Paris-Horgen: International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA), International Potash Institute (IPI), 2011. - 141 pp.
ISBN 978-2-9523139-8-8
This book on fertigation is a joint project of the International Potash Institute (IPI) and the International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA) intended for the fertilizer industry, scientists, extension workers and policy makers as a source of information on soil-water-fertilizer interactions during fertigation. The authors attempted to bring together various knowledge and information on plant physiology, plant nutrition and irrigation, which they synthesized into practical information in relation to fertigation of field and greenhouse operations. Through fertigation, the principles of the 4Rs (right source, at the right rate, right time and right place) are reaffirmed as the reader is given advice on the selection of appropriate fertilizer products for fertigation in growing various field and horticultural crops. The suitability of some fertilizers for fertigation is explained from the point of the plantβs physiological demand at various growth stages, the soil or growing media type, climatic conditions and irrigation water quality.
C o n t e n t s.
About the book.
About the authors.
Acknowledgements.
List of abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols.
Summary.
Introduction.
Fertigation.Definition.
Fertigation equipment.
Fertilizer dosing in fertigation.
Suitability of fertilizers for fertigation.
Soil properties and plant growth conditions.Water regime and distribution in soil.
Oxygen regime.
Root distribution.
Salt and nutrient distribution.
Nutrients supply from a point source.
Fertigation in alkaline vs. acid soils.
Nitrogen (N) in fertigation.Nitrogen forms in fertilizers.
Reactions in the soil.
Basic considerations in N fertilizer application in fertigation.
Suitability of N fertilizer forms to soil and growing conditions.
Movement of N forms in fertigation and application strategies.
Plant physiological considerations.
Quantitative schemes for N fertigation according to plant growth.
N uptake.
Phosphorus (P) in fertigation.Phosphate interactions with soil particles: sorption, desorption, precipitation and recovery.
Root excretion and P uptake.
The effect of N fertilizers on P uptake.
Phosphate movement in the soil from a dripper point.
Phosphorus fertilizers.
P uptake.
Potassium (K) in fertigation.Potassium interactions with soil particles: sorption, desorption and fixation.
Types of K fertilizers in fertigation.
Advantages of fertigation with K.
Evaluation of anions of K fertilizers in fertigation.
K movement from a dripper point.
K uptake.
Secondary nutrients in fertigation.Calcium (Ca).
Magnesium (Mg).
Sulfur (S).
Water sources of Ca, Mg and S.
Micronutrients.Visual observations.
Micronutrients in fertigation.
Forms of micronutrient fertilizers used in fertigation.
Micronutrients availability as a function of soil pH.
Water quality and fertigation.Effect on plant nutrition.
Water quality and the irrigation system.
Fertigation of field crops.Maize.
Cotton.
Fertigation of fruit crops.Banana.
Vineyard.
Fertigation of vegetable crops.Potato.
Tomatoes.
Fertigation in flowers and ornamental plants grown in soil.Impatiens.
Roses.
Carnations.
Fertigation of crops in soilless culture and growth media.Definition of growth media.
Growth media used in containers to grow plants.
Characteristics of growth media.
Chemical characteristics and nutrient content.
Application of fertigation.
Monitoring water, soil and plant in fertigation.Monitoring the quality of irrigation water.
Monitoring in soil and growth media.
Monitoring the plants.
Future trends in fertigation.
Bibliography