Fertigation System Research Articles

Pertumbuhan dan Produksi Sorgum bicolor pada Kultur Fungi Mikoriza Arbuskula (FMA) dengan Sistem Fertigasi dan Fortifikasi Nutrisi Berbeda

Arbuscular mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) is a microorganism that biologically affects plant enzymes and plant nutrients. AMF production development techniques need to be improved with the addition of nutritional fortification to produce quality AMF products. The research aimed was to cultivate AMF with complete fertilizer nutrition and different fertigation systems on Sorghum bicolor. The study used a 2 x 3 factorial randomized design with A factor: fertigation system (flat and terraced) and B factor: fertilizer nutrient levels (1000ppm, 2000ppm, 3000ppm). The results showed that the flat fertigation system had a significant different (p<0.05) on plant height, the number of leaves, stem diameter, and fresh biomass. However, in the high-level fertigation system, numbers of leaf, stem diameter, and fresh biomass did not have significant difference. There was no interaction between the fertigation and nutrient fortification systems. Sorghum panicle age started at 75 yields after planting (DAT). The relationship between percent infection and the number of spores showed a low level of correlation with R2 = 0.032. It can be concluded that the best fertigation system was a flat fertigation system for all nutrient fortifications, with the best average yield on 2000ppm nutrient fortification.
 Key words: AMF, fertigation system, nutrition fortification

Advances in Automation System for Agricultural Irrigation System

Fertigation is most important in agriculture due to the growth of crops, and their yields depend upon it. If the ratio of fertilizer and water is either higher or lower, it produces various crises. In today’s growing technology and automation, many feasible ways can be used efficiently and anywhere with proper access. With the help of a microcontroller unit, various automatic systems like IoT, PLC system, proportional-integral-derivative, and PID with a fuzzy algorithm, the fertigation system has been implemented. With the help of sensors, this system can detect the soil moisture and water level and stops the water supply. The time can be scheduled as per the choice of the user. This system will ease the farmers to work efficiently, and more time is reduced than the time needed for human interference.

Development of an IoT-based automatic fertigation system

Fertigation supplies water and liquid fertilizer through the same channel to plants. Using drip irrigation set up for fertigation allows the root zone of the plant to be continuously supplied with nutrients and water throughout the farm season. Conventionally, fertigated systems are controlled using pre-set timers to turn on and off fertilizer injectors and irrigation pumps, and also to set the frequency and duration of supply. Therefore, fertigation management is usually based only on predictive algorithms or historical data, which may not be accurate for all situations. Development of a microcontroller-based fertigation management system within the Nigerian (Sub-Saharan Africa) region using a capacitive soil moisture sensor and a JXCT-IOT Frequency Domain Reflectometry (FDR) soil nitrogen sensor is presented. The sensors are placed in the soil around the root region of plants to enable a microcontroller to monitor the soil properties, determine how much water or nutrients the plant needs, and supply the amount needed through a drip irrigation framework. The tap water and urea solution are placed inside separate reservoirs and supplied to the plant through solenoid valves controlled by the microcontroller. Furthermore, an Internet of Things (IoT) client (Blynk IoT) was integrated with the fertigation system so that the fertigation process, as well as the soil state, could be monitored and controlled remotely. The data read from the sensors as well as the state of the solenoid valves were sent over the internet to be stored on the Blynk servers. A website and mobile (Android) dashboards were also created using the Blynk IOT platform to display the states of the valves and the sensor readings. The automatic fertigation system was found to be functional. The system keeps the soil moisture and nitrogen content between the recommended ranges: moisture content between 25% and 46% and nitrogen content between 20 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg for cucumber crops. Fertigation events occur every morning between 5 and 6 am.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Fertigation

The purpose of this new 4-page article is to outline some of the major benefits and drawbacks a fertigation system may incur. The audience of this article includes county Extension faculty, students who are interested in crop production, growers, certified crop advisors, crop consultants, environmentalists, and policy makers in the agricultural sector. Written by Mary Dixon and Guodong Liu and published by the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1442

