ISHS Acta Horticulturae 462: I Balkan Symposium On Vegetables and Potatoes
THE MAINTENANCE OF AN OPTIMAL SOIL MOISTURE IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION |
| Authors: | J. Sabo, &. Ševic |
| Keywords: | dropping irrigation, subsoil irrigation, soil moisture tension, soil humidity |
| Abstract:
The objective of this work was to study and establish a simple and reliable method to determine soil moisture for economical irrigation of vegetables, potatoes and other agricultural plants. The method included measurements of moisture tension in the soil with a digital moisture tension meter "Watermark". Sixty sounds were placed in the rhysosphere at various depths and various distances from irrigation droppers. Three types of dripping irrigation were used. Along with the moisture tension measurements, the amount of moisture (in mass %) was gathered from the soil samples. The results were used for the correlation calculations in order to recognize the relationship between the moisture tension in centibars and the moisture content in mass %. It was found that there exists a significant correlation between moisture tension and moisture content. From the three investigated types of irrigation (surface dripping irrigation, subsoil irrigation and subsoil irrigation with foil) the best results were obtained using subsoil dripping irrigation with foil. The digital moisture tension meter "Watermark" gives data from 0 to 200 centibars, and has sounds that are resistant to salts in the soil. Its simplicity and accuracy enables highly efficient irrigation of vegetables, with maximum savings of water and energy; one of the essential conditions for an economical production of vegetables, potatoes and other agricultural plants. | |
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