Overview
ISO 24120-1:2022 - Agricultural irrigation equipment: Guideline on the implementation of pressurized irrigation systems - Part 1: General principles of irrigation provides practical guidance for planning and implementing pressurized irrigation systems (e.g., drip and sprinkler) across scales - from small family farms to large commercial operations, in open fields and enclosed structures such as greenhouses and net houses. The document focuses on the fundamental soil‑water‑plant relationships, water management, design inputs and basic calculation methods used to develop efficient pressurized irrigation schemes.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Soil–water relationship: explanation of soil as a three‑phase system (solids, water, air); soil texture, porosity ranges (sandy, medium, clay soils) and implication for water storage.
- Soil moisture measurement methods: gravimetric method, conversion between gravimetric and volumetric water content, use of undisturbed samples (e.g., Uhland sampler).
- Water retention concepts: definitions and use of saturation, field capacity (θFC), permanent wilting point (θWP) and calculation of total available water (TAW) for a soil layer.
- Soil water potential and movement: components of total water potential (gravitational, matrix, osmotic) and their role in water movement.
- Wetting front and wetted volume: concepts and informative annexes providing methods for estimating wetted bulbs around emitters.
- Water sources and quality: identification of source types and discussion of effects of chemical/biological water quality on soils, crops, filters and emitters.
- Water distribution network: guidance on main, sub‑main and distribution piping for pressurized systems.
- Design inputs and data collection: recommended datasets for design - soil, topography, climate, water source/quality, crop characteristics and local regulations.
- Irrigation scheduling and calculations: methods to calculate net irrigation depth (NID), gross irrigation depth (GID), management allowable deficit, leaching requirements, crop water requirements and irrigation intervals.
- Informative annexes: sample soil data, methods for wetted volume determination, crop salt‑tolerance tables and bibliography.
Practical applications and users
ISO 24120-1:2022 is intended for: agriculture ministries, agronomists, irrigation planners, farmers and end‑users. Use cases include:
- Designing efficient drip or sprinkler systems for orchards, field crops and greenhouse production.
- Developing irrigation schedules based on local soils, climate and crop needs.
- Assessing impacts of irrigation water quality on equipment and soil salinity management.
- Training and guidance materials for extension services and farm advisors.
Related standards
- This document is Part 1 of the ISO 24120 series. A complete list of other parts and related ISO irrigation standards is available on the ISO website (search ISO 24120 series).
Keywords: ISO 24120-1:2022, pressurized irrigation systems, irrigation design, soil‑water relationship, irrigation scheduling, drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, greenhouse irrigation.