Everything About Essential Row Crop Irrigation Products

Drip irrigation offers a constant water flow, maximizing water usage efficiency and bountiful growth. Even new gardeners can easily kick off this irrigation style if they are familiar with irrigation products and what works best for a durable setup.

However, choosing the right products can be a bit tricky once you step into the market or sift through the information online. So, we have created this guide, discussing the latest and essential row crop irrigation products for your convenience. Keep reading to find out more!

The Significance of Row Crop Irrigation

Row crops such as wheat, barley, soybeans, cereal grains, and cotton are the most popular food resources in the United States. Many commercial farmers plant these crops in wide, straight rows, leading to less seed expense and more flexibility for a year-round harvest. However, a careful irrigation routine is necessary to raise or nurture any variety of row crops.

It creates a perfect equilibrium between air and moisture while protecting them from plant diseases. In one case study, irrigating these crop rows through the drip system increased the yield by 30% and conserved water resources by 19%.

These staggering figures prove the ultimate significance of row crop irrigation.

Products Required for Row Crop Drip Irrigation

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), drip irrigation is the most suitable for straight-row harvests and saves a lot of water lost due to furrow irrigation. However, the system needs some essential parts and products to work.

Here, we have pieced together the basics of every row crop irrigation product so you can understand it more thoroughly and clearly before installation.

Mainline Tubing

It is the primary source of water for row crops. The mainline tubing will supply and move water to different areas of your system. The mainline is often PVC pipe, High-Density poly, or low-density poly. It ranges from 1/2 inch to 6 inches or larger, depending on your system's needs.

If using polyethylene, you can keep it in the sun before installation, so it gets softer and easier to work with.

Drip Lines

A Drip line with built-in emitters at a designated spacing is ideal for row crop irrigation. There are several options available.

Automated Timer

It provides an effective way to automate watering schedule start and duration times for your irrigation system. Every such product, from battery-operated options to solar and electronic timers, is guaranteed to save you time, money, and water.

Punch Tool

Punch tools come in handy when installing emitters in drip tubing. Water flows out of these emitters in the form of droplets and dampens plants slowly but consistently. A punch will create a puncture or hole to insert your emitters. You can easily choose the right fit for your tubes, as many product measurements are available for this tool.

Filter

Filters connect to the central hose and screen the water supply of dirt and debris, ensuring the clean water supply reaches the crops. Heavy-duty filters are convenient for managing constant pressure, while Y filters protect drip lines, sprayers, and emitters from clogging.

Goof Plugs

Goof plugs repair small holes in the mainline tubing. However, a repair coupling is necessary if the hole is too massive to be managed with a goof plug alone.

Couplings

The coupler fitting quickly joins two sections of damaged tubing. The coupler is used to repair damaged sections in tubing or driplines. You will need to purchase the coupler type and size that fits your drip irrigation system.

Backflow Preventer

Crop irrigation utilizes ample chemicals and fertilizer products, so the system remains undone without backflow preventers. They make sure that the water only moves across a single direction and never contaminates the water in mainlines by traveling backward.

Pressure Regulator

Too much pressure can damage the fittings and emitters in the drip system. Pressure regulators maintain this incoming pressure and set it to a tolerable rate to avoid damage. You can also choose from medium, low, and high flow regulators.

End Caps

End caps are fittings that secure the ends of drip lines and mainlines. They can be used wherever water needs to stop flowing.

Best Products for Row Crop Drip Irrigation

The irrigation market is packed with all types of drip products, whether pressure regulators, end clamps, plugs, or tape fittings. With this amount of saturation, selecting high-quality, premium options to meet your irrigation needs is quite challenging. So, how about considering the products shortlisted by irrigation experts and saving yourself from this grind?

Dash ahead as we discuss their features, specifications, and potential benefits!

Drip Tape

Drip tape has been the product of choice for commercial farmers and backyard gardeners for years. It is economical and effective for watering long, straight-row crops. You can use drip tape above ground, mulched, or buried.

Drip Tape is available in various material thicknesses ranging from 6 to 15 mils, allowing you to select the product that best matches your project and budget. Choose from tapes with low-, medium- or high flow rates. Drip Tape will allow you to water a large area with minimal water waste.

Features

• Emitter spacing ranging from 4 to 12 inches for flexibility in design
• Proportionality Balanced Cross-Section (PBX) to manage flow rate turbulence
• Precision emitters to reduce clogging and enable uniform water distribution
• High-grade virgin resins for elevated durability
• A broad range of tubing diameters, flow rates, and wall thicknesses

1/2" Emitter Tubing

1/2" Emitter Tubing is also an excellent product for row crop irrigation. However, the fitting and tubing cost is much higher than a Drip Tape setup.

The 1/2" Emitter Tubing has built-in pressure-compensating emitters, which are ideal for long rows. Because it is pressure-compensating, changes in pressure do not affect its performance. This product is great for hilly terrain and uneven ground.

Features

• Pressure compensating emitters available in 9 to 36 inches.
• Two emitter flow rates available (0.5 or 1 GPH).
• Use with ½" Easy Loc, Barb or compression fittings

Drip Tape Row Crop Kit

Drip tape row crop kits are perfect for watering straight-line row crops, raised beds, and various creative garden projects. They come with a filter, regulator, fittings, mainline, and clamps. It's a favorable choice for most farmers and gardening experts to ensure convenient set-up and precise water delivery.

With DripWorks, you can select from small, medium, and large kits, each providing a comprehensive set of tools for irrigation. Click here to discover what each size kit has to offer!

The Bottom Line

A reliable irrigation system is crucial to maintain adequate moisture and provide the right amount of water based on the soil climate. By selecting the first-rate products, you can put this system in place with minimal effort. Just make sure to choose trustworthy irrigation suppliers so you can prevent technical errors and make the most of your investment.

DripWorks offers multiple irrigation solutions to help foster a positive outcome. From adjustable tapes to high-quality pressure regulators and filters, our inventory has every state-of-the-art tool for successful row crop irrigation. You can browse our inventory or contact us at 1-800-522-3747 for assistance!