Subsurface Microirrigation with Effluent

Abstract

Field crops such as cotton, wheat, corn, and peas have been irrigated with treated domestic effluent for five years by a subsurface trickle system. For four years the experiments were conducted in the same field without replacing any components of the irrigation system. According to the field results it was found that a subsurface system can be used without failures for years. Emitter clogging by plant roots was prevented by Treflan injection. The uniformity of plants in the experimental plots indicated that the effluent water was well distributed in the soil. Increased yields, as compared to microirrigation systems with emitters on the soil surface, were obtained with subsurface microirrigation.