IRR300 Irrigation Management (8)

• Upon completing this subject students should be able to:
• Outline the principles of irrigation scheduling;
• Quantify and qualify crop responses to scheduling;
• Describe the diversity of irrigation systems;
• Ascertain the appropriateness of the irrigation system to a particular soilcropclimate combination;
• Assess the range of irrigation equipment products;
• Define basic hydraulics governing water flow in open channels and factors affecting flow rate and velocity.

This subject will contain the following topics: 1. Irrigation scheduling and crop response Irrigation scheduling for crop production Use of surrogates to estimate availability of water to the crop Methods of irrigation scheduling Response of crops to available water Response of crops to onset of water deficit Response of vegetative and reproductive components 2. Types of irrigation systems Choice of irrigation type, in relation to crop and soil type Furrow/pump controlled systems Sprinkler, overhead and micro-irrigation systems Methods to determine appropriate irrigation systems Availability of water and labour Costing Management requirements 3. Product selection Equipment available for surface irrigation control Micro irrigation equipment selection, type and fitting, sprinkler systems, drip line system and subsurface irrigation equipment Source of information and testing 4. Open channel hydraulics and management Types of channel, lined and earthen Effects of shape, critical design, parameters specifying flow and velocity Maintenance and defining losses Associated structure and their operation Generic skills: This subject will foster the development of the following skills: To apply acquired knowledge through practical work and in written reports; To learn from experience ( practical classes) and to exercise application from the learning experience; To independently learn, via observation and experimentation, to interpret and evaluate information; To communicate both in the written and oral form; To work in collaboration with other students (practical classes); To use modern technology for accessing information, data handling and analysis and communication.