drip irrigation

American  

noun

1. a system of crop irrigation involving the controlled delivery of water directly to individual plants through a network of tubes or pipes.

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Etymology

Origin of drip irrigation

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

Drip irrigation trickles water a drop at a time, directing it to the root of the plant, thereby reducing evaporation.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 9, 2023

Drip irrigation systems are exempt from the one-day-a-week watering rules because they use so little water, says Guerrero.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2022

Drip irrigation for vegetable crops, in which small amounts of water are emitted right at a plant's roots, is estimated to be as much as 95 percent efficient.

From Scientific American • Jun. 9, 2015

Drip irrigation is more expensive than the conventional alternatives, but with water in California getting scarcer and pricier, farmers may have little choice but to switch.

From Time • Feb. 1, 2014

Drip irrigation, which uses less water and has less wastage from evaporation, would save water, but the systems cost twice as much and require more maintenance.

From Nature • Sep. 25, 2013