THE FACTORS INFLUENCING AGROPRENEURS’ INTENTION USING TPB: A STUDY OF FERTIGATION PROGRAMME IN SELANGOR, MALAYSIA

Malaysia has been continuously practicing the fertigation system, which is applying fertiliser solutions with irrigation water, typically through a micro-sprinkler or a drip system. This system has helped numerous small and medium-scale agropreneurs (agriculture entrepreneur) develop constant business. At a larger scale, fertigation is a means to address food security issues. Many small and medium-scale agropreneurs apply fertigation techniques in their crop cultivation. What are the underlying factors that cause them to continue using these techniques in their cultivation practices? To what extent do their intentions in crop production using fertigation techniques measured? This study sought to investigate the factors that affect small and medium-scale agropreneurs’ intention to continue practicing fertigation techniques in their agricultural activities. Using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), this study examined 319 small and medium-scale agropreneurs’ intentions and the moderating effect of personality traits under Farmer’s Organization Authority (FOA) agency. The results revealed that the interests of FOA participants were determined significantly by subjective norms and personality traits while attitude, perceived behavioral control did not affect their intentions. Household income, number of household, age and education similarly provides significant effect of the agropreneurs’ intention. The findings of this study lead to the success of the fertigation program conducted and can further maximise the application of this technique to the cultivation of diverse crops. Additionally, the framework used can be adapted in various agricultural subsectors such as crop production, animal production, fisheries and agribusiness .Keywords: Intention, personality traits, small and medium scale agropreneurs, agricultural entrepreneurship, attitude, Theory of Planned Behavior

Enhancing Production Through Input Use Efficiency of Virus-Resistant Pune Selection-3 Papaya Variety

An experiment was carried out using virus-resistant papaya variety Pune Selection-3 to study the effect of different cultivation methods for enhanced production and input use efficiency at Horticultural Research Farm, RAU, Pusa during the year 2016-2019. The outcomes of raised bed cultivation (a), drip irrigation (b), fertigation (c), polyethylene mulching (d) along with micronutrient spray (e) were analyzed using different combinations of these parameters as treatments for growth, yield-related parameters, and fruit quality. Nutrient use efficiency was also assessed by examining various interactive components such as soil nutrient content, nutrient acquisition with nutrient content in the leaves, the efficiency of nutrient utilization informs of the biomass produced, fruit yield, and fruit nutritional quality. The plant height was maximum in T1 (155 cm) which was significantly higher than the plant of control treatment. The flowering time was found to be reduced in all treatments. However, total soluble sugar was higher in T3. Overall, when the B:C ratio was compared, the treatment (T1) showed a higher value along with a 2.38-fold fruit yield/plant and 0.89-fold increase in fruit yield per hectare. The nutritional quality of fruits enhanced in T1 treated plants having a 1.78-fold increment in flavonoid content, and 1.2-fold more lycopene. The phenolic content was also 1.8-fold higher than the control (T5). The result obtained in the present study demonstrates that with the implementation of a suitable fertigation system in papaya cultivation we can obtain papaya growth, fruit yield per plant, and fruit quality by targeting enhancement in cost: benefit ratio.
 Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 10(2): 84-92.

Early Response of ‘Mexican’ Lime, ‘Fina’ Clementine Mandarin, and ‘Campbell’ Valencia Orange on Selected Rootstocks Grown under Fertigation Practices in an Oxisol in Puerto Rico

In Puerto Rico, Huanglongbing (HLB), detected in 2009, continues to produce losses in orchards across the island. Efforts to produce clean propagation materials and select different combinations of scions and rootstocks to mitigate the disease have been a priority. In 2016, an experiment was established in Isabela in Coto clay series soils at 120 m to assess ‘Mexican’ lime, ‘Fina’ clementine mandarin, and ‘Campbell’ Valencia orange grafted in ‘Swingle’ citrumelo, ‘HRS 812’, and ‘HRS 897’. Tree growth parameters, tree fruit production, HLB incidences, and tree mortality were evaluated under a fertigation system. Higher fruit production was obtained with ‘Fina’ clementine mandarin and ‘Campbell’ Valencia orange when grafted in ‘HRS 812’ followed by ‘HRS 897’. ‘Mexican’ lime had higher fruit production when grafted in ‘HRS 897’. On the basis of total fruit production and HLB incidence, ‘HRS 812’ was outstanding, yielding fruits with higher values even though they were infected with HLB. Moreover, ‘HRS 897’ rootstock was demonstrated to be a potential rootstock for the Puerto Rico conditions.

