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County Impact Statements - Mississippi County
Local Farmers Evaluate Use of Polypipe to Irrigate Rice
Water Conservation and Improved Profitability Main Goals
Some crop growing regions in Arkansas are becoming more and more limited on
ground water available to irrigate crops. In addition, farmers are looking for
ways to reduce expenses to remain profitable. Multiple inlet rice irrigation
(MIRI) may be one way for producers to trim both water use and pumping expenses.
MIRI demos were established to evaluate the potential water, energy, and
labor savings by using polypipe to irrigate rice compared to using traditional
flood irrigation. Similarly managed, side by side fields were compared. One
field was watered with MIRI and the other, traditional flood irrigation. Water
and energy usage were measured on each field.
Two farms (Crosskno and Wesson) cooperated in conducting MIRI demos.
The demos were both on a major highway for viewing by the public and other
local farmers. The Wesson site was also one of the stops during the annual
county Extension crop demo tour. MIRI demo results were summarized in a crop
demo booklet available at the Extension office.
On the Crosskno demo this year, only 2/3 as much water and electricity was
used for the MIRI field compared to the one flood irrigated. Water use was about
the same for both irrigation methods in the Wesson demo. This shows that some
fields will benefit more from MIRI than others.
Five years ago all rice in the county was irrigated by flooding fields one
paddy at a time. Due to extensive educational efforts such as these two demos,
now about half our acreage is watered using polypipe to water each paddy
simultaneously (MIRI).
Kenneth Crosskno (center left) and Earl Vories roll out polypipe used to
flood Kenneth's rice field. |
Impacts
Local rice farmers have adopted the use of MIRI on over half their acreage
and site reduced water usage with this irrigation method.
Many talk of reductions in diesel/electric use by up to 25% when using MIRI
over flood irrigation.
A key advantage of MIRI for many producers is the reduction in labor and time
required to water their crop.
Many rice farmers say they have double/tripled the miles of polypipe they use
each year to water their crops.
Over 100 miles of polypipe is used for MIRI in Mississippi county.
Producers note that MIRI offers a yield advantage due to eliminating stunted
rice that is normally seen in the top cold water paddy.
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