IRRIGATION ~ KNOWLEDGE NEXUS ACADEMY

The process of providing water to the plant is called irrigation.
Soil contains water from rain but it is not sufficient.
In India only 55 % of agriculture fields are irrigated remaining 45% are dependent only on rains and the agriculture which depends only on rain is known as rainfed agriculture.
Rainfed agriculture have risk to crop failure because it depends upon timely and sufficient rain.
However agricultural scientists have develop some variety of crops which can grow in rainfed areas and droughts condition.

Advantage of Irrigation

Irrigation provide two essential nutrients hydrogen and oxygen to the plants.
Provide moisture to the plant.
Helps in elongation of roots.
Helps in increasing the number of aerial branches called tillers.
Helps in absorbing nutrients to the plant from soil.
Supply of water by irrigation is regular and reliable.
Irrigation by rivers at the time of flood carries silt.
Irrigation helps in cultivation can done round the year not during the rainy season only.

Factors controlling irrigation

The nature of the crop plant (crop based irrigation):- Some crop required less water and some crops required more water so on the basis of crop required irrigation the irrigation is known as crop based irrigation.

Eg:- paddy crops needs more water whereas wheat gram and cotton required less water.

The nature of the soil (soil based irrigation):- Soil is of many types some soil required less amount of water to grow plants and some soil required more amount of water to grow plants so on the basis of soil type irrigation is known as soil based irrigation.

Eg:- sandy soil required irrigation frequently because the retaining capacity of water is less.
Clayey soil required irrigation less frequently because the retaining capacity of water is high.

Irrigation system

IRRIGATION