| In 1997, an onion crop was irrigated using drip, surge, and furrow irrigation. Part of the drip-irrigated block was used to compare several drip tapes. The rest of that block was used to compare nitrogen application rates.;No significant differences were observed between drip tapes or nitrogen rates. There were higher yields seen at the top and middle compared to the bottom of the field. Yields under furrow were lower at the top, increased in the middle, and were similar with the drip and surge at the bottom of the field.;A crop of onions with an acceptable yield was grown with less water and nitrogen with drip irrigation than with a conventionally furrow-irrigated field. Surge irrigation lessened nitrogen leaching and deep percolation.;Plugging in the drip system was a concern. For the most part it was avoided with frequent flushing of the filter and drip tape. |
