By switching from micro-irrigation to low-flow drip irrigation, macadamia farmer Dawid de Kock has reduced his irrigation water usage by 50%. With the subsequent savings on electricity, fertiliser and labour, the system has significantly improved his bottom line.
A farm’s irrigation system affects many factors that in turn determine profitability. The efficacy and efficiency of labour, electricity, water and fertiliser are all influenced by the type of irrigation system and the way it is managed.
With this in mind, Dawid de Kock, a macadamia farmer in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, has implemented a low-flow drip irrigation system on his newly established orchards. His older orchards all have micro-irrigation.
“The Netafim TurboNet low-flow drip irrigation system delivers water at the same rate at which the plant absorbs it. This ensures that the soil moisture is at the optimal level and the tree doesn’t drown or dry out. This also ensures that there’s no run-off, evaporation or leaching of the soil,” he says.
De Kock has 140ha of mature trees under micro-irrigation, which will soon be converted to low-flow drip irrigation. The newly planted orchard under low-flow drip irrigation has 68ha of two-year-old macadamia trees.
IMPLEMENTING THE SYSTEM
Netafim’s newly developed TurboNet flow path technology allows for low water delivery rates, delivering 1/h or less per dripper. The system saves water by irrigating only in the active root zone.
To achieve optimal aeration conditions, drippers are spaced so that the perimeters of the wetted areas under adjacent drippers are about 1m apart. Generally, one dripper is placed on every 2m² of canopy area of mature trees.
De Kock has a double row of irrigation pipes alongside the trees. His orchards are planted at a spacing of 8m x 5m, resulting in a density of 350 trees/ha. This requires 10 drippers per tree, so that each tree is irrigated at a rate of 10/ h. Irrigation volume depends on the size of the trees and the moisture levels in the soil, as determined by the tensiometer. He irrigates the two-year-old trees for about five hours a day during spring.
ãã®èšäºã¯ Farmer's Weekly ã® October 19, 2018 çã«æ²èŒãããŠããŸãã
7 æ¥éã® Magzter GOLD ç¡æãã©ã€ã¢ã«ãéå§ããŠãäœåãã®å³éžããããã¬ãã¢ã ã¹ããŒãªãŒã9,000 以äžã®éèªãæ°èã«ã¢ã¯ã»ã¹ããŠãã ããã
ãã§ã«è³Œèªè ã§ã ?  ãµã€ã³ã€ã³
ãã®èšäºã¯ Farmer's Weekly ã® October 19, 2018 çã«æ²èŒãããŠããŸãã
7 æ¥éã® Magzter GOLD ç¡æãã©ã€ã¢ã«ãéå§ããŠãäœåãã®å³éžããããã¬ãã¢ã ã¹ããŒãªãŒã9,000 以äžã®éèªãæ°èã«ã¢ã¯ã»ã¹ããŠãã ããã
ãã§ã«è³Œèªè ã§ã? ãµã€ã³ã€ã³
New farmers' seedling pitfalls
Inexperienced farmers may be tempted to grow seedlings from seed themselves, but they have much to gain by trusting a seedling grower at a nursery to perform this task for them instead
South African avocado production: a success story
Avocado production in South Africa has expanded markedly since the industry's humble beginnings over 80 years ago. From a small grove planted in 1938 in what was then Nelspruit, the industry has blossomed to seven million trees planted on 20 000ha. Dr Guy Witney, project manager at Great Brak Avos, spoke to Annelie Coleman about the country's avocado production.
Unlocking value through livestock exports
Exporting livestock might sound like a daunting business that's better left for big companies, but Gerrie Ferreira, who farms near Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape, has been doing it successfully for almost 30 years, sometimes in partnership with other breeders. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the huge potential this market holds, and offers some advice for farmers who are contemplating going this route.
An agribusiness's dedication to community upliftment
For agribusiness NWK, located in Lichtenburg, North West, corporate social investment is an important part of creating a positive influence alongside financial returns. Johan Bezuidenhout, NWKâs group manager of corporate marketing and communication, spoke to Annelie Coleman about why the company chooses to invest millions of rands in the area it operates in every year.
Empowering dreams, transforming lives
Since its launch in 2013, the Agri's Got Talent competition has revolutionised the lives of many farmworkers by unlocking their hidden talents and fostering a culture of empowerment. Glenneis Kriel spoke to various finalists about how the contest has changed their lives.
Foreign investment: agriculture maintains its appeal
South Africa remains a popular destination for foreign investors, despite an often negative outlook from its citizens. It is a gateway to Africa, and with its counterseasonal production to the Northern Hemisphere and favourable weather, local agriculture is especially well placed to attract foreign interest, bringing with it hope for rural communities
The real value and message of COP29 for SA agriculture
While the 2024 Conference of the Parties may have disappointed those who hoped for real progress, it's more important for South African agriculture to highlight its role in carbon mitigation
Improving efficiencies in feed and grain milling
BÃŒhler, a Swiss-based company that provides solutions and equipment for various industries, including food and animal feed processing, has pledged that by 2025, it will deliver scalable solutions that will reduce energy, waste and water by 50% in the value chains of its customers.
Tips for better olive production
At an SA Olive Association field day in November, industry experts shared ways to improve olive production efficiencies, from soil preparation to harvesting.
More effort needed to protect vulnerable cheetah
On International Cheetah Day, commemorated every year on 4 December, emphasis was placed on the vulnerability of the species.