Figure 3: Basin irrigation Figure 4: Furrow irrigation using siphon tubes

♤ Localized Irrigation: Localized irrigation is a system where water is distributed under low

pressure through a piped network, in a pre- determined pattern, and applied as a small discharge to each plant or adjacent to it. It is also known as low-flow irrigation system/low volume irrigation/micro-irrigation. Drip irrigation, spray or micro-sprinkler irrigation and bubbler irrigation belong to this category of irrigation methods.

o Drip Irrigation: Drip irrigation, also known as trickle irrigation, functions as its name suggests (figure 5). Water is delivered at or near the root zone of plants, drop by drop. This method can be the most water- efficient method of irrigation, if managed properly, since evaporation and runoff are minimized. The field water efficiency of drip irrigation

is 80 to 90 percent. In modern agriculture, drip irrigation is often combined with plastic mulch, further reducing evaporation, and is also the means of delivery of fertilizer. This is known as fertigation.