Lec 9.

Role of water in plant and crop production – Importance of irrigation

The process of supplying water to crops by artificial means such as canals, wells, tube-
wells, tanks, etc. from the sources of water such as rivers, tanks, ponds or underground
water is called irrigation.

Role of water in plant and crop production – Importance of irrigation

• IMPORTANCE OF WATER – THE LIQUID GOLD: Plants and any from of living organisms
cannot live without water, since water is the most important constituent about 80 to 90%
of most plant cell.

Role of water in crop and crop production can be grouped as

A) Physiological importance

B) Ecological Importance

Physiological importance of water

 in influencing all physiological process in plants

 It plays an important role in respiration and transpiration

 It activates germination and other metabolism for vegetative and

reproductive growth

Physiological importance

• The plant system itself contains about 90% of water

• Amount of water varies in different parts of plant as follows

• Apical portion of root and shoot >90%

• Stem, leaves and fruits - 70 - 90%

• Woods - 50 - 60%

• Matured parts - 15 - 20%

• Freshly harvested grains - 15 - 20%

• It acts as base material for all metabolic activities. All metabolic or biochemical reactions in
plant system need water.

• It plays an important role in respiration and transpiration

• It plays an important role in photosynthesis

• It activates germination and plays in important role in plant metabolism for vegetative and
reproductive growth

• It serves as a solvent in soil for plant nutrients

• It also acts as a carrier of plant nutrients from soil to plant system

 • It maintains plant temperature through transpiration

• It helps to keep the plant erect by maintaining plant’s turgidity

• It helps to transport metabolites from source to sink

Ecological importance of water

 In region of abundant rainfall, lush vegetation exists (Greenery)

 Due to uneven distribution of rainfall, irrigated

agriculture is being taken up at high cost

 The other uses of water includes domestic, industrial,

power generation and recreation (Boating, Skiing, water games etc.)

 Environmental balance between all these factors is

important

Ecological Importance

• The multifarious uses of good quality water for the purpose of irrigation, industrial purposes,
power generation, livestock use, domestic use for urban and rural development, are
increasing the demand for water.

• Due to increasing cost of irrigation projects and limited supply of good quality water, it
becomes high valuable commodity and hence it is stated as Liquid Gold.

• Further, historical evidences indicate that all civilization established on water base due to
proper management and disappear due to improper management of the same water base.

• All the superior varieties, organic manure, inorganic fertilizer, efficient labour saving
implements, better pest and disease management techniques can be implemented only
when sufficient water is applied to the crop

The diversified value of water can be quoted as follows

• Water as a source of sustenance

• Water as an instrument of agriculture

• Water as a community good

• Water as mean of transportation

• Water as an industrial commodity

• Water as a clean and pure resource

• Water as a beauty

• Water as a destructive force to be controlled

• Water as a fuel for urban development

Water as place for recreation and wild life habitat

Hydrological Cycle

• Solid – liquid- gaseous form

• State of water as solid – ice, its temperature – presence as ice, icebergs and Ice Mountains,
ice glaciers and their role on water availability

• As water – ocean – extent of ocean – their role on water availability

• Gaseous form – clouds and their formation – precipitation – forms of precipitation etc.

Need for scientific Irrigation management

 To the development of the nation through proper management

of water resources for crop production and other activities

 To store and regulate the water resources for further use

 For balanced and equity in distribution

 To convey the water without much loss (Efficiency in use)

 To apply required quantity to field crops (Optimal use)

 To protect the environment from over use or misuse

(Environmentally safe use)

 To have economically viable water management

Need for Irrigation in India

• Water is an important input for successful agriculture.

• The geographical conditions, especially the nature of monsoon rainfall, in India make
irrigation indispensable for sustainable agricultural development.

• Unfortunately, rainfall in India is uncertain, unreliable, irregular, variable, seasonal and

unevenly distributed.

• The main rain bringing south-west monsoon often fails to keep its date. Indian rainfall is
characterized by monsoon gaps.

• On the one end of the scale, there are areas in Meghalaya which receive more than 1000
cm of annual rainfall while on the other end there are parts of the Thar Desert which
receive less than 10 cm of rain in a year.

• Only 30.2 per cent of the cultivated area in India receives sufficient rainfall where the
annual rainfall exceeds 100 cm.

• About 35.7 per cent of the cultivated area receives 75 to 100 cm of annual rainfall and 34.1
per cent of the cultivated area receives less than 75 cm of annual rainfall.

