Delivering Water With Precision

Drip irrigation offers the opportunity to conserve water and improve crop health.

- By Adrienne Held

Every drop of water counts in central and western Nebraska, where Andy Jobman raises soybeans, food-grade yellow and white corn, and cattle with his dad and brother near Gothenburg, in the center of the state. "Irrigation is really big on our farm and really important," Jobman said. "It's a resource we can't afford to neglect or overuse.'

Adopting center pivots and drip tape has allowed the Jobmans to move their entire farm to strip-till, whereas previously, due to historical irrigation practices utilizing gated pipe, they relied on ridge-till. This change has resulted in increased soil organic matter. "Having that extra percent or two of soil organic matter and soil cover from the residue helps with our water usage," Jobman said.

Traditionally, drip irrigation has been used for high-value horticultural crops such as small fruits and vegetables. But recently, it has been adopted in agronomic crops, including corn, soybeans, and cotton, as a way to improve yield potential.

Bushels of Benefits

Compared with traditional pivot and flood irrigation, drip Compared with traditional and systems offer multiple advantages, said Chuck Bates, vice president of products and agronomy for Netafim USA. "No. 1 is water use efficiency," he said. "Generally speaking, you're going to use less water because you have less evaporative effects than with a pivot, and you're not wasting water from a flood irrigation system, where you're creating tailwater."

The precise application of nutrients is the second and perhaps most important benefit. "Drip irrigation offers a much more uniform application of fertilizer," Bates said. "That's a big deal in corn."