Effect of drip irrigation and nitrogen fertigation on yield of root vegetables

In the years 2005–2007, experiments on the influence of drip irrigation and nitrogen fertigation on the yield of the carrot, parsley and chicory grown on ridges and on flat ground was carried out. Irrigation water and nitrogen solution was supplied via drip lines, which in subsurface irrigation were placed at a depth of 50 mm below the surface of the ridges, along the centreline between two rows of plants. In the case of surface irrigation, the drip lines were placed on the surface of the ridges between two rows of plants. Irrigation started when soil water po-tential was between -30 and -40 kPa. Nitrogen fertilizers (100 kg.ha-1) were ap-plied in two doses. The first dose was applied pre-plant, while the second one was delivered by fertigation. In the control treatment without irrigation, the second dose of nitrogen was applied by broadcasting. Both surface and subsurface ferti-gation used in the cultivation on ridges and on flat ground had a significant ef-fect on the marketable yield of carrot, parsley and chicory roots. In case of car-rot and chicory cultivated on ridges higher yield was obtained with surface drip irrigation and fertigation, however in case of parsley no significant differences in the ...

Influence of drip irrigation and fertigation on the yield and some quality elements of potato tubers

The field experiment was conducted in the years 2006–2008 at Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute, Division Jadwisin on the light and acid soil. The aim of the research was to compare tubers yield, their structure and some quality elements of tubers (content of nitrates and starch, percentage of de-formations, green tubers, common scab infection) different fertilization doses of solid and liquid nitrogen form (fertigation) applied to the soil. The objects were divided on: irrigated and non irrigated. Drip irrigation method was applied in this experiment. The nitrogen dose in fertigation form was established by using com-puter program DSS (Decision Support System). The nitrogen in fertigation form was applied in following doses: year of 2006 – 57,7 kg•ha-1, year of 2007 – 31,7 kg•ha-1, year of 2008 – 39,7 kg•ha-1. The doses of water (year of 2006 – 110,3 mm, year of 2007 – 20,0 mm, year of 2008 – 68,9 mm) and dates of their application were established by using tensjometer. The control was object without fertiliza-tion of NPK and without irrigation. The significant highest yield of tubers was obtained on the irrigated object where dose of 150 kg•ha-1N was applied. The yield of tubers on irrigated object ...

The latest trends in irrigation technology – Research related to irrigation of fruit crops conducted at the Research Institute of Pomology and Floriculture in Skierniewice

Fruit crops have high water requirements. As sweet water is becoming scarce and expensive resource, development and improvement of irrigation tech-nologies, and introduction of new water saving practices (e.g. mulching to limit evaporation losses) is necessary. Relatively little research has been conducted to determine different re-sponses to unfavorable environmental conditions among various cultivars of fruit crops. Thus, studies have been undertaken at the Research Institute of Pomology and Floriculture to examine the influence of environmental stresses (mainly water deficiency) on plant life (growth, physiology and productivity). These researches are subjected to detailed assessment of genotypic differences in drought tolerance of various crop species. The obtained results are important not only for fruit growers, but also for plant breeders, as the enhanced resistance to stresses has become an important criterion in modern breeding programs. Balanced nutrition is essential for the health of plants. Modern practices allow farmers to apply fertilizers with water through drip irrigation systems (fer-tigation). Together with modern methods of nutrition diagnostics, fertigation has become a suitable tool for optimizing fruit crop fertilization. A new approach into sustainable water and nutrient management strategy should be a combination of modern irrigation and soil water monitoring techniques, elements ...

Influence of fertigation and plastic covering in cultivation of winter squash ‘Amazonka’ on the insect occurence

Beneficial and phytophagous insects of winter squash ‘Amazonka’ culti-vated under various fertigation regimes and plastic cover were investigated. The entomological experiments were conducted in 2006 and 2007. The largest group of insects were Homoptera, Heteroptera and Thysanoptera. Number of these in-sects was significantly larger on plants with fertigation conducted once a week. The least of all insects were in combinations with topdressing nitrogen fertiliza-tion and drip irrigation. Homoptera were represented by: Cicadellidae, Delpha-cidae and Aphididae. From Cicadellidae the most abundant was Empoasca pteridis Dahlbom. Macrosteles laevis Ribaut and Eupteryx atropunctata Goeze were significantly less numerous. Beneficial insects appeared as less abundant in comparison to pest insects and were represented by Aelothripidae, Anthocoridae, and Nabidae families. The usage of fertigation and plastic covering in open field cultivation of winter squash ‘Amazonka’, affected on numerous of phytophagous insects such as: Lygus rugulipennis Popp. and Trigonotylus coelestialium Kirk. The two species mentioned above willingly raven on the plants from the black plastic covered plots. The usage of the black plastic covering in open field cultiva-tion of squash, influenced on accumulation of water in the soil, reduced of weed infestation and decreased humidity in plant canopy. ...

