Kumulur agricultural college cultivates brinjal using sprinklers

The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University’s Agricultural Engineering College and Research Institute at Kumulur has taken up cultivation of brinjal under sprinkler-irrigated conditions to demonstrate conservation of water.

Image & Article courtesy : The Hindu

The college has raised brinjal in its demonstration plot on an extent of about 320 square metres with micro sprinkler system.

Excess water use for irrigation only causes leeching but not many horticultural farmers are aware of this fact, said K. Ramaswamy, Dean of the Institute. The demonstration plot had been developed with a view to exposing the farmers to the advantage of using micro-sprinkler, he said.

Apart from saving water, the growth of the plants and the quality of vegetables are also enhanced as compared to the traditional method of cultivation, said K. Arunadevi, Assistant Professor, Soil and Water Conservation Engineering Department of the Institute, who has been closely monitoring the growth of the plant. She said that the use of micro sprinkler would help achieve a yield 20 tonnes or more against the normal average of 18 tonnes per hectare under conventional irrigation.

Uniform distribution of water at low pressure was the special feature of the system. The rate of supply was 26 litres per hour. The flowering of the plants was not affected as water is sprayed at low pressure.

The timing of spraying could be adjusted depending on the wet condition of the plants.

Farmers would be exposed to the micro sprinkler technique in the course of time, after the plants registered appreciable growth.

source: The Hindu