Characteristics of watermelon fruits under different fertilization management in semi-arid climate conditions / Características de frutos de melancia sob diferentes manejos de adubação em condições de clima semiárido

This study was conducted to evaluate the production and quality of watermelon fruits, submitted to different doses of potassium chloride (KCl) in fertigation and conventional fertilization systems. Talisman F1 was used as a plant material. It was carried out in a randomized complete block design, in a 2x4 split-plot scheme, with four replications. In the plots, the conventional and fertigation systems were tested and in the subplots the doses of KCl, equals: 0, 60, 120 and 180 kg ha-1 of K2O were tested. Seventy days after planting, were determined: total number of fruits; average weight of total fruits; total fruit production; average number of commercial fruits; average weight of commercial fruits and commercial fruit production, as well the hydrogenic potential (pH), total soluble solids (TSS), total titratable acidity (TTA) and TSS/TTA ratio. There was interaction between fertilization systems and K2O rates for commercial productivity with a linear increase under fertigation, which, in turn, increased TTA. 180 kg ha-1 of K2O in a conventional fertilization system, confirm possible metabolic changes not conducive to the cultivation and production of 'Talisman F1' watermelon. The fertilization system by fertigation represents an alternative for the cultivation of watermelon, considering the productivity and quality of fruits.

The Effects on Nutrients Uptake and Soil Chemical Properties according to Fertigation Ratio of Green Onion (Allium fistulosum L.) in Open Field

In order to apply the fertilization manual to the open-field fertigation system, it is necessary to verify the crop productivity. This study was carried out to assess an appropriate nutrient supply ratio for fertigation in open-field green onion (Allium fistulosum L.) cultivation. In this study, we compared the crop nutrient uptake and soil chemical properties according to the type of basal fertilizer (inorganic fertilizer, organic fertilizer, compost) and the ratio of fertigation (A: N60%, K40%; B: N70%, K50%; C: N80%, K80%) through field experiment. All treatment plots were treated with the same amount of fertilizer, and it was applied according to soil test results. When the fertigation ratio was increased during the crop cultivation period, there was little change in soil EC, NO3-N, Ex. K, and there was no statistically significant difference in crop yield regardless of the types of basal fertilizer and fertigation ratio. However, the nitrogen uptake of green onions tended to decrease with the increase of the fertigation ratio. In soils with a low nutrient content, if the basal fertilization amount is reduced, the nutrient deficiency in the early stage of crop growth may reduce crop productivity. Therefore, it is recommended to fertigation ratio of A (N60%, K40%) for green onion cultivation in the open-field.The nutrient uptake and fertilizer use efficiency of green onion according to types of basal fertilizer and fertigation level. Types of basal fertilizer Nutrients supply ratio through fertigation (%) Nutrient uptake (kg 10a-1) Fertilizer use efficiency (%) N K2O N K2O Inorganic fertilizer N 60, K 40 14.7 ± 1.3 a† 19.9 ± 3.0 a 41.8 a 42.8 n.s. N 70, K 60 13.4 ± 1.6 ab 19.9 ± 3.6 a 32.4 ab 45.3 N 80, K 80 12.3 ± 1.0 b 15.8 ± 2.5 b 24.9 b 24.9 Organic fertilizer N 60, K 40 14.8 ± 0.9 a 19.4 ± 2.6 n.s. 32.2 n.s. 50.5 n.s. N 70, K 60 14.6 ± 1.3 a 17.5 ± 3.4 32.2 37.5 N 80, K 80 12.1 ± 1.2 b 16.2 ± 2.7 11.7 27.9 Compost N 60, K 40 14.6 ± 1.6 a 22.4 ± 4.4 a 40.2 n.s. 59.3 n.s. N 70, K 60 13.2 ± 0.6 ab 16.5 ± 1.9 b 30.1 30.4 N 80, K 80 12.2 ± 2.6 b 17.5 ± 4.3 b 22.8 41.8 †Within each variable, means followed by the same letter are not differ significantly at p < 0.05 (DMRT).

