STUDY ON FEASIBILITY OF DRIP IRRIGATION IN SHALLOW GROUND-WATER ZONESOF EASTERN INDIA

Although the effectiveness and economics of drip irrigation systems ar e well established in areas having undulating topography and water sca rcity, its economics in plain areas bestowed with good quality ground water at shallow depths are not yet studied. Due to this, there is con fusion among farmers as well as planners regarding the guidelines for selection and propagation of this system in such areas. This study att empts to evolve guidelines for deciding the economic threshold value o f fixed cost of drip irrigation system for sugarcane crop. Nomographs have been developed to find the threshold value of economic fixed cost of drip irrigation system (exclusive of pumping unit) for a combinati on of variables, depth of water table, yield level under check basin i rrigation, expected yield gain with adoption of drip system, irrigatio n requirement with check basin, and electricity charges. The perusal o f nomographs shows that the factors influencing the economics of drip irrigation in order of importance are yield gain ratio, electricity ch arges, irrigation requirement and depth of ground water. (C) 1998 Else vier Science B.V.