Authors:
Blaine Hanson
UC Irrigation and Drainage Specialist, Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources, UC Davis
Neil O'Connell
Farm Advisor, Tulare County, UCCE
Jan Hopmans
Professor, Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources, UC Davis
Jirka Simunek
Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences,
UC Riverside
Robert BeedeFarm Advisor, Kings County, UCCE
2006, 49 pp - Publication# 21620- $25
Last revised: Fall 2006
If you have comments or suggestions, please email the LAWR webmaster at lawrweb@ucdavis.edu
Last updated February 2, 2007
Fertigation and Microirrigation
Publication #21620
Table of Contents
List of Tables
List of Figures
Introduction
Characteristics of Selected Fertilizers Commonly Used for Fertigation
- Units of Concentration
- Characteristics of Fertilizers
- Fertilizers Commonly Used with Microirrigation
- Considