ISHS Acta Horticulturae 511: XXV International Horticultural Congress, Part 1: Culture Techniques with Special Emphasis on Environmental Implications - Nutrient Management
EFFECT OF FERTIGATION MANAGEMENT ON NUTRIENT SOLUTION CONSUMPTION AND YIELD IN A CLOSED AGROSYSTEM IN RELATION TO AN OPEN SYSTEM UNDER MEDITERRANEAN PLASTIC GREENHOUSE CONDITIONS |
| Authors: | M. García, I. Escobar, M.C. Salas, M. Urrestarazu |
| Keywords: | electrical conductivity, fertigation management, green beans, Perlite, soilless culture, tomatoes |
| Abstract:
The water quality use for soilless culture, in the plastic greenhouse area of the Spanish south east coast, presents EC values between 0.5 and 3.5 dS m-1. In order to avoid salt accumulation, the nutrient solution is applied in excess. The management of fertigation seems an important factor in a closed system in comparison with an open system. The experiment took place in a plastic greenhouse in the south east coast in 1995 and 1996. In the first year a standard irrigation method was used. The second year consisted in a fertigation with a higher nutrient solution supply. The following treatments were carried out: (a) Perlite bags and no re-use drained nutrient solution, (b) Perlite bags and re-use of 50% of the drained nutrient solution, and (c) as (b) but 100% re-use. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of fertigation management through a higher supply of nutrient solution in a closed system, in comparison to an open system, of a decrease of the EC, and effects on yield and consumption of nutrient solution. The results suggest that management of the closed system with substrate is a very important factor, especially the volume of the supplied nutrient solution. By that we can choose between: 1) avoid EC increase and its consequences: better yield but higher consumption of nutrient solution, 2) avoid a higher consumption of nutrient solution and reduce yield using a standard fertigation because the EC was increased | |
Download Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software to read PDF files) | |
