Subsurface drip irrigation systems (SDI) are most suitable for large-scale maize productions. Compared to surface systems, SDI delivers additional benefits such as lower labour requirements, and operational simplicity. SDI also favour modern tillage practices such as no-till or minimum tillage.

Surface systems are best for small to medium-scale farmers, and for use on extremely sandy soil plots. It is also a great option for plots that are deep-tilled or for plots that are rented where growers would prefer to avoid investments in non-mobile equipment. Bear in mind that while it requires a lower initial investment, it does carry a higher operational cost.

Definitely.

While having ample rainfall is a huge advantage, rain is rarely timely enough to allow the crop to reach full yield potential. This is even more evident with sandy soils that have a lower water holding capacity.

On top of that, drip is also a nutrient delivery system that allows you to nutrigate and control the nutrient levels in your soil in a precise and economic way. Applying all the fertilizer in a single application can be wasteful, especially in rainy conditions that provoke leaching. Splitting nutrient applications throughout the season guarantees that your crop gets what it needs when it needs it. This is what makes drip systems the perfect tool for increasing productivity on previously rainfed plots.

Drip irrigation fits all plot shapes and sizes, all soil types and all topographies. You can use pressure compensating dripper lines that maintain the same flowrate across different pressure levels, so every plant in the field gets exactly the same amount of water and nutrients despite elevation changes or large distances from the water source.