Laser leveling of the fields to increase the efficiency of on-farm use of irrigation water
Type: Technologies
Creation: 2018-04-13 11:40 Updated: 2020-02-04 21:50
Compilers: Rustam Ibragimov
Reviewers: Alexandra Gavilano, Elizaveta Soloveyva, Olga Andreeva
Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment
- Country: Uzbekistan
- Region/ State/ Province: Khazarasp region, Khorezm region
- Further specification of location (e.g. municipality, town, etc.), if relevant: Pitnok village
- Map: View Map
Description of the SLM Technology
Short description of the Technology
Preparation of fields for irrigation with the use of a laser planner ensures uniform surface leveling, which provides equal soil moisture throughout the field, provides water savings (20-25%), increased yield by 10%, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
Detailed description of the Technology
Land levelling using a long-base planner is a part of traditional farming practice in Uzbekistan. Nowadays, for many reasons (financial, technical), farmers do not always practice land levelling. There is weediness of crops, spotty salinization, uneven germination of plants where poor-quality levelling was carried out (or without levelling). Land leveling using a laser installation is a method of leveling of the field surface using an automated system for regulating the height of the scraper, when the final difference in the roughness on the surface reaches ± 3 cm or less. A flat field surface is one of the main factors ensuring the efficient use of water resources, obtaining a high yield and economic stability In irrigated agriculture. Due to the aggravation of problems with water supply and degradation of natural resources, the spread of laser levelling of agricultural lands is one of the modern innovative technological ways to increase the productivity of irrigated lands.
Costs of inputs needed for establishment:
Land levelling is carried out using a laser installation. Installation of laser equipment is possible on tractors with different traction class, which determines the efficiency of the laser planner.
Laser levelling requires additional preparation of the field: (i) clearing of stubble and large inclusions, (ii) rough alignment (levelling as usual), (iii) determining the directions of sowing and irrigation. The planning process includes a topographic survey with the use of a laser system, verification and device installation. Productivity is 1-3 ha / day. Land levelling is not recommended on wet soil to avoid soil compaction.
Natural / social environment: population growth increases the need in agricultural production. Since it is not possible to increase the sown area and the amount of available water resources, it is necessary to use them more efficiently. Since gaining independence, Uzbekistan has begun to implement promising reforms for sustainable development of agriculture. From this point of view, improving the efficiency of land and water resources is one of the urgent and important tasks of the agricultural sector. Almost half of irrigated land suffers from secondary salinization and near groundwater levels due to uneven distribution of water in the fields, which leads to soil degradation. An attempt to increase crop yields through more intensive soil cultivation, the use of fertilizers and pesticides was previously undertaken. However, long-term world practice shows that this inevitably leads to even greater depletion, degradation of soil structure, and a decrease in their ability to accumulate and retain moisture necessary for plant growth and development. Laser land levelling is one of the ways to improve the efficiency of irrigation water use with limited water resources, prevent the development of soil salinization processes, increase yields . The introduction of high-precision levelling will ensure a sustainable increase in land productivity and, consequently, improve the living standards of the rural population.
Photos of the Technology
- 📍 Khazarasp region, the village of Pitnok
- 📷 O. Egamberdiev
- 📍 Khazarasp region, the village of Pitnok
- 📷 O. Egamberdiev
- 📍 Khazarasp region, the village of Pitnok
- 📷 O. Egamberdiev