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Title: Nursery Production Technologies for Enhancing Water Quality Protection and Water Conservation

Author
item Albano, Joseph
item OWEN, JIM - Oregon State University
item WHITE, SARAH - Clemson University
item YEAGER, TOM - University Of Florida
item WILSON, CHRIS - University Of Florida
item BAUERLE, WILLIAM - Colorado State University
item BILDERBACK, TED - North Carolina State University

Submitted to: Workshop Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/1/2009
Publication Date: 3/3/2010
Citation: 2010. Nursery Production Technologies for Enhancing Water Quality Protection and Water Conservation. Workshop Proceedings. Available: http://www.ars.usda.gov/docs.htm?docid=19692&dropcache=true&mode=preview&modecode=02-06-00-00

Interpretive Summary: Floral and Nursery Research Initiative, Nursery Production Technologies for Enhancing Water Quality Protection and Water Conservation project project information presented at the Third USDA-ARS Floral and Nursery Research Crops Researchers' Workshop, October 14-15, 2009, Cleveland, Ohio can be viewed at: http://ars.usda.gov/docs.htm?docid=19692&dropcache=true&mode=preview&modecode=02-06-00-00

Technical Abstract: The broad objectives of the Floral and Nursery Research Initiative, Nursery Production Technologies for Enhancing Water Quality Protection and Water Conservation project are to develop economically feasible production systems and management practices that promote water conservation and protect water quality while sustaining or improving crop quality, production, and profitability. Specific objectives include: improving water and nutrient use efficiency, capturing and recycling runoff, and remediating runoff containing excess nutrients and residual pesticides prior to offsite discharge. To achieve these objectives, the research team has engaged in research that addresses problems associated with (1) production inputs, (2) production systems, and (3) production outputs. Together, the project takes a whole-systems approach to environmental resource management. Growers can use multiple decision support tools to manage inputs, specifically a web-based simulation tool and crop models ensuring efficient use of nutrients and water while estimating runoff quantity and quality. As an example, runoff volume and quality can be calculated at the container level when growers take a systems approach to predict plant growth and water and nutrient requirements with the Container Crop Resource Optimization Program (CCROP). Growers can also change current management strategies to maximize nutrient and water use efficiency and minimize runoff for containerized nursery crops by using an automated, weight-based irrigation method along with substrate composition . Lastly, nursery runoff undergoes remediation for excess nutrients prior to offsite discharge or onsite containment for irrigation recycling using mixed constructed wetland systems, bacterial-based bioreactor systems for nitrate-nitrogen removal, and algae turf scrubber systems.