Drip irrigation is particularly advantageous in areas with marginal water quality or supply, expensive water, soils with a high salt content, low or excessive infiltration rates, poor drainage, and areas of high rainfall. Under drip irrigation, various cultural practices, such as spraying and harvesting, can be carried out, regardless of irrigation schedules. With a drip system, grade beds to a 1 percent slope to drain off excessive rainwater from the furrows during winter. Also, drip irrigation results in less fruit loss due to rot than does furrow irrigation. Costs of installing and maintaining an effective drip system are substantial.
Installation requires careful engineering.
Proper water filtration and pressure control are essential to a properly functioning drip system. To assure good production, the soil should be well worked, free of clods, and reasonable dry when fumigated. The subsoil should be cross-ripped before fumigation to insure adequate internal drainage. To minimize soil compaction, new work soils wet. Adequate soil aeration is essential to healthy root growth, plant vigor, and satisfactory yields.