A CASE STUDY OF SPRINKLER IRRIGATION APPLICATION FOR TEA PLANTATION IN ASSAM

Abstract

Irrigation is a process of supplying artificial water to the crops for their natural growth. If the natural rainfall is not sufficient to meet the demand of crop water requirement, irrigation becomes most essential to the crops. In Assam, during the month of November to March, due to insufficient rainfall, a section of tea crops suffers from moisture stress problem. Therefore, irrigation is most essential during that dry period. The general topography of most of the tea gardens of Assam is uneven. Therefore, sprinkler irrigation systems are being used in those tea gardens. But the design and operation of the sprinkler irrigation systems presently used in tea gardens is based on general thumb rules without duly reflecting the soil characteristics, topographical and climatological conditions which vary from place to place in a random manner. Therefore, optimal results are not achieved in many tea gardens. Also the sprinkler operation is not made on a real-time basis...