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UA
studies underground irrigation
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A University of Arizona study of
underground drip irrigation could help farmers
save water and increase crop yields, researchers
say.
According to the state Department of
Water Resources, agriculture accounts for about
70 percent of Arizona's water use. Researchers
say that switching to a subsurface drip
irrigation system could cut farmers' water use
by 25 to 50 percent.
The study, called AZdrip, looks at a
subsurface drip irrigation system installed on a
4-acre plot about 20 miles northwest of Casa
Grande.
The goal is to show that subsurface
irrigation can be a viable alternative to flood
irrigation, which is used on about 95 percent of
Arizona crops, said Thomas L. Thompson, a UA
professor in the Department of Soil, Water and
Environmental Science.
So far, researchers have grown
watermelons and broccoli.
Other potential crop benefits of drip
irrigation include safer application of
pesticides, which can be dangerous if applied
above ground, and increased crop yields from
more efficient watering, Thompson said.
Farmers have a hard time justifying drip
irrigation because water is relatively cheap and
drip systems can cost from $500 to $2,000 per
acre to install, Thompson said.
The study has been funded for three more
years.
Copyright 2005
Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
material may not be published, broadcast,
rewritten, or redistributed.
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