Subsurface drip irrigation: an innovative solution to irrigate under restrictive water conditions

Abstract

The implementation of innovative irrigation techniques such as subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) is the solution adopted by most countries facing water scarcity problems due to its very good efficiency. As more and more regions in France are subject to restrictive water usage, its possible use to irrigate field crops is on the agenda. The underground drip technique was introduced in the USA more than two decades ago (Camp, 1998). However, the materials used, generally made of porous pipes, were not very efficient because they were very vulnerable to clogging and root intrusion. This was confirmed by trials conducted in Montpellier at the end of the 1980s. The appearance of new materials reputed to be more efficient prompted Irstea to carry out experiments to analyse their possible application in the context of field crops such as maize when subjected to restrictive water pipes.