From "Flood irrigation" to "Intelligent drip irrigation control" : The intelligent water and fertilizer integration system reshapes the modern agricultural irrigation model

Throughout the long history of agricultural development, "flooding irrigation" was once the mainstream method for farmland irrigation. This rough irrigation mode, although it can meet the basic water needs of crops, has many drawbacks: there is serious waste of water resources, and a large amount of water evaporates and seeps. The soil structure has been damaged, and problems such as compaction and salinization occur frequently. Fertilizers are lost with water flow and have a low utilization rate. With the intensification of water shortage and the increasing demand for agricultural modernization, the traditional irrigation model has become difficult to adapt to the development of The Times. The rise of intelligent water and fertilizer integration systems is bringing revolutionary changes to agricultural irrigation.

The intelligent water and fertilizer integration system integrates advanced technologies such as the Internet of Things, sensors, and big data, and builds a closed-loop system of "perception - analysis - decision-making - execution". The system collects data such as soil moisture, air humidity and light intensity in real time through devices like soil moisture sensors and weather stations, and uploads them to the cloud platform. The platform uses algorithm models to analyze data, accurately determine the water and fertilizer requirements of crops, and then issues instructions to the drip irrigation equipment and fertilization devices in the field to achieve precise proportioning and uniform delivery of water and fertilizer. For instance, in orchards in the arid northwest region, intelligent systems can directly deliver water and fertilizer to the vicinity of the root system according to the demands of fruit trees at different growth stages, thus avoiding waste and loss.

Compared with traditional irrigation and fertilization methods, the advantages of the intelligent water and fertilizer integration system are extremely significant. In terms of water resource utilization, the drip irrigation model replaces "flood irrigation" with "slow and steady water flow", achieving a water-saving rate of 50% to 70%, effectively alleviating the problem of water resource shortage. In terms of fertilizer application, water and fertilizer are applied simultaneously, allowing nutrients to reach the roots of crops directly. The fertilizer utilization rate has increased to 60% - 70%, reducing production costs and environmental pollution risks. Meanwhile, the automated operation of the system reduces labor input, lowers labor intensity and enhances production efficiency. In addition, precise water and fertilizer supply creates the best growth environment for crops, which can significantly improve the quality and yield of agricultural products.

In a certain wolfberry planting base in Ningxia, after the introduction of the intelligent water and fertilizer integration system, the yield per mu of wolfberries increased by 30%, the sugar content of the fruits rose, and the market price increased. With the help of this system, the flower plantations in Yunnan have achieved stable water and fertilizer supply throughout the year, and both the quality and output of flowers have increased significantly. These successful cases fully prove that the intelligent water and fertilizer integration system is not only an upgrade of the irrigation mode, but also a key engine for the high-quality development of modern agriculture.

From "flood irrigation" to "intelligent control of drip irrigation", behind this lies the leap of agriculture from "relying on the weather for a living" to "empowered by technology". The intelligent water and fertilizer integration system, with its precise, efficient and environmentally friendly features, has reshaped the modern agricultural irrigation model, providing solid support for ensuring food security and promoting the green transformation of agriculture, and also opening up broad prospects for agricultural modernization.