N-Drip micro-irrigation expansion on the cards for Peter Birch

Mr Birch converted a dryland block to a N-Drip gravity powered micro-irrigation system to optimise water management and produce higher yields.

Prior to the N-drip, stored dam water with an application rate of 3.3 megalitres per hectare was used as a supplementary irrigation solution.

Of the 140ha of Extendflex 1049 cotton planted on November 10, 92ha was irrigated using the new system.

"It'll be by far the best way to irrigate a block like this one," Mr Birch said.

"We have a limited water source, so we couldn't keep using the old flood irrigation system as it was totally inefficient.

"We wanted something that we could automate and control from a table that also used a small amount of water efficiently."

Best suited to small water sources and hard to irrigate fields, the N-Drip system saves up to 70 per cent of water use.

Despite late installation of the N-Drip due to weather conditions, Mr Birch said he was pleased with the performance of the crop.

"We had 60 millimetres of rain on Christmas Eve so the N-Drip system wasn't installed until January meaning we didn't have the most ideal start," he said.

"We had forgone some of the top end yield by the time the system got going but we were relatively happy with the 7-8 bales per hectare picked.

"The dryland next door to us pulled off 2.8 ba/ha."

Following a successful cotton season, 92ha of Planet barley was planted in the first week of June.

"We slashed the paddock high enough so it didn't hit the drip line," Mr Birch said.

"We also used the same planter we use for all the other crops but took it out of the ground near the end of the drip line to let the seeds dribble.

"The crop isn't in rows near the drip line but this was to ensure the system wasn't damaged.

"The barley has been irrigated once but it didn't go across into the second row, however on the back of 12mm of recent rain we irrigated for 48 hours with the aim of wetting it all the way."

Next season Mr Birch plans to expand his N-Drip irrigation system by 100ha where he will rotate cotton and cereals.

"While there is obviously teething problems with new technology we're happy with the system," he said.

"If we get right we're hoping to pick 9-10 ba/ha."