Sprinkler, SK
Sprinkler automatic irrigation

The automatic sprinkler irrigation system suitable for lawns in the field is selected comprehensively by considering not only the equipment characteristics but also the intended use, irrigation area, and budget.
1. The most commonly used irrigation equipment for quality lawn management is the overhead sprinkler system that sprays water on the lawn. In order to manage irrigation efficiently, managers must accurately understand the characteristics of the two types of overhead sprinkler systems: pop-up type and rotary type.

2. For large areas of ornamental and sports lawns that generally require uniform irrigation, a pop-up sprinkler system can be used. However, for sports fields that require rapid irrigation, a rain gun system that can spray water in a short period of time is used.
3. For lawns with limited budget or where it is difficult to install an automatic sprinkler system, a portable QC using a hose can be used to supply water.
4. For large or high-quality lawns, it is essential to have a mobile QC (quick-coupling) device along with an automatic sprinkler system to efficiently manage irrigation.

The rain gun system is inconvenient to use because it is detachable, but it has the advantage of rapid drainage due to its large irrigation volume and irrigation radius, so it is used more in sports stadiums than golf courses.

The optimal watering time is when the grass needs the most water. Depending on the time of day, the watering efficiency, watering pattern, and disease incidence can vary, so consider these various factors when deciding on the watering time.
1. If you water during the day, the watering efficiency may decrease due to increased evaporation and uneven watering patterns caused by rising temperatures and wind.
2. When managing lawn irrigation, generally avoid watering in the evening.
-If you water in the evening, the air temperature drops and evaporation decreases.
-However, since the lawn surface remains wet until early morning when watering in the evening, there is a high possibility that lawn diseases will occur and spread after they occur.
3. To effectively manage irrigation in lawns, managers should water as early in the morning as possible.
-If you water early in the morning, the ground surface temperature is lower, so there is less moisture loss due to evaporation.
- Also, in the early morning, there is less wind influence, so even spraying is possible.
-The possibility of disease outbreak is reduced because the lawn surface does not remain moist for long after watering.
4. However, in cases where it is absolutely necessary to consider the number of visitors or game schedules at golf courses or stadiums, watering is carried out without time restrictions.

In cases where it is absolutely necessary for operational reasons in lawn management, watering can be done without time restrictions other than morning watering. For example, in golf courses with early morning visitors and stadiums with games during the day, watering can be done the night before or even in the early morning.

3. In addition to routine irrigation management, foliar irrigation is performed locally or seasonally using the syringing irrigation technique depending on the condition of the lawn and weather conditions.
1. Syringe irrigation is performed in the following situations rather than for routine irrigation purposes.
- Performed when it is necessary to temporarily reduce the temperature of the lawn surface.
- It is carried out when the amount of water released into the atmosphere is greater than the amount of water absorbed through the underground root tissue in the lawn, and transpiration needs to be suppressed.
- It is carried out when it is necessary to suppress progression to the permanent wilting stage due to dry stress caused by insufficient moisture supply in the lawn.
- When putting is difficult due to frost on the putting green of a golf course, foliar irrigation is performed when it is necessary to remove frost early in the morning to ensure smooth play.

In particular, the syringe irrigation technique is appropriately utilized during the high temperature season of summer.
3. When irrigating with a syringe, the irrigation time, amount, and number of irrigations are different from the regular irrigation method.

Syringe irrigation method

During the high temperature summer, cool-season grasses with a C3 photosynthetic mechanism require more water than warm-season grasses with a C4 photosynthetic mechanism, so care must be taken with water management. In particular, creeping bentgrass and perennial ryegrass require the most water among cool-season grasses, while Kentucky bluegrass requires an intermediate amount of water, and tall fescue requires relatively little water.

4. In order to maintain the stable performance of the automatic sprinkler system, the manager on site regularly checks the performance of the automatic sprinkler system by checking the amount of water and the uniformity of water. Automatic sprinkler

Performance checks related to irrigation uniformity of the cluster system are performed in the following manner.
- Place devices that can measure the amount of irrigation, such as beakers, at regular intervals in the target lawn irrigation area.
-Beaker spacing is 1 to 2 m depending on the target area.
- Irrigate the lawn by operating the automatic sprinkler system in the target area for a set period of time, between 10 and 30 minutes.
-At this time, avoid irrigation to the extent that water overflows the surface.
-Measure the amount of water that fell into each beaker after irrigation.
- Measure the amount of water in each beaker to compare the irrigation uniformity, and convert the amount of water into irrigation per hour.
- Compare the hourly irrigation volume of the entire beaker to determine the irrigation uniformity of the target area.