1.6: Summary

Irrigation is extremely important in the production of food, other agricultural products, ornamentals, and turf. One-third of the world’s food is produced on the 21% of the world’s cultivated area that is irrigated. In the U.S., about 50% of the total value of all crop sales comes from the 28% of the cropland that is irrigated. Thus, the understanding of irrigation and its management are critical to all of us.

Here, the basic concepts to understand are that water is applied, distributed in the soil, and stored for plant use. Various irrigation systems and their operation and management are then presented in the context of each system’s advantages and disadvantages. Procedures for determining
when and how much irrigation water to apply are discussed in detail throughout this text to assist the reader in being as efficient as possible when utilizing this precious resource, water.

---