International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
Sahu A, Agrawal P and Sahu B

abstract
Gravity fed drip irrigation system is low-cost irrigation system which directly supply water from overhead tank which is kept at some specific height. Gravity provides the pressure needed for the system. The water source is situated above 10 m from ground level. With the process of siphoning, water is directly supplied from the water source from higher elevation to lower elevation. A small area of 10 x 12 m2 is chosen for the purpose of the project. Optimization of low head gravity fed drip irrigation system under variable operational head of 1m, 1.5m, 2 m along with varying length of laterals i.e. 8 m, 9 m, 10 m, 12 m. A constant height of 1m, 1.5m, 2 m is maintained by continuous flow water from the water source in such a way that inflow of water is more than outflow from a given head. The drip line is identified as L1, L2, L3, L4 emitter position on each dripline is identified as A, B, C. The average emitter charge was observed to be maximum under operating of 2 m with 8 m length of lateral and was minimum when head decreased to 1 m and length of lateral was 12 m with 4 number of laterals. At 2m head laterals of 8 m, 9 m, 10 m length provides reasonably good uniformity of water through low head gravity fed drip irrigation with UC> 65%. It can be concluded from the experiment that uniformity coefficient under 1m head observed to be low i.e. 44.57% and high at 2 m head i.e.68%.