WATER TECHNOLOGY CENTRE,TNAU

Trend in Net area irrigated (Lakh ha) in

Tamil Nadu
Sour ces 1970 2003
Canal s
8.8
(35.6)
8.1
(30.3)
Tanks
9.1
(36.8)
6.0
(22.4)
Wel l s
6.5
(26.0)
12.6
(46.7)
Ot her s (Spr i ngs, Channel s)
0.4
(1.6)
0.2
(0.6)
Tot al 24.8 26.9
Ir r i gat i on i nt ensi t y (%) 131 123

Figures in parenthesis are percentage
Particulars No. of Blocks
Dark 87
Grey 83
White 215
Total 385

Groundwater Status in
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu : Supply - Demand
GAP for Water in 2025
Parti cul ars Qty i n MHM
Water suppl y 4.7
Water Demand 6.9
Agri 5.2
Non-Agri 1.7
Suppl y-Demand gap -2.2

| Water saving technologies for
increasing water use efficiency
| Drip irrigation
| Drip fertigation
Strategies
Drip
Drip fertigation
Localised
Uniform
Surface irrigation
Leaching
Nutrient distribution pattern
Fertilizer Use Efficiency
Fertilizer Use Efficiency (%)
Nutrient
Soil
appln.
Drip
Drip
Fertign.*
Nitrogen 30-50 65 95
45
80
Phosphorous 20 30
Potassium 50 60
* 95% applied fertilizer taken by plants
Fertilizers for fertigation
52.0
56.0
40.0
75.0
34.0
4.6
4.4
SPECIALITY WATER SOLUBLE
FERTILIZERS
Poly feed (19-19-19)
MAP (12-61-0)
Multi K (13-0-46)
MKP (0-52-34)
SOP (0-0-50)
NORMAL FERTILIZERS
Urea (46-0-0)
Potash (0-0-60)
Rate (Rs./kg) Name
Devices for fertigation
Fert. Tank
Cost: Rs.3500
Ventury
Rs.1250
Fert. Pump
Rs.12000
Fertigation in Sugarcane with Water Soluble
Speciality Fertilizers
Fertigation with water soluble
fertilizers in Banana (Nendran)
Tomato fruiting with
water soluble speciality
fertilizers
Cost benefits, Payback periods of Micro irrigation for various crops
Crops
Spacing of crops
m
Cost of the
system Rs.ha
-1
Pay back
period
B:C ratio
Banana
0.91*1.5*1.8
paired row
45,000 1-2 Year 3.00
Grape 3.03*1.8 44,000 1 Year 3.28
Pomegranate 4.3*4.3 30,000 2 Year 5.16
Ber 4.5*4.5 30,000 1 Year 4.56
Tomato
0.45*0.45*
1.65 Paired row
30,000 canewall 1 Year 1.09
Papaya 1.81*1.81 40,000 2 Year 4.09
Cotton
0.9*1.5*1.8 Paired
row
47,500 3 Years 1.83
Sugarcane
0.83*1.66 Paired
row
47,500 1 2 Year 3.45
Water saving,yield and profit under drip and
drip fertigation system
Yield (t/ha) Profit (Rs/ha)
Conventi
onal
Drip
Drip +
Fertgn
Conventi
onal
Drip
Drip +
Fertgn
Banana
35 26 30 37 81000 98000 120000
Sugarcane
29 120 160 207 30000 47000 68000
Tomato
32 45 56 65 56000 77000 95000
Water
saving
(%)
Crops
Payback Period 1-2 years
ISSUES:
1. COST REDUCTION
Banana: Drip - Normal planting method
Drip system cost Rs.45000/ha
Drip system under paired row method
Drip system cost Rs.35000/ha
Paired row
Paired row
-
-
Drip lay out in sugarcane
Drip lay out in sugarcane
TURMERIC - COST REDUCTION IN DRIP LAY OUT WITH
MICRO TUBES
Paired row with micro tubes in tapioca
Bucket Kit
Microtube coverage
System configuration
Bucket (20ltrs) 1 No
12 mm Lateral line 1 No
(with filter, tap &
26 micro tubes)
Bucket
Gromet & Take off
Valve
Line filter
Micro tube
12 mm lateral
line
End cap
Microtube coverage
System
configuration
16 mm lateral line
(with 5 trees) 1 No
12 mm lateral line
(with 130 micro tubes) 5 Nos
16 mm sub main
Reducer tee
12 mm lateral
Wetting pattern
