In the agricultural world, there are different types of irrigation that adapt to environmental conditions and plant needs to optimize water use and plant development. In this case we will talk about what misting irrigation. It is a widely used irrigation in greenhouses.
In this article we are going to tell you everything you need to know about mist irrigation, what are its characteristics and why it is important.
Contents
What is mist irrigation
Misting irrigation is a system typically implemented in greenhouses to achieve desired water and humidity levels for crops. Its mode of operation allows water to be evenly distributed throughout the space through misting. This technology offers many advantages for the space in which it is installed, with a positive impact on humidity control.
Mist irrigation consists of a system implanted in the aerial part of the greenhouse through a series of emitters. These pitchers are responsible for injecting the necessary amount of water, not directly into the culture in liquid form, but in the form of a mist. This means that the plants that receive this moisture do so throughout their entire structure, from the leaves to the base of the plant.
The operation of the nebulization system is as follows:
- the nebulizer (emitter) delivers high pressure water, but it exits through a very small hole, which creates more force.
- Instead of being distributed to crops, this water collides with concave walls responsible for breaking the fixed direction of watersending it all over the place.
- Foggy water flows along the area and ends up on the crops.
Usually what happens is that the water breaks down into smaller droplets that are easier to handle. Thanks to this system, an equitable distribution of water throughout the expansion is ensured, allowing the crops to receive the same amount of water. For the development of cuttings, for example, this is a very beneficial system as it makes it easier for everyone to maintain similar growing conditions.
The main uses of mist irrigation are:
- Water crops evenly
- Increase the relative humidity in the greenhouse.
- If combined with a forced ventilation system, the greenhouse can be cooled.
- Apply automated treatments such as foliar fertilizers, plant protection products or any water-soluble fertilizer.
What are the benefits of mist irrigation?
Before implementing an irrigation system, we must assess the benefits it can bring to our planting work. In the case of irrigation by nebulization, the following advantages can be highlighted:
- Due to the working conditions used, fertilizers can be applied with waterwhich makes this task easier.
- It helps to maintain a balance of humidity problems throughout the space, helping certain types of species to grow properly.
- It is easier to lower the temperature inside the greenhouse, which makes the environment cooler and more pleasant.
- Since it settles in the air, no cultural intervention is necessary.
- Due to the way the water is supplied, there is little chance of the water becoming stagnant.
- It improves the quality of the air circulating in the greenhouse by eliminating dust particles.
- It prevents the appearance of certain types of insects, especially those that fly.
- Controls crop odors and any other odor circulating in space.
- You can automate your work and avoid focusing on this task every day.
What are the disadvantages of this irrigation system?
Likewise, it is necessary to study the factors that can cause inconvenience, among which we have:
- It is a system that requires a lot of investment, so it is not practical for large-scale greenhouses.
- In addition, maintenance requires more money and labor than other systems, although it does not need to be applied as frequently.
- Due to the small diameter of the injector, the injector can be easily clogged.
- It can only work properly under certain pressure. This in turn means higher energy consumption, as the pumps used to run it are usually electric or combustion.
- Great care must be taken with humidity control because at some point can create ideal conditions for certain types of pests, fungi or bacteria.
Materials for installing a misting irrigation system
A mist irrigation system must be well structured to work indoors and be beneficial to the crop. Its components are:
- Pipes: They will be responsible for distributing all the water in the greenhouse space, allowing its transport from the pumping system to the nebulizers.
- Nebulizers: these are the transmitters responsible for injecting water into the crops. They can be of different sizes, depending on the expected demand. These are in the final stages of the system.
- Filters: They are responsible for the particles that the water may contain are thrown out before reaching the atomizer, thus ensuring that the exit holes are not clogged.
- Pumping: This area is responsible for providing the pressure necessary for the water to pass through the entire pipe and reach the atomizer.
The misting irrigation system is one of the most professional irrigation systems in agriculture. In fact, it is recommended not to install it without the advice of an agricultural engineer on the correct installation method. A misting irrigation system must have a system that can fertilize. Of course, the product used in this method must be water soluble to facilitate its drip flow.
The idea is that a preliminary study of the greenhouse conditions can be carried out in order to later adapt the automation system to the needs. Once everything is active, The advantages of choosing this system over other alternatives on the market will be very obvious.
I hope with this information you can learn more about mist irrigation and its features.