RZWQM2 Simulated Drip Fertigation Management to Improve Water and Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Maize in a Solar Greenhouse

The drip fertigation technique is a modern, efficient irrigation method to alleviate water scarcity and fertilizer surpluses in crop production, while the precise quantification of water and fertilizer inputs is difficult for drip fertigation systems. A field experiment of maize (Zea mays L.) in a solar greenhouse was conducted to meet different combinations of four irrigation rates (I125, I100, I75 and I50) and three nitrogen (N) fertilizer rates (N125, N100 and N75) under surface drip fertigation (SDF) systems. The Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM2) was used to assess the response of soil volumetric water content (VWC), leaf area index (LAI), plant height and maize yield to different SDF managements. The model was calibrated by the I100N100 scenario and validated by the remaining five scenarios (i.e., I125N100, I75N100, I50N100, I100N125 and I100N75). The predictions of VWC, LAI and plant height were satisfactory, with relative root mean square errors (RRMSE) &lt; 9.8%, the percent errors (PBIAS) within ±6%, indexes of agreement (IoA) &gt; 0.85 and determination of coefficients (R2) &gt; 0.71, and the relative errors (RE) of simulated yields were in the range of 1.5–7.2%. The simulation results showed that both irrigation and fertilization had multiple effects on water and N stresses. The calibrated model was subsequently used to explore the optimal SDF scenarios for maximizing yield, water use efficiency (WUE) or nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). Among the SDF managements of 21 irrigation rates × 31 N fertilizer rates, the optimal SDF scenarios were I120N130 for max yield (10516 kg/ha), I50N70 for max WUE (47.3 kg/(ha·mm)) and I125N75 for max NUE (30.2 kg/kg), respectively. The results demonstrated that the RZWQM2 was a promising tool for evaluating the effects of SDF management and achieving optimal water and N inputs.

Assessment of farmers' water and fertilizer practices and perceptions in the North China Plain

AbstractIrrigation and fertilization are vital to increasing crop yield, but their application often exceeds crop requirements. Excessive fertilization under inefficient irrigation depletes the already scarce water resources while contributing to water pollution. To overcome these problems, the introduction of fertigation in combination with modern irrigation technologies has been promoted in the North China Plain (NCP), but farmers have been reluctant to adopt such technologies. To better understand the current situation and farmers' perceptions, we performed a case study in the People's Victory Canal Irrigation District (PVCID) of NCP. A field survey was carried out using a participatory approach, and field monitoring was conducted on a representative farm. We found that farmers are generally satisfied with their irrigation and fertilization practices, although they result in low application efficiency and distribution uniformity. In principle, the lack of knowledge about how to implement fertigation technology, the small‐scale farming conditions, and the high cost of developing advanced fertigation systems are the main obstacles for fertigation adoption. We further conclude that (i) to improve the on‐farm performance in terms of efficiency and uniformity of irrigation and fertilization, evidence‐based guidelines are required to help farmers to implement; (ii) for effective adoption of new technologies, consideration of farmers' situation and perspectives is critical; and (iii) surface fertigation might be a good start for fertigation promotion.

Optimizing N-fertigation scheduling maintains yield and mitigates global warming potential of winter wheat field in North China Plain

Traditional methods of nitrogen fertilizer (urea) application are major causes of poor nitrogen use and serious greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), which translates into global warming. Rational scheduling of nitrogen fertilization is critical for the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions as well as ensuring sustainable food production. There is little information on the coupled analysis of global warming potential (GWP) and grain yield (GY) of winter wheat under a drip fertigation system. A two-year field experiment was conducted to determine the effect of split fertigation of nitrogen on GWP and yield of drip-irrigated winter wheat. The 5 levels of nitrogen schedule were as: N0-100 (all N fertilizer was applied as topdressing N), N25-75 (25% as basal N and 75% as topdressing N), N50-50 (50% as basal N and 50% as topdressing N), N75-25 (75% as basal N and 25% as topdressing N), and N100-0 (all N fertilizer was applied as basal and 0% topdressing N). The total nitrogen rate was 240 kg ha−1. The basal N doses were spread just before sowing and the topdressing N doses were applied through a drip fertigation system. The results revealed that N schedule significantly (P < 0.05) affected GHG (CO2, CH4 and N2O) emissions, GWP, GY, and subsequently the greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI). The lowest GWP (125.34 kg CO2 eq. ha−1) and GHGI (15.01 kg CO2 eq. Mg-1) were observed in N50–50 and N25-75 N scheduling, respectively. Compared with N100-0, the N scheduling of N25–75 and N50-50 significantly (P < 0.05) reduced GWP by 67.67 and 63.48%, respectively. A significantly higher yield (9.09 tons ha−1) was observed in the N50-50 treatment. The Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) specified that N50-50 N schedule provides the best results for minimized GWP at an acceptable GY. Therefore, the scheduling of 50% applied as basal N and other 50% as topdressing N through N-fertigation would be recommended for sustainable wheat production at a reduced risk of global warming in the North China Plain.

