ISHS Acta Horticulturae 278: Symposium on Scheduling of Irrigation for Vegetable Crops under Field Condition
ESTIMATING THE OPTIMUM TIME OF IRRIGATION TO IMPROVE VEGETABLE CROP ESTABLISHMENT |
| Author: | W.E. Finch-Savage |
| Abstract:
The timing, level and uniformity of seedling emergence have a major influence on both yield and the uniformity of plant size at harvest in many vegetable crops. The results of the irrigation experiments presented show that the timing of water availability in the seed bed affects all three of these seedling emergence parameters. The optimum irrigation times identified maximized percentage emergence and minimized the spread of seedling emergence times with both carrot and onion. These optimum irrigation times were related to the progress of seed germination in the seed bed which could be predicted using thermal time. The results are discussed in relation to the possibility of maximizing the effect of limited irrigation during crop establishment by applying water at critical times predicted using thermal time. | |
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