Advertising Trench and Platform method of irrigation

[rtkaushik]

This is a method being followed by Bhaskar Save near Umbergaon, for the last 50 years, where he irrigates an acre by pushing water into the trenches only. And the trenches are positioned at the tip of the canopy of the plant, thus forcing the roots to grow towards water. He refuses to water close to the plant stem. So, at Year 0, the trenches are 9 inches away and by 10 years they are 12 feet away from the plants. The trenches are about 18 inches deep and 18 inches wide, and full of mulch, thus reducing evaporation. And the field is always covered by plant cover. This method is very similar to the Fukuoka natural farming method and Bhaskarji seems to have had great success.

His coconut yield is about 400 nuts and sapota(chikoo) 300-350kgs per plant (I think this is for 35 plants per acre..so 10T per acre).

Irrigation, for a mature orchard plot, is at 1000 litres / day per acre on an average; which he says is half the amount used through drip!!

I know all this through reading on the internet. It also looks like this method has not caught on so much.

Any opinions from the experts on this ? Does anyone know more about this system by trying on their own ?

 

[rtkaushik]

On an average, 50 views of a post elicits one reply. I guess i chose the wrong forum for this post....or maybe this is a subject on which very few would have experimented and have opinions on

 

[kirti s]

Dear sir,

Basically water is abosbed by feder roots or active roots which are located at tip generally these roots below the canopy means, area parlal canopy is the boundry of active roots if u dont want waste water or where water is scares u can irrigate just to canopy on this prinicple only drip irrigation works whatever the water given extra will be waste even water requirement varies from plant to plant ex. Eculyptus needs 7ltr a day but mango needs just 2lts so we shuld study the water requirement and then irrigate by looking into water table/water availability say u cant put drip in ganga plains.

regards

Kirti s

 

[naidubk]

Good information

I think this is very good information.

We are doing mosambi cultivation and were irrigating the trees with a dirp near the tree canopy. We experienced of phytophthora attack in the orchard heavily over 5 years of time. I think this method could help of avoiding this kind of fungus issues where Tree bark will be away from moisture.(just based on the net info, no practical exp)

The moisture conditions are very favorable for Fungus like phytophthora.
We just recently started this kind of irrigation. and placed the drip pipes in the middle of the tree rows(We removed the drippers, and let water continuously flow) and hoping this will resolve the phytophthora attack.

Dealing with this kind of attacks is very costly in using fungicides. some time planting a new tree is cost effective rather than giving treatment to the infected tree. Finding this kind of methods and maintaining would be better option.
Commenting the person who really used this method of irrigation would really helpful for others.

Thanks for posting this info ....
naidubk at gmail

 

[rtkaushik]

Interesting info from Kirti & Naidu. Thanks.

Naidu: I have sent the PDF on this irrigation method to your gmail id. If you search for "Bhaskar Save", or go to Uebimiau Webmail - Login, you will get the same info.
please contact....

 

[shanmuga06]

trench & Platform method Irrigation

Dear all the members,

This type method of irrigation is a not new one.in tamilnadu Beetal leaves cultivations were done by this type method from ancient days.Because the beetal leaf plant requires semi shade and cool with moisture for better yields.the beetal leave farmer daily irrigate with wooden bucket from the trench to the platform area.mr naidu if you go for this type of irrigation to the mosanmbi definitely the root rot will occured for each plants.

A sivakumar

 

[padmanabhan_ganesan]

I wish to revive this thread as I want to know more on this.

1. What is the distance between each plant? Is it 20 ft or 24 ft or something else?
2. What is the distance between each rows? Is it 24 ft or something else?
3. What is the measurement for the trenches? Is it 3 ft by 1.5 ft or 1.5 ft by 1.5 ft?
4. What is the final distance of the trenches? Is it 16 ft or 24 ft or something else?
and many more questions to follow.

Can somebody throw light on this? or any good pointer which can clarify these points?

Regards
Padmanabhan Ganesan
Agriculture for Everybody

 

[prasna]

Good morning! I'm very much interested in Mr. Bhaskar sir's trench and platform technique of irrigation that you have talked about. Could you send me the PDF regarding this to my mail id please ? Thank you !