Drip irrigation using wider emitter spacing is sometimes (incorrectly) recommended to growers because adding emitters to achieve closer emitter spacing to an extruded hose incurs higher costs. However, for most crops, closer emitter spacing provide greater crop benefits and yields.
Closer spacing reduces the distance water needs to travel laterally between any two emitters, ensuring a continuous wet strip along the row. That shorter distance reduces the impact a plugged emitter has on the amount of water and fertilizer available to any given plant. One study conducted by the Soil and Water Resources Research Institute for example, found that “…as a general rule; total fruit yield [in processing tomatoes],… increased with decreasing space between emitters and increasing irrigation water amounts.”
Why Closer Emitter Spacing is Advantageous
Closer emitter spacing can also improve seed germination and transplant establishment. When used with a lower flow rate per emitter to match the soil infiltration rate (as low as 0.25lph / 0.07gph per emitter in T-Tape for example), closer spacing reduces run-off and water use. It improves weed control and lowers the risk of disease and the potential for the development of E-Coli which can be cultured in standing water. Furthermore, closer emitter spacing also improves salinity management by allowing more effective leaching due to the improved wetting pattern.
Rivulis T-Tape Offers Closer Emitter Spacing at No Additional Cost
Unlike drip line which uses molded drippers as the emitter device, Rivulis T-Tape’s continuous labyrinth is ideally suited to provide you with closer spacing at no additional cost. Since the emitters are manufactured into the tape itself there is no cost difference between 10 cm (4”) spacing and 75 cm (30”) spacing. What does this mean for you? You can reap the benefits of closer spacings without the added cost.
If you want a simple and cost effective way to increase crop yields, select Rivulis T-Tape drip tape with closer emitter spacing.
