Predicting the spatial distribution of water applied by subsurface drip in clay soil

Abstract

In subsurface drip irrigation systems, knowledge of the three-dimensional advancement of water in the soil is essential for selecting emitter spacing and installation depth. This research aimed to develop and test different mathematical models to estimate water distribution in the soil under subsurface drip irrigation. The experiment was set up in a completely randomized design with four replicates. The experimental arrangement was of split-plot in time, with different dripper installation depths in the plots (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 cm) and in the subplots irrigation application times (0, 60, 120, 180, and 240 min). Three models (SLIDE 6.0, polynomial regression, and SPSS 2.0) were constructed to estimate the water distribution in the soil profile. All models showed statistical indexes within acceptable ranges. In comparison, the model generated in the numerical software SLIDE 6.0 was the one that presented the best performance, followed by SPSS 2.0 and polynomial regression. The generated models were efficient and simple, producing good results in predicting the water distribution in the soil profile under the studied conditions.

Impacts on Soil and Cowpea Plants Fertigated with Sanitary Sewage through Subsurface Drip Irrigation

“…This occurs because subsurface drip irrigation (SSDI) exhibits different soil water dynamics compared to surface drip irrigation (SDI). This dynamic impacts soil water content [15,28] and possibly negatively interferes with the absorption of nutrients applied via surface, such as liming and planting fertilization. Overall, it can be observed that the points corresponding to treatments with shallower depths are separated from points of greater depth.…”

“…An important aspect to consider in these irrigation systems is the depth of dripper installation, as improper installation can affect the transport and distribution of moisture in the soil [14,15]. In general, soil nutrients and the roots of major crops are distributed primarily in the 0-20 cm soil layer.…”