Course

Theory

Unit I

Water and its role in plants; Irrigation: Definition and objectives, water resources and irrigation development in  India and Tamil Nadu, major irrigation projects, extent of area and crops irrigated in India and in different states. Indian river systems catchment and command areas and interlinking of rivers

Unit II

Hydrologic cycle, Field water cycle, water movement in soil and plants; transpiration; soil-plant – water relationships; water absorption by plants; plant response to water stress, crop plant adaptation to moisture stress condition. Water availability and its relationship with nutrient availability and loses.

Unit III

Soil, plant and meteorological factors determining water needs of crops, scheduling, depth and methods of irrigation; micro irrigation systems; deficit irrigation; fertigation; management of water in controlled environments and polyhouses. Irrigation efficiency and water use efficiency.

Unit IV

Water management of crops and cropping systems, Quality of irrigation water and management of saline water for irrigation; water management in problem soils; Crop water requirement- estimation of ET and effective rainfall; Automated irrigation system. IoT and AI based application in irrigation management.

Unit V

Excess of soil water and plant growth; drainage requirement of crops and methods of field drainage, their layout and spacing; rain water management and its utilization for crop production. Soil moisture conservation, water harvesting, Hydroponics, Water management of crops under climate change scenario.

Practical

Determination of Field capacity by field method; Determination of Permanent Wilting Point by sunflower pot culture technique; Determination of Field capacity and Permanent Wilting Point by Pressure Plate Apparatus; Determination of Hygroscopic Coefficient; Determination of maximum water holding capacity of soil; Measurement of matric potential using gauge and mercury type tensiometer; Determination of soil-moisture characteristics curves; Determination of saturated hydraulic conductivity by constant and falling head method; Determination of hydraulic conductivity of saturated soil below the water table by auger hole method; Measurement of soil water diffusivity; Estimation of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity; Estimation of upward flux of water using tensiometer and from depth ground water table; Determination of irrigation requirement of crops (calculations); Determination of effective rainfall (calculations); Determination of ET of crops by soil moisture depletion method; Determination of water requirements of crops; Measurement of irrigation water by volume and velocity-area method; Measurement of irrigation water by measuring devices and calculation of irrigation efficiency; Determination of infiltration rate by double ring infiltrometer.

To teach the principles of water management and practices to enhance the water productivity