Compounding with humic acid improved nutrient uniformity in drip fertigation system using brackish water: The perspective of emitter clogging

Brackish water drip irrigation (BWDI) is an effective application to overcome the water scarcity issues and achieve sustainable agriculture development. However, emitter clogging and soil salinization is inevitable issue in BWDI, eventually threatening the environmental pollution and sustainable application of drip irrigation systems. Therefore, this study experimentally assessed the anti-clogging efficacy of compounding appropriate types of humic acid (HA) with conventional fertilizer in BWDI systems (BWDIs). Humic acid nitrogen (HAN), humic acid phosphate (HAP), humic acid potassium (HAK), were compounded with conventional fertilizers. Our results revealed, compared with conventional fertilizer (CK) the HA treatments indirectly affected the precipitates and particulate fouling by absorbing the active functional groups, and directly decreased the pH, calcium and magnesium contents in brackish irrigation water. Accordingly, HA compound fertilizer significantly reduced the fouling content of drip irrigation system, and the anti-clogging effect became better with the increase of HA application. Thus, based on better anti-clogging performance and minimum fertilizer costs, our results suggested, the HAN+HAK integrated fertigation could be an effective selection for BWDIs, which significantly enhanced the average discharge ratio and Christiansen coefficient of nutrient uniformity in BWDIs by 16.0% and 19.0% respectively. These results might provide a new guideline for the successful application of HA compound fertilizer in BWDIs, to increase the drip irrigation anti-clogging ability and overcome the agricultural non-point source pollution issues.

Interactive effect of soil moisture content and phosphorus fertilizer form on chickpea growth, photosynthesis, and nutrient uptake

Water shortage and soil nutrient depletion are considered the main factors limiting crops productivity in the Mediterranean region characterized by longer and frequent drought episodes. In this study, we investigated the interactive effects of P fertilizer form and soil moisture conditions on chickpea photosynthetic activity, water and nutrient uptake, and their consequent effects on biomass accumulation and nutrient use efficiency. Two P fertilizer formulas based on orthophosphates (Ortho-P) and polyphosphates (Poly-P) were evaluated under three irrigation regimes (I1: 75% of field capacity, I2: 50% FC and I3: 25% FC), simulating three probable scenarios of soil water content in the Mediterranean climate (adequate water supply, medium, and severe drought stress), and compared to an unfertilized treatment. The experiment was conducted in a spilt-plot design under a drip fertigation system. The results showed significant changes in chickpea phenotypic and physiological traits in response to different P and water supply regimes. Compared with the unfertilized treatment, the stomata density and conductance, chlorophyll content, photosynthesis efficiency, biomass accumulation, and plant nutrient uptake were significantly improved under P drip fertigation. The obtained results suggested that the P fertilizer form and irrigation regime providing chickpea plants with enough P and water, at the early growth stage, increased the stomatal density and conductance, which significantly improved the photosynthetic performance index (PIABS) and P use efficiency (PUE), and consequently biomass accumulation and nutrient uptake. The significant correlations established between leaf stomatal density, PIABS, and PUE supported the above hypothesis. We concluded that the Poly-P fertilizers applied in well-watered conditions (I1) performed the best in terms of chickpea growth improvement, nutrient uptake and use efficiency. However, their effectiveness was greatly reduced under water stress conditions, unlike the Ortho-P form which kept stable positive effects on the studied parameters.

