Summary: A case study in Kirkwood, South Africa, assessed water delivery efficiency in 40 citrus orchards using drip micro irrigation systems, finding that 76% of emitters were either under- or over-delivering water. This variability caused crop uniformity issues and complicated water and fertilizer scheduling, highlighting the necessity for better maintenance practices to improve irrigation efficiency.

Keywords: irrigation, water delivery, emitters, citrus orchards, efficiency, maintenance practices, under-delivery, over-delivery, crop uniformity, South Africa