On this round earth of ours we prefer to keep our agricultural fields rectangular. It is simply much easier to measure and to fully utilise square fields. For irrigation farmers, a rectangular irrigation system is very practical, but a pivot runs in a circle. The solution is a lateral irrigation system from Zimmatic.

Zimmatic’s Lateral irrigation systems offer a wide range of propulsion and guidance options that allow a farmer to choose a system tailor-made to suit his particular needs and circumstances on his farm. Such a Zimmatic system can irrigate a square, rectangular or ‘L-shaped’ field with very high accuracy and uniformity to utilise every part of the field.

Zimmatic’s Lateral 9504L model is a simple, but effective system which has been very well tested. It consists of a cart powered by a diesel engine and generator. Durable electric cables can also be dragged along from control boxes along the route to supply power to the system.

Tanks containing liquid fertiliser and herbicides or pesticides can also be carried on the cart to be fed into the system.

The control cabinet is also mounted onto the cart. The system consists of an electronic Vision-control panel which allows monitoring and management from a distance through the FieldNet internet portal and smart phone app.

Water can be supplied to the system with a drag pipe of 102, 153 or 203 mm, or from a ditch next to the cart. The ditch may run along the side or anywhere in the field. Farmers who previously had to depend on flood irrigation from ditches find lateral systems a very attractive and viable option. A floating intake, filter and pump in the ditch supply a continuous flow of water as they move forward with the cart.

The Lateral cart displayed at Nampo-2017 on its way to Zambia.

Zimmatic recently erected such a 9500L system in Zambia in the Copperbelt Province, near the town of Kitwe. Rhyk Welgemoed, Area Manager for Zimmatic in Southern Africa and Iain Anderson-Slight, managing director of ECM Farm are, equally pleased with the lateral system.

“Our system in Kitwe consists of 22 towers, 11 to the left and 11 to the right of the ditch,” said Rhyk. “Every hour 750 cubic metres of water must flow through the system to irrigate the field of 220 hectares. The system is served by a ditch that runs alongside the cart and the ditch is replenished by pumps that pump water from the river. The current crop on the field is wheat,” he said.

It is very important that the lateral cart must remain exactly on track, and Zimmatic offers four different steering systems for this purpose. A cable above or underneath the soil surface can be used to steer the wheels with sensors. A bar with sensors installed in a trench is another option. On ECM Farm a GPS system is used.

Zimmatic’s 9500L system consists of medium and high frame structures. It easily runs over any possible crops, even trees, without causing any damage. A wide variety of sprinkler packages is also available.

Zimmatic’s lateral systems are adaptable, flexible, conserve water and energy and promise excellent yields.

Contact Frederik Nel at +27(0)72-517-7581 or +27(0)21-986-8900 or e-mail Frederik.Nel@lindsayafrica.co.za Also visit their website at www.lindsay.com.

The floating pump with its filter delivers 750 cubic metres an hour to the lateral system.

A GPS system keeps the lateral irrigator perfectly on track on its route along the ditch.