ARS | Publication request: MONITORING WATER USE, NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT, DRAINAGE AND LEACHATE IN POT-IN-POT NURSERY CONTAINER PRODUCTION

Submitted to: Agricultural Engineering International Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: May 30, 2005
Publication Date: September 30, 2005
Repository URL: http://www.ars.usda.gov/sp2UserFiles/Place/36071000/Publications/Zhu179648_2005_WaterUse.pdf
Citation: Zhu, H., Krause, C.R., Zondag, R. 2005. Monitoring water use, nutrient management, drainage and leachate in pot-in-pot nursery container production. In: 9th International Congress on Mechanization and Energy in Agriculture and 27th International Conference of CIGR, September 27-29, 2005, Izmir-Turkey. p. 264-269.

Technical Abstract: An experimental system to examine water and fertilizer application in pot-in-pot nursery container production was established in a commercial nursery field. The system mainly consisted of three plots containing 50 trees planted in 50 pot-in-pot containers and irrigated with micro spray stakes, drainage water measurements devices, container-substrate moisture probes, thermocouples, a weather station and data loggers. Content level of nitrate nitrogen, phosphate and potassium in drainage water was determined by a liquid Ion chromatography analyzer and a Simultaneous ICP analyzer. The system provided a method to monitor not only the use of water and nutrients, drainage water quality, tree growth and substrate temperature and moisture content, but also monitor level and timing of nitrogen, phosphate and potassium loss through drainage to optimize fertility management practices, and protect water resources by aiding decisions whether drainage water should be recycled or released from the nursery.