if soil moisture is well conserved, a certain yield can still be obtained even without irrigation all year round. Today, water-saving irrigation methods for vineyards are being widely studied internationally, reducing grape irrigation water use by half while still ensuring yield and quality. Let's take a look.

1. Surface irrigation

Surface irrigation is a method of watering seedlings in ponds, and its techniques are constantly being developed. Common surface irrigation includes furrow irrigation. Traditional furrow irrigation involves letting water into furrows and borders, which is neither accurate nor convenient, and also causes water loss through seepage. At present, siphon tubes or gated pipe outlets are used abroad, which can increase field water use efficiency by 5%-10%. There is also film irrigation, also known as film-hole irrigation, in which furrows are made on plastic film and water flows along the film to the holes and seeps into the soil. This gives high irrigation efficiency, can save 25%-35% of water, effectively increase yield by 15%-20%, and requires no other facilities, so it is highly adaptable.

2. Sprinkler irrigation

Sprinkler irrigation is also a commonly used water-saving irrigation method today. It sprays water through the air. Its advantages are even irrigation, less occupation of cultivated land, savings in labor, and strong adaptability to terrain. However, it also has drawbacks: it is greatly affected by wind, and the equipment investment is high. In China, the more commonly used types include fixed pipe sprinkler irrigation, semi-mobile pipe sprinkler irrigation, roll-move sprinkler laterals, and center-pivot sprinkler machines.

3. Drip irrigation

Drip irrigation is a precision irrigation method. It uses small plastic tubes to deliver irrigation water directly to near the roots of each crop, and water slowly drips out from the emitters. Water is applied only where it is needed, so it irrigates the crop rather than the land. It can also keep the moisture at the crop roots in an optimal state for a long time, saving water while increasing yield. However, the drawback is that water is applied through the emitter flow holes, and the water flow rate is relatively slow, making them very prone to clogging. Therefore, the irrigation water must be carefully filtered and managed by season to avoid clogging the emitters. Commonly used methods include fixed surface drip irrigation, semi-fixed surface drip irrigation, under-film irrigation, and subsurface drip irrigation.

4. Seepage irrigation

Seepage irrigation is somewhat similar to subsurface drip irrigation, except that seepage heads replace drip emitters and are buried underground. Water from the seepage heads does not flow out drop by drop like from emitters, but slowly seeps out, so the seepage heads are not as easily clogged as emitters.

5. Subsurface irrigation

Subsurface irrigation is irrigation carried out by regulating the groundwater level. During irrigation, the groundwater level is raised to the height of root activity, while the ground surface remains dry, so it is very water-saving. When irrigation is not being carried out, the water level is lowered. This method has relatively large limitations, and can only be carried out when there is an impermeable layer below the root activity zone.

The above is an introduction to water-saving irrigation methods for grapes. We hope it can help you. To learn more related knowledge, please follow us.