Research on irrigated soils used for cotton production at the Agricultural Research Centre, Narrabri, over the past six years has identified several areas of concern.

This project continued the major study of waterlogging on heavy clay soils after furrow irrigation or heavy rainfall.

OBJECTIVES * To make a direct and impartial yield comparison between two types of drip irrigation and standard furrow irrigation.

Each furrow irrigation waterlogs most of the root zone of cotton in cracking clay soils. This deprives the roots of oxygen, they take up less water and nutrients. and this reduces growth and yield.

Drip irrigation has been of interest in regions where water is scarce or expensive (e.g. Israel and Arizona).