ISHS Acta Horticulturae 659: VII International Symposium on Protected Cultivation in Mild Winter Climates: Production, Pest Management and Global Competition
A MODEL FOR CALIBRATION OF DRIP-TUBE NITROGEN FERTILIZATION OF GREENHOUSE CUCUMBERS USING LEAF COUNTS |
| Authors: | T. Sato, K. Matsuura, J. Narimatsu, N. Mizuno, A. Kitabatake, M. Okamoto, R. Takayanagi |
| Keywords: | cucumber, drip irrigation, nitrogen, growth diagnosis, fertilization |
| Abstract:
The half-monthly nitrogen (N) absorption and growth parameters of drip-fertilized autumn cucumber were estimated by destructive analysis. The amount of N absorbed was estimated using the following formula: The amount of absorbed N (g/a/14days) = the increased number of leaves (number / m2/14days) x 3.83 + 185.8 This formula was tested in a practical cultivation experiment. One fourteenth of the result of the formula was applied as N fertilizer through a drip tube daily. Although the amount of N applied was only 77% that used in the conventional method, the cucumber yield remained the same. Plant growth using five training methods with different patterns of leaf-increase was compared. The savings in N fertilizer were 28 to 34% over the conventional method, although the yield differed widely with the training method. Our method saved N, costs, and labor in a field experiment. Furthermore, surplus N in the soil was controlled and the distribution of EC was equal throughout the field. These results suggest that this is a practical formula for controlling N application using drip fertilization. | |
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