RELIABILITY OF DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEMS UNDER DIFFERENT OPERATION CONDITIONS IN POLAND

Present crop production in Poland depends on climatic, hydrologic, ped ologic, social and economic conditions. Drip irrigation systems will p lay a significant role in the future by fulfilling the requirements of intensive, energy-saving agricultural production. The total area unde r microirrigation in Poland is estimated to be approximately 3000 ha. Drip irrigation is currently applied mainly in orchards, vegetable far ms and greenhouses. The investigations of drip irrigation have shown a high influence of the operating conditions on the reliability and pro ductivity effects of the irrigation system. This paper contains the re sults of the investigations on the reliability of drip irrigation syst ems under different operation conditions such as system components, cr ops, water quality, fertigation and irrigation technology. (C) 1998 El sevier Science B.V.