Quantifying the Spatial Distribution of Soil Nitrogen under Long-Term Drip Fertigation

Quantifying the spatial distribution of nitrogen (N) in the soil under long-term drip fertigation events is essential for the optimal regulation of drip fertigation systems. In this study, a greenhouse soil that had been under drip irrigation for 20 years was selected as the research object, and soil samples were collected from the 0–50 cm soil depth. The concentrations of N in the soil samples were measured and their spatial distribution characteristics were quantified by classical statistical analysis and multifractal analysis. The results showed that long-term drip fertigation and the influence of natural factors resulted in the nitrate N mainly accumulating in the shallow layer of the soil and within a distance from the drip irrigation belt, and the spatial heterogeneity gradually decreased with increasing depth. The content of ammonium N was low, and its distribution was observed in the whole section. Multifractal analysis indicated that the Δα value of nitrate N and inorganic N gradually increased with the increase in the research scale, i.e., the spatial heterogeneity gradually increased, and it did not appreciably change for ammonium N. Meanwhile, the local high value region was the main factor leading to the spatial heterogeneity of N, and this dominant effect gradually increased with increasing depth. Multifractal analysis can effectively reflect the local information of the N spatial distribution in the soil and provide a more detailed description of the spatial heterogeneity of soil properties.

Developed for Hose Reel Irrigation Machines Determining Working Success of TURPO CLK FS Hardware

The aim of this study is determining of the working performance of the a new fertigation system (TURPO CLK FS) that developed for hose reel irrigation machines (HRIM). As a liquid fertilizers nitrogen and phosphorus were used. The HRIM was operated under two different irrigation water pressures (5 and 2.5 bar) conditions. The dosing pump was operated for two different frequencies (150 and 300 pulse/min). Field experiments were realised by using two different liquid chemical fertilizers and measured of pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and total dissolved solids (TDS) values. According to evaluation when using nitrogen fertilizer pH values ranged between 8.40 - 8.59, EC values 602.92 - 915.83 µS/cm, and the TDS values 294.17 - 451.25 mg/L at all sets. When using phosphorus fertilizer, pH values ranged between 7.13 - 8.03, EC values 485.42 - 519.58 µS/cm, and TDS values 236.25 - 252.92 mg/L. And then the Christiansen Coefficient of Uniformity (CCU) was calculated over 24 samples in each set. The CCU values were founded between 95.02% - 99.95%. As the result it has been concluded that the TURPO CLK FS could be used together with HRIM during fertigation applications.

The Design and Technical Performance of Two Aeroponic Systems in Ghana

Climate change and its associated variabilities is having major impacts on agricultural production across the globe. Sustainable production options that reduce the vulnerability of the food system to climate change impacts are being advocated for, with a lot of ongoing research in that direction. Aeroponics production, a soilless production system has been identified as a sustainable system that can produce food with less input (land per unit area, water, nutrient and energy). It also makes for an environmentally friendly production system. In areas of extreme soil degradation and limited land area and water, aeroponics have shown great advantages over geoponics and sustained production, thus improving on food security. The central and northern parts of Ghana where yams are predominantly grown, is challenged with access to fertile lands, rainfall variabilities and other associated threat such as pest and disease outbreaks and seasonal bush fires. The production of seed yam, which form about 25% of the production cost for yam cultivation is hampered by all these challenges. To abate these challenges and improve on the adaptation measures taken by farmers around the region, two aeroponic systems were developed in this research, to be used for the production of seed yams propagated from vine cuttings. Two designs were made: one power independent (the gravity-fed open loop system) and the other power dependent (pressurised close loop system). In the systems design, the following aspects were taken into consideration: selection of head control and emitter; design of laterals and pipe sizes (inlet and outlet pipes); and the selection of growth chamber and feed tank. Apart from the selection of the growth chamber and the design of laterals and outlet pipe, different design considerations were also taken into account for the gravity fed system. This included the selection of drip lines and emitter flow rate. Technical evaluation of the aeroponics systems were done to ascertain its effectiveness as a fertigation system based on the performance indicators for a sprinkler and drip irrigation system. Results from the technical evaluation gave a mister discharge for the power dependent system ranging from 59.00-60.5 kPa. The emitter flow rate, the equivalent evaluation parameter for the power independent system also ranges from 0.10-0.12 L/h. There was a linear correlation between the mister operating pressure, mister discharge and swath diameter for the power-dependent system. For a Christensen&amp;rsquo;s Coefficient of Uniformity (CU) and Distribution Uniformity (DU) values of 97.52% and 96.16% respectively, the power dependent system can be said to be very efficient in its operations. The same could be said for the power independent system having a CU and DU of 94.49% and 90.80% respectively. These two developed systems have shown their capability to be adopted for u se in seed yam production to reduce some of the associated challenges, especially, access to land, water, seasonal bush fires and pest and disease outbreaks.

