Border strip irrigation
In border strip irrigation, water is applied through controlled flooding
of the surface. The field to be irrigated is aligned into strips by parallel
dikes or border ridges, and each strip is irrigated separately. Slopes of each unit should be uniform, with a minimum slope
of 0.05% to facilitate suitable drainage and a maximum slope of 2% to limit the
soil erosion. This water-smart technology saves about 10-30% of water compared
to the conventional flooding. Yield is also
increased by 25-35% in the border strip method of irrigation over the conventional
flooding. Deep homogenous loam or clay soils with medium infiltration rates are
preferred for such irrigation. It is suitable to irrigate crops like wheat,
barley, fodder crops, and legumes, but not suitable for crops like paddy, where
ponding of water is necessary.