Micro tube
Plants
Cap
2 m
Tap
Filter
Drum Kit
System configuration
16 mm lateral
(fitted with tees) 1 No
Laterals (with connections
for sprinklers) 5 Nos
Micro sprinklers 15 Nos
Micro sprinkler coverage
Existing water source
Valve
Filter
Micro Sprinkler Kit
ISSUES
2. DRIP SYSTEM MAINTANENCE
MAINTENANCE OF DRIP IRRIGATION EQUIPMENT
CHLORINATION
When the source of irrigation water is a dam, river,
irrigation channel, etc., chlorination is recommended
which kills bacteria, algae and other organic matter.
Example:
Pump discharge is 20 cu.m/hr
Irrigation time is 5 hr
Rate of chlorine required is 5 ppm (mg/l) 1ppm=1g/cu.m
(1000 litres), 5 ppm = 0.2 kg chlorine/hr = 2 kg as 10%
Sodium hypochlorite/hr, therefore total Na hypochlorite
required 5 hr x 2 = 10 kg.
MAINTENANCE OF DRIP IRRIGATION EQUIPMENT
ACIDIFICATION
Injection of 30% HCl is recommended for removal of
precipitated calcium salts on the inner surface of the
drip system
Example:
Pump discharge : 20 cu. M/hr
Max injector pump discharge : 250 litres/hr
Acid required : 20 litres (1 litre per cu.m.)
Total solution required : 250/10 = 25 litres
(1/10
th
of the discharge)
Water quantity to use : 25 20 = 5 litres
Sand Filter Backwashing
Flushing of Submains and Laterals
Issues
3. Subsidy
Rate of subsidy - 25%
Subsidy at Govt. fixed unit cost
Energy Saving = Subsidy
Banana Rs. 5100/ha
Sugarcane Rs. 4500/ha
Grapes Rs. 2250/ha
Coconut Rs. 2000/ha
ISSUES : 4. DRIP Vs TAP SYSTEM
a. Saline water
b. Limited water and power supply
c. Cost saving in Tap
Dripper : 4 / tree @ 8 LPH * 3 Hr = 96 L / tree/day
Cost : @ Rs 2.35/dripper * 175*4 = Rs 1645/ha
Tap : 1/ tree @ 100 LPH *1Hr = 100L/tree/day
Cost: @ Rs0.8/tap * 175 = Rs 140/ha
Issues
5. Area Expansion
Additional area under drip irrigation
(5% of the present cropped area)
Expanding drip fertigation
(2.5% of the present cropped area)
1.Drip cost at 5% additional area
Crop
Current
Area
(lakh ha)
Proposed
area under
drip (ha)
(5% )
Total drip
cost
(Rs.
Crores)
Govt.
subsidy at
50%
(Rs.
Crores)
Sugarcane 2.83 14140 91.9 45.9
Coconut 2.70 13500 37.8 18.9
Vegetables 2.15 10770 0.6 0.3
Mango 0.90 4512 10.8 5.4
Cashew 0.84 4210 11.8 5.9
Others 1.86 9289.5 45.9 22.9
Total 11.28 56420 198.8 99.3
2.Drip fertigation cost at 2.5% additional
area
Crop
Current
Area
(lakh ha)
Expected
area (ha)
under drip
fertigation
(2.5% )
Total
drip cost
(Rs.
Crores)
Total cost
for
fertigation
device
(Rs.
Crores)
Total
drip+fertig
ation
device
cost
(Rs.
Crores)
Govt
subsidy at
50%
(Rs.
Crores)
Sugarcane 2.83 7070 46.0 2.1 48.1 24.0
Coconut 2.70 6750 18.9 2.0 20.9 10.4
Vegetables 2.15 5385 32.3 1.6 33.9 17.0
Mango 0.90 2256 5.4 0.7 6.1 3.0
Cashew 0.84 2105 5.9 0.6 6.5 3.3
Others 1.86 4645 23.0 1.3 24.4 12.2
Total 11.28 28210 131.5 8.4 139.9 69.9
How to go ahead ?
1.Tamil Nadu Agrl. University
Role: Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation
2.Agril.Engg. and Horticulture Depts.
Role: Drip and fertigation system installation,
technical support and TOT
3.Industries
Role: Developing Linkages for TOT and quality
control.
TNAU Experiences
1. Irrigation Cafeteria
2. Adaptive Research Trials
3. Village Adoption