Citation:
Knox, J.W., Weatherhead, E.W. and Rodriguez-Diaz, J.A. A comparative assessment
of trickle and spray irrigation. Science Report – SC040008/S
Abstract:
Recent research (Assessing optimum irrigation water use: additional agricultural
and nonagricultural sectors SC040008/SR1) complements existing guidelines (W6-
056) for the Environment Agency to assess and set the ‘optimum’ or ‘reasonable’
irrigation needs for an abstraction licence, across a wide range of
agricultural, horticultural, amenity and sports turf sectors. For those
abstractors with time-limited licences, demonstrating efficient use of water is
one of three tests required by the Environment Agency for successful licence
renewal. However, the definition of efficiency under UK conditions of
supplemental irrigation has been the subject of widespread debate between
academics, the regulator, industry and individual abstractors. To improve our
understanding of efficiency, and particularly the differences between overhead
(spray) and micro (trickle) irrigation, this report offers a comparative study
of the efficiency of water use with these contrasting irrigation
