Underground Irrigation Operational Group: Optimization of localized irrigation for woody crops on land with erosion and infiltration problems using underground drip irrigation.
- Type Operational group
- Status In progress
- Execution 2024 -2027
- Assigned Budget 120.000,00 €
- Scope Autonómico
- Autonomous community Aragón
- Project website GO RIEGO SUBTERRÁNEOS
This project seeks to optimize water use in walnut and fruit orchards with erosion problems. We hope to demonstrate that subsurface drip irrigation can reduce the amount of water needed, reduce soil erosion and runoff, resulting in lower costs and more efficient use of resources. Although we are still in the early stages, we are already working to implement this technology on real plots.
In the future (2025-2027), we hope to obtain results on how this irrigation system affects the production and quality of their walnuts and plantains. The main idea is to offer them a more efficient alternative to traditional irrigation, especially in areas with water scarcity and difficult soils.
At the end of the project, we hope to offer practical recommendations on how to implement subsurface irrigation on your farms, with information on costs, the expected productivity gains, and how to maintain the health of your soil over the long term.
The project is in its initial phase, and efforts have focused on analyzing the initial state of the test plots in walnut (Belver del Cinca) and platerina (Zaidín).
Crop water requirements have been identified, and water infiltration and soil erosion problems have been studied. The subsurface irrigation system has been designed, and implementation work has begun on the selected plots. Moisture sensors and dendrometers have also been designed and installed for continuous monitoring of soil and tree water status.
Despite these initial advances, objectives related to evaluating fruit production and quality, as well as reducing runoff, have not been achieved, as these are scheduled for the subsequent stages of the project (2025-2027). Therefore, the project remains on track, although its final objectives have not yet been met.
It is expected that in later phases, the impact of subsurface irrigation on fruit production and quality, as well as its effectiveness in reducing runoff and improving water use efficiency, will be evaluated. The results could be replicated in other agricultural regions with similar characteristics, promoting more sustainable agriculture.
The project seeks to optimize localized irrigation for woody crops with erosion and infiltration problems through subsurface drip irrigation. It addresses the inefficient use of water, erosion, and runoff that affect irrigators and producers of walnut and fruit trees.
The solution is to implement and evaluate subsurface irrigation systems, monitor soil moisture, and precisely adjust irrigation, seeking to improve water efficiency, reduce costs, increase production, and preserve soil quality.
- Coordinator/entity name: Aragon Foundation for Innovation and Agri-Food Transfer (FITA)
- Postal address: Avda. Montañana, 930, 50059, Zaragoza
- Coordinator/entity email: info@fita-aragon.es
- Telephone: 976716189
- Fundación de Innovación y Transferencia Agroalimentaria de Aragón (FITA)
- NECTA-CINCA SL (lucia.plaza@cincagroup.com)
- SAT 4301 RIO CINCA (lucia.plaza@cincagroup.com)
- HOLANUT SL(holanut@holanut.com)
- Fundación de Innovación y Transferencia Agroalimentaria de Aragón (FITA)
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