An irrigation system having a pipeline supported by one or more towers includes an improved truss connection system having a means for readily adjusting a crown height of the pipeline. A pair of cooperating members define a joint which selectively couples headed ends of adjacent truss rods together to form a truss rail of a truss system that supports the pipeline. A single fastener may fasten the cooperating members, a strut, and a cross-member together at the joint. A length of the truss rail may be decreased by holding the truss rods closer together. In an aspect, the headed ends of the adjacent truss rods are held closer together by inserting a shim in one of the joints. Decreasing the length of the truss rail increases the deflection of the pipeline and raises the crown height.

An irrigation system having a pipeline supported by one or more towers includes an improved truss connection system having a means for readily adjusting a crown height of the pipeline. A pair of cooperating members define a joint which selectively couples headed ends of adjacent truss rods together to form a truss rail of a truss system that supports the pipeline. A single fastener may fasten the cooperating members, a strut, and a cross-member together at the joint. A length of the truss rail may be decreased by holding the truss rods closer together. In an aspect, the headed ends of the adjacent truss rods are held closer together by inserting a shim in one of the joints. Decreasing the length of the truss rail increases the deflection of the pipeline and raises the crown height.

A method for inhibiting microbial clogging of drip irrigation emitters, belonging to the technical field of water-saving irrigation. The method includes the following steps: (1) Use developmental molecular ecological network analysis to determine the key bacteria causing the clogging of drip irrigation emitters, and then carry out screening of antagonistic bacteria to inhibit the clogging of drip irrigation emitters; (2) Ferment the selected antagonistic bacteria in a medium containing biogas slurry, to generate bacterial antagonist; (3) Apply the bacterial antagonist to drip irrigation system. The method uses the molecular ecological network analysis method to obtain key bacteria that cause the growth of biofilm in drip irrigation emitters, and then combines the principle of microbial antagonism to screen out the antagonistic bacteria that can antagonize the growth of biofilm, so as to inhibit the growth of biofilm in irrigation emitters.

A method for inhibiting microbial clogging of drip irrigation emitters, belonging to the technical field of water-saving irrigation. The method includes the following steps: (1) Use developmental molecular ecological network analysis to determine the key bacteria causing the clogging of drip irrigation emitters, and then carry out screening of antagonistic bacteria to inhibit the clogging of drip irrigation emitters; (2) Ferment the selected antagonistic bacteria in a medium containing biogas slurry, to generate bacterial antagonist; (3) Apply the bacterial antagonist to drip irrigation system. The method uses the molecular ecological network analysis method to obtain key bacteria that cause the growth of biofilm in drip irrigation emitters, and then combines the principle of microbial antagonism to screen out the antagonistic bacteria that can antagonize the growth of biofilm, so as to inhibit the growth of biofilm in irrigation emitters.

A method of irrigation comprises supplying water to an inclined irrigation pipe provided with a plurality of drippers such that a pressure at a highest level of the inclined irrigation pipe is at most 200 cm H.sub.2O.

A method of irrigation comprises supplying water to an inclined irrigation pipe provided with a plurality of drippers such that a pressure at a highest level of the inclined irrigation pipe is at most 200 cm H.sub.2O.

An irrigation apparatus to water, contain and support plants. The irrigation apparatus comprising a body portion comprised of a top portion and a bottom portion that join to form a liquid containment vessel that disperses liquid in a defined dispersal pattern through angled openings to at least one plant embedded in growth medium at grade or at elevation in a plant growth container.

A weed barrier includes a rigid body defining a plurality of basins. The basins have bottoms with holes therethrough for planting garden plants. In a particular embodiment the bottom surface of the weed barrier includes a plurality of hose channels configured be positioned over a hose. Several example configurations of rigid weed barriers are disclosed. Some example weed barriers include flanges that facilitate the adjustable arrange of the weed barriers with respect to one another.

The emitter attachable to a fluid conduit comprises a fluid inlet portion capable of taking in fluid from the fluid conduit. The fluid from the inlet portion moves to the pressure compensating or reducing portion which comprises a set of teeth which are arranged in a way so as to impede the flow of liquid thereby reducing the pressure. Downstream the pressure compensating portion is the output portion which communicates with an aperture in the fluid conduit to enable distributing the fluid to the environment. The base of the emitter is flexible allowing movement of the base by virtue of the pressure gradient. When the pressure of the fluid is reduced in the pressure compensating portion, a pressure gradient is created across the base and this result in the fluid in the fluid conduit moving the base towards the fluid conduit thereby reducing the volume of the cavity of the emitter.

A mobile drip irrigation system includes a plurality of drip tubes anchored at a first end to a water supply conduit. As the mobile irrigation system travels across a surface to be watered a second, free end of each drip tube is pulled along the surface to provide precise and uniform water distribution through the drip tubes. A cable extending across each section of the mobile irrigation system is attached to the plurality of drip tubes within that section, with the cable movable via a winch mechanism to shift the position of the drip tubes within that section to correspondingly shift the drag path of the tubes to a desired location. In exemplary embodiments, a lower manifold distributes water to the drip tubes, and in further embodiments a support restraint provides support to the lower manifold.