• Therefore, it is clear that about two thirds of the total cropped area needs irrigation
facilities.
 • Even in areas of high rainfall, irrigation is necessary to further increase the farm
productivity.

• Consequently it may not rain for two or more weeks during the rainy season and the crops
may be badly damaged in the absence of irrigation facilities.

• The chief characteristic of the Indian monsoon is that it is seasonal.

• About 75 per cent of the rainfall in India is caused by the south-west monsoons which are
active only for 3-4 months in a year.

• The remaining 8-9 months are marked by dry season when irrigation is badly needed for
successful growing of the crops.

• The duration of dry season varies from 5 months in Kerala to over 9 months in the north-
west India.

• Moreover, rainfall in most parts of India is torrential. As the popular saying goes, it pours,
it never rains in India.

• This leaves little opportunity for soil to absorb water and the surface water goes waste.

• This loss of water by wasteful flow has to be compensated by irrigation.

• Apart from the vagaries of monsoon rain as described above, there are certain crops such
as rice, sugarcane, jute, cotton, chillies, etc. which require more water and have to be
provided with irrigation even in areas of heavy rainfall.

• It is estimated that production of irrigated crops is 50 to 100 per cent higher than that of
the unirrigated crops under similar geographical conditions.

• With the introduction of high yielding varieties (HYV) of seeds and heavy doses of chemical
fertilizers since the second half of 1960s, irrigation has become a very important
ingredient of Indian agriculture.

• The ever increasing population leads to more intensive agriculture which needs more
irrigation facilities, along with other inputs.

Importance of Irrigation in India

Higher productivity on irrigated land:

• Productivity on irrigated land is considerably more than the productivity on un-irrigated

land.

Multiple cropping possible

• Since India has a tropical and sub-tropical climate, it has potentialities to grow crops on a
year round basis.

• However, since 80% of the annual rainfall is received in less than four months, multiple
cropping is generally not possible.
 • Provision of irrigation facilities can make possible the growing of two or three crops in a year
in most areas of the country.

• This will considerably enhance agriculture production and productivity.

Role in new agricultural strategy

• The successful implementation of the High Yielding Programme enhances agricultural

production in a great intent.

Bringing more land under cultivation

• Total reporting area for land utilization statistics was 306.05 million hectares in 1999-2000 of
this 19.44 million hectares was current fallow land.

• Current fallowed include lands which are lying fallow for less than one year other than
current fallows includes land lying un-ploughed for one to five years.

• Cultivable waste land comprises another 13.83 million hectares.

• Cultivation on all such lands is impossible in some cases while in others it requires
substantial capital investment to make land fit for cultivation.

• Provision of irrigation facilities can make some portion of this land cultivable.

Reduces instability in output levels:

• Irrigation help in stabilizing the output and yield levels.

• It also plays a protective role during drought years.

• Since, both income and employment are positively and closely related to output, prevention
of fall in output during drought is an important instrument for achieving stability of income
and employment in the countryside.

• Irrigation has enabled many states to acquire ‘partial immunity’ from drought.

Indirect benefits of irrigation:

• Irrigation confers indirect benefits through increased agricultural production.

• Employment potential of irrigated lands, increase production, helps in developing allied

activities means of water transport etc. are improve income of government from agriculture.

• Availability of regular water supply will increase the income of farmers imparting a sense of
security and stability in agriculture.

India’s water budget (400 M ha m)

• Total geographical area = 328 M ha

• Average annual rainfall = 1190 mm

• In million hectare metre = 1.190 x 328 = 392 M ha m

• Contribution from snowfall = 8 M ha m

• Total = 400 M ha m

• Evaporation and Transpiration loss =70 M ha m

• Infiltration into soil profile =215 M ha m (165 SM + 50 GW)

Surface run off

• a) Total surface run off =180 M ha m

• b) Rain fall contribution =115 M ha m

• c) Contribution from outside the

• country through streams and rivers=20 M ha m

• d) Contribution from regeneration from

• ground water in Stream and rivers=45 M ha m

• Total =180 M ha m

Land utilisation pattern of Tamil Nadu

Total geographical area = 13.00 M ha

Gross area under cultivation= 7.30M ha
Net area sown = 6.30 M ha
Gross area irrigated = 3.50 M ha
Net area irrigated = 2.70 M ha
% of area irrigated = 42.9

Source wise Irrigation in Tamil Nadu M ha m

Canals : 0.813
Tanks : 0.602 (39000 tanks)
Wells : 1.256 (18 lakhs wells)
Others : 0.016