Numerical Evaluation of Physical Clogging System in Drip Irrigation Using Moringa Root Extract and Ozonized Water

Gravity fed drip irrigation system fitted with a clogged drip line was assembled with the intention of investigating the ability to remove, inhibit and clear clogging resulting from continuous usage of the drip line over the year. Phytochemicals extracted from Moringa root and tested to have a coagulating effect like Alum. Ozonized water was produced from an ozone generator while the Hydrochloric acid was sourced from local sources. These three solutions were used in flushing the gravity-fed drip irrigation setup to investigate their effect on the major drip system evaluation parameters like Average emitter discharge rate, Relative emitter discharge, Standard deviation of emitter flow rate, Coefficient of Variation of Emitter Flow, Statistical Uniformity, Emission Uniformity and Uniformity Coefficient. The result shows that Moringa Root Extract and Ozone water has the ability to remove and inhibit biofilms and can be used as anti-clogging agents for the treatment of emitters in drip irrigation systems used in agriculture and/or domestic landscapes. The use of these natural coagulator against biofilms and biological control of pathogenic microorganisms in drip irrigation systems may further be investigated.