Plants under drought stress tend to be susceptible to pest attack, therefore adequate irrigation helps to avoid attacks in addition to improving yield and quality.

Optimum use must be made of irrigation by utilising a scheduling system, which is acknowledged as being technically sound, for each crop. Leaks within the water supply system must be minimised. Equipment should be operated at the correct pressures and pipe spacing. Appropriate calibration should be demonstrated for all equipment used, including water meters.

Crop water balance systems (based on ground cover development and soil type), neutron probes and other techniques can be used to help forecast the timing of irrigation and the priority order. A field inspection to examine the soil is essential to confirm when the profile is becoming dry. This should be appropriate to the soil type and depth and with respect to the crop. This detail should be recorded. Checking on the success of applied irrigation, using rain gauges and recording the detail of such visits should also be carried out after each water application. Application rate must be matched to infiltration capacity of the soil.

All water use should be recorded, i.e. litres per hour, per ha, as recorded by irrigation equipment, details of abstraction licenses, and rationale for use, e.g. SMD data, as it supports modelled crop growth.

The sources of water, applied to the land during production of crops, should be tested for chemicals notably heavy metals,(on a likely risk basis) and microbes. Collated documentation, covering the last 12 months of use, on water quality should be presented regularly.

Irrigation water is a scarce resource and must be applied in accordance with need (water should only be used with respect to appropriate abstraction licences). Carry out a water audit and ensure all water-saving opportunities are used. Help on how to carry out a water audit can be obtained from www.water.org.uk. When purchasing new equipment or establishing new buildings, look for water efficiency products/designs. Consider establishing winter water storage, where this will not cause environmental damage, to the site flooded by the reservoir or to the watercourse filling the reservoir.

Records of all irrigation should be kept. DEFRA good practice should be followed on irrigation, as outlined in ‘Good Irrigation Practice’ (under "Water Resources").