Management of fertigation and its effects on irrigation systems performance and crop yield

The world demand on food is increasing by the global population growing. World food production can be increased by intensifying food crop production on land already under cultivation and expanding the planted to food crops. The success of both methods will depend on judicious use of fertilizers. Fertigation is application of plant nutrients through irrigation water. It is a modern agro-technique provides an excellent opportunity to maximize yield and minimize environmental pollution by increasing fertilizer use efficiency, minimizing fertilizer application and increasing return on the fertilizer invested. Basic components of fertigation system are chemical supply tank; injection system (pressure differential tank, venturi suction device, and positive displacement injection pump); and, safety and anti-pollution devices to prevent any potential contamination of the water source. The irrigation system could be affected due to unsuitable management of fertigation system. Use of fertilizers changes the injected solution pH. Some irrigation system components may be damaged due to increase of reactivity /corrosivity by lowering of solution pH to 6.5 or lower. Clogging of lines and emitters may become a problem if not managed appropriately.

The effect of smart fertigation systems on chilli grown in a greenhouse for urban farming

AbstractReasonable fertigation methods are essential for plant growth, as excessive or inadequate water and fertilizer supply can lead to plant diseases, resource consumption, or even crop production reduction. These problems are common to local farmers in Malaysia, especially for large‐scale chilli cultivation using traditional irrigation approaches in rural areas. These problems need to be addressed, as chilli are one of Malaysia's high‐cash crops with massive local demands. Realizing an efficient irrigation control approach using an innovative fertigation method is a potential solution to tackle such problems. This paper proposes a smart fertigation system for chilli cultivation in greenhouses in urban areas to increase chilli production and improve irrigation management. The proposed system utilized the fuzzy logic method for intelligent irrigation decisions, where the decision is based on the input data provided by soil moisture, temperature, and humidity sensors. In addition, the proposed system can monitor and control irrigation in the greenhouse remotely through a website that was developed using the Hostinger platform. The results showed that the fuzzy‐based fertigation approach produced approximately 50% irrigation application efficiency and a higher growth gradient and chilli yield than the traditional approach in both cycles.

Development of an Automated Linear Move Fertigation System for Cotton Using Active Remote Sensing

Optimum nitrogen (N) application is essential to the economic and environmental sustainability of cotton production. Variable-rate N fertigation could potentially help farmers optimize N applications, but current overhead irrigation systems normally lack automated site-specific variable-rate fertigation capabilities. The objective of this study was to develop an automated variable-rate N fertigation based on real-time Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) measurements from crop sensors integrated with a lateral move irrigation system. For this purpose, NDVI crop sensors and a flow meter integrated with Arduino microcontrollers were constructed on a linear move fertigation system at the Edisto Research and Education Center in Blackville, South Carolina. A computer program was developed to automatically apply site-specific variable N rates based on real-time NDVI sensor data. The system’s ability to use the NDVI data to prescribe N rates, the flow meter to monitor the flow of N, and a rotary encoder to establish the lateral’s position were evaluated. Results from this study showed that the system could accurately use NDVI data to calculate N rates when compared to hand calculated N rates using a two-sample t-test (p &gt; 0.05). Linear regression analysis showed a strong relationship between flow rates measured using the flow meter and hand calculations (R2 = 0.95), as well as the measured distance travelled using the encoder and the actual distance travelled (R2 = 0.99). This study concludes that N management decisions can be automated using NDVI data from on-the-go handheld GreenSeeker crop sensors. The developed system can provide an alternative N application solution for farmers and researchers.