Do crops grown under drip irrigation systems actually require less water than crops irrigated with more conventional flood or sprinkler irrigation practices?
The answer to the question literally interpreted (as written) is NO. The amount of water a crop requires is not determined or controlled by the type of irrigation system but rather by the crop type, variety, growing conditions, and climate. That being the case, whether the crop is irrigated with a surface or buried drip system, a sprinkler or pivot, or a flood system has no bearing on how much water a crop requires. However, the type of irrigation system and how it is managed does determine the efficiency of water use, which is the percentage of applied water that is used by the plant. Consequently, drip irrigation systems actually require less water than sprinkler systems, which typically require less water than conventional flood methods of irrigation. Considering that a buried drip irrigation system might be 95% efficient, a center-pivot sprinkler system might be 85% efficient, and a well-managed flood system might be 50% efficient, the difference in gross seasonal water required ca
