Raingun:

Practical and cost effective system

for field crop irrigation

Dr. Mohammud Che Husain

Mechanization and Automation Research Centre
MARDI
INTRODUCTION
Raingun

“giant” sprinkler
or
“rainer”
 LARGE rotary sprinkler
@ HIGH pressure & discharge
= irrigate LARGE areas

Water source
 INTRODUCTION-cont

MALAYSIA
 Pioneer:
oil palm seedling nursery
(early 60’s)

 Maiden project:
FELDA Chuping Perlis for
sugarcane irrigation

preferred due lowcapital

cost & low labour
requirement
 INTRODUCTION-cont

EUROPE

 Italy, Germany, UK &

USSR (World War II)

 England = 75% of
irrigated agricultural land
 Field vegetables (carrots
& radishes - 2nd most
important irrigated crop
sector)
 INTRODUCTION-cont

ASIA
 India (groundnut,
tapioca, onion &
potato)

 Thailand (citrus)
 Irrigation-World Scenario
14000000
1. USA
2. Russia
12000000
3. Spain
Irrigated area (Ha)

4. France
10000000
5. China
6. Italy
8000000
7. India Micro

8. Australia Sprinkler
6000000
9. Mexico
10. Egypt
4000000

2000000

Country
 Malaysian scenario
 adapted in commercial farm
-> field crops (maize, kenaf & tobacco)
aerobic rice, sweet potato, papaya, citrus

 “supplementary irrigation” when rainfall is

insufficient
 FELDA sugarcane plantation
(Chuping, Perlis)

Acreage = 3,200 ha

Cost = RM 1,100,000
(80 heads, 3,200 aluminum pipes)

Water source = Small dam

 Nordin maize & tobacco farm
(Bkt Kayu Hitam, Kedah)

Acreage = 200 ha

Cost = RM 200,000
(150 heads & 5 pump-sets)

Water source = 10 ponds of 1 ha each

 Sweet potato farm
(Semenyih, Selangor)

Fresh sweet potato for sneak & frying

Acreage = 200 ha
Water source = pond
 Big grower curer
(Jeli, Kelantan)

Crop = Tobacco, maize, rice, groundnut & kenaf

Acreage = 5 ha
Cost = RM 50,000 (20 heads)
Water source = stream
 Big grower curer
(Jeli, Kelantan)

Tobacco Aerobic rice

 MARDI research farm
(Bukit Tangga, Kedah)

Crop = Tobacco, kenaf & maize

Acreage = 23 ha
Water source = small dams & ponds
 MARDI research farm
(Bachok, Kelantan)

Crop = aerobic rice, tapioca, maize, tobacco, groundnut , kenaf & herbs
Acreage = 5 ha
Cost = RM 52,000
Water source = groundwater
 Crop yield benefit
Proven to significant returns
• aerobic rice = 4-5 ton/ha

• tobacco = 1.5 ton/ha

• groundnut = 3.0-3.5 ton/ha

• maize = 33,000 cob/ha

• kenaf = 15 ton/ha

• sugarcane = increased by 27 TCH

 System specification &
performance
Operation
@ high P = 75-150 psi
Q = 40-120 m3/h (150-450 gpm)

smaller raingun
operate @ P = 50-60 psi
Q= 14-16 m3/h

 irrigation area = up to 100 m diameter

 application rates = 5-35 mm/h
 System specification & performance – cont..

 engine = 46-50 hp
to operate 4 - 6 raingun head simultaneously

 Irrigation = 45 - 60 mins @ 2 - 3 days.

 System design & performance –cont..

 mounted on rigid riser

 spacing = 30 - 50 m apart

 No. of rainguns = 9 - 12 heads/ha

Rigid riser pipe :

 mains & sub-mains: HDPE buried
50 mm dia. GI pipe
below ground & 2 m height

 Lateral pipes: HDPE or flexible

hose laid on the ground or buried
Raingun installation
(Big grower curer, Jeli, Kelantan)
 Costing

 Raingun:
lower initial investment = RM10,000/ha
(85% = main, lateral & raingun head)
sprinkler = RM15,000/ha
micro = RM25,000/ha

 raingun head + rigid riser = RM 400

 fuel cost = RM 4/hr (46 hp diesel engine)

 Labour

 1 manpower for 5-7 ha (flood irrigation needed 2)

 Labour required
 start the engine
 open the valve to begin the running of
particular raingun head
 close it when finished
 Advantages
 No intensive land preparation is required even
on rough & irregular land

 efficient irrigation on steep land regardless of

topography

 easy to install, operate, maintain & durable

 time, water & power consumption is reduced by

50% as compared to surface flood irrigation

 require less components compared to sprinkler

& drip
 Disadvantages

 Poor water uniformity

 Distribution pattern are easily disrupted by
wind
 Large drops of water produced caused
damage to sensitive crops and soil
structure
 inadequate irrigation of the field at the
corners
 Future prospect
 Fertigation concept can be practiced

 Raingun water distribution model to predict

& simulate irrigation distribution (Cranfield
Uni.)

 Big volume @ electronic remote controls

had been developed to save water, time &
operate from distance. Allows the user to re-
adjust the part circle angles at any time during irrigation
operation
 Conclusion
 Result from the strong effort = a popular irrigation
technique for crop cultivation & has a fast growing
market in Malaysia

 It reduce cost & labour use, and ease operations

 it has certain disadvantages on water distribution,

affected by wind strength = water wastage

 Electronically controlled system had been developed, in

future fertigation can be practiced to save water & time in
raingun system
THANK YOU