Yields of watermelon cv. ‘Bingo’ on the very light soil as dependent on fertiga-tion of nitrogen by drip irrigation system and the way of seedling production

The effect of drip fertigation and the two ways of seedling production on the yields of cv. ‘Bingo' was determined in the field experiment carried out in the year 2008 on a very light soil at Kruszyn Krajeński near Bydgoszcz. The experiments were run in a split-plot system with four replications. Two different factors were compared. The first row factor - drip fertigation, was used in the two following treatments: KP - drip irrigation + standard N-fertilization (control),KF - drip irrigation + N-fertigation 3 times during the vegetation season. Fertiga-tion was conducted with the use of proportional mixing dispenser. The second row factor was the light used during the seedling production: S - sunny light (greenhouse, control), F - artificial light - fitotron (lamps). It was found that the fertigation significantly increased marketable fruit yield from 40,1 to 51,0 t.ha-1 (by 10,9 t.ha-1 i.e. by 27 %). Yields of plants from seedlings produced under conditions of sunny light in greenhouse (control) - treatment (S)(48,1 t .ha-1), were signifi-cantly higher than those obtained from seedlings produced in fitotron under artifi-cial light (43,0 t .ha-1). The highest yields (56,0 t .ha-1) were obtained from plants from seedlings produced in greenhouse grown ...

The influence of flood fertigation on the growth of greenhouse tomato transplants grown in organic substrates

Hand watering or sprinkler irrigation is mostly used in transplant produc-tion of tomatoes grown in pots with organic substrates. The flood irrigation on the tables or on the flood floors is applied in the ornamental plant production and more recently and more often in transplants production of the tomato and the cucumber cultivated in cubes of rockwool. The aim of the investigations conducted in 2008-2010 was to determine the influence of the flood fertigation with different concentration of the nutrient solution (the EC = 1,5, EC = 2,5, EC = 3,5, EC = 4,5 mS.cm -1) on the growth and development of the greenhouse tomato transplants cultivated in peat substrate. The transplants were cultivated on heated flood floor. The pots with tomato plants during fertigation were flooded to height of 3-4 cm by period 30 minutes. The kind of fertigation had no significant influence on the growth and development of tomato transplants. The plans obtained from flood fertigation and from hand watering characterized the similar height, thickness of stem, fresh and dry matter and also surface and number of leaves. Tomato transplants fertigated with nutrient solution of EC 2,5 and 3,5 mS cm-1. had best parameters such as the height, ...

Corn yield response to drip irrigation and nitrogen fertigation in the area of excessive water deficits

The aim of the the research was to confirm the need for irrigation as the main yielding treatment in corn production on a very light soil with permeable subsoil in the area of distinct water deficits, and determining the effectiveness of nitrogen fertigation, compared with broadcast application method. Accurate field experiment was carried out in 2008-2010 on the experimental field of the Department of Land Reclamation and Agrometeorology of the University of Science and Technology in Kruszyn Krajeński near Bydgoszcz. During the study period occurred large irrigation needs in corn production, due to insufficient and uneven distribution of rainfall in the particular growing seasons. Seasonal irrigation dose averaged 194 mm.Obtained results showed that the cultivation of corn for grain in the area of distinct water deficits is purposeful only under the irrigation conditions. For non-irrigated variants the yield of dry matter of grain was only 0.87t.ha-1 and did not exceed in any year of the research the level of 1.0 t.ha-1. Under irrigation corn yielded on average 6.55 t of grain dry matter from 1 ha. A worth recommending irrigation system in corn production for grain is dripping system, in which effect of production per unit was higher than effects ...

EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT FERTIGATION LEVELS ON MAIZE YIELD AND NUTRIENT UPTAKE UNDER SEMI-ARID MEDITERRANEAN CONDITIONS

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of four fertigation levels (25, 50, 75 and 100% of fertilizer dose, 240:100:200 kg N:P:K ha-1) and to compare with conventional practices (CP). The fertigation levels F1 25% of total fertilizer (60:25:50 kg N:P:K ha-1) treatments, F2 treatment is 50% of total fertilizer (120:50:100 kg N:P:K ha-1), F3 treatment is 75% of total fertilizer (180:75:150 kg N:P:K ha-1), F4 treatment is 100% of total fertilizer (240:100:200 kg N:P:K ha-1). The experiment was conducted during 2012 summer (from 20 June to 15 September) under the field conditions in the Menzilat soil series (Typic Xerofluvents) which is located in the East Mediterranean coastal part of Turkey. The experiment was designed as a completely randomized-block with three replications. The maize plant (Zea mays L.) was sown as second crop following with wheat cultivation. The maize yield was higher in F3 fertigation level treatment (12.47 Mg ha-1) compared to the other treatments. Lowest yield was recorded in F2 (8.45 Mg ha-1) treatment. The results shown that the half of the fertilizer application with conventional practices and the other half with fertigation are more efficient under Menzilat soil series conditions. For future, it is important ...