Introduction
Drip irrigation, also known as "trickle" irrigation, is the latest method of water management. Under this
system, water is carried to the plant under low pressure, through small diameter plastic pipes and
delivered at the root zone, drop by drop through drippers. Drip irrigation is widely practiced and
established method of irrigation in developed countries and is slowly gaining popularity in India. It is
most suited for horticulture crops, vegetables etc. and finds applicability in hard rock areas where
groundwater is scarce and helps in optimization of the limited water resources. The system has its
advantages and limitations. Its advantages are in terms of savings of water (50-60%) of that required
for flow irrigation, effective use of fertilizers, less labour and energy cost. The limitation for adopting
of this method is its high initial cost which is beyond the purchasing capacity of small and marginal
farmers and thus mainly adopted by large farmers.
