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In the current situation of water scarcity, water-saving irrigation is a global focus of attention. Many years ago, experts proposed the slogan of "water-saving gardens" and suggested using modern water-saving irrigation instead of traditional methods such as relying on water pipes for irrigation, water pipe spraying, and manual spraying. As the "Forum on Flower Horticulture and Efficient Water and Fertilizer Management" is about to be held in Shanghai, my colleagues and I have had discussions with several industry insiders and referred to relevant journal literature to explore the advantages and problems of water-saving irrigation technology in the flower industry.

The advantages of water-saving irrigation are reflected in: (1) water-saving. At present, most flower companies still use artificial water pipes for watering, which not only results in uneven watering but also causes significant water waste. If plug-in, drip irrigation, and small pipe outflow methods are used, the uniformity of irrigation can be improved, saving 50-70% of water compared to manual irrigation. (2) Save labor. The maximum labor savings can reach over 90%. Nowadays, labor costs continue to rise, making it difficult to hire workers. If water-saving irrigation is adopted, it can maximize the saving of manual labor and improve the efficiency of manual use. If combined with automatic controllers, programmable controllers, and frequency converters, it can greatly reduce manpower input. (3) Can change the planting structure. Roof greening and three-dimensional flower beds are increasingly being applied in practice, no longer limited to surface level. As early as 1993, Beijing began to promote three-dimensional greening using a combination of micro irrigation and drip irrigation technology, with significant results. (4) Integrated construction of water and fertilizer. Water fertilizer coupling is currently a hot topic in irrigation. While irrigating, fertilization and spraying should be carried out simultaneously according to the needs of different growth stages of flowers. (4) Improve the small environment. For flowers that are not tolerant to high humidity environments, drip irrigation can be used. For flowers that prefer high humidity, micro spraying can be used. Sprinkler irrigation can also cool down and improve the local microenvironment of the plant.

The current problems in the application of water-saving irrigation technology in flower enterprises include the following aspects.

(1) Insufficient understanding of irrigation products. Water saving irrigation requires partial investment in the early stage and maintenance in the later stage, which sets a barrier for flower enterprises. For example, the flow channel of a dropper is very fine and requires high water quality, so a filtration system needs to be used during construction. In fact, as long as the design is appropriate, the investment in the filtration system will not be very high. Timely maintenance can extend the service life of the filtration system and fully compensate for the labor and water costs of non water-saving irrigation methods. It is reported that the self pressure drip irrigation system requires an investment of about 2000 yuan/mu, the micro sprinkler irrigation system requires an investment of about 1000 yuan/mu, and the manual point irrigation system only requires an investment of about 300 yuan/mu. The cost is not very high, but the later benefits are significant.

(2) The formulation of irrigation systems and water management have not been well integrated with the characteristics of crop cultivation. The flower varieties cultivated by flower enterprises may be single or diverse, and irrigation systems should be formulated according to the water and fertilizer requirements of different plants at different growth stages. Pursuing water conservation blindly is not scientific. The varieties of potted flowers in Guangzhou that use drip arrow micro irrigation equipment are mainly products with high commodity value and long production cycles; Usually, there are poinsettia, red palm, pineapple, pitcher plant, butterfly orchid, national orchid, etc. These flowers have a growth cycle from May to October, or even longer, and require 1-3 watering per day during the growth cycle. If water-saving irrigation is used, it can improve the quality and neatness of flowers while saving labor, and increase economic benefits.

For potted flowers with shorter production cycles, such as Impatiens, Cockscomb, Chrysanthemum, etc., these flowers have low commercial value and relatively extensive production management. If drip irrigation equipment is used, it is easy to cause high input and low output in production. Frequent installation and disassembly of drip irrigation parts will damage the equipment, affect its normal operation, and shorten its service life; Therefore, potted flowers with shorter production cycles are less likely to use drip irrigation equipment. Most of the flowers planted in a certain flower base in Shunyi, Beijing are grass flowers and perennial flowers, all of which are planted in separate pots. The installation of drip arrows requires a large amount of work, making it impossible to clear the pots. Micro spraying is also not wind resistant, and the flow rate of buried nozzles is too high, which is ineffective and wastes water sources. Therefore, it is not advisable to use micro spraying, drip arrows, or buried nozzles.

(3) The application of multiple disciplines requires talents from various fields, and the talent reserve of flower enterprises is relatively lacking, especially for water-saving irrigation talents. Especially in the application of self controlled irrigation equipment, specialized personnel are needed to manage it.

There are also some shortcomings in the production and construction enterprises of irrigation equipment. Firstly, the quality of domestic irrigation products needs to be further improved, and more innovative talents and research institutions are needed to join. Based on the market demand in China, product research and development should be carried out, and independent brands should be established. Strengthen the product quality supervision system in the later stage, so that products can meet relevant requirements before leaving the factory. Improve customer service and teach customers how to correctly use and maintain products and equipment on their terminals. Construction companies should assess the situation, match different types of flowers with different irrigation equipment, establish a long-term information exchange mechanism with irrigation equipment manufacturers, and promptly feedback any problems encountered during construction to the manufacturers. The manufacturers should update product performance and parameters according to actual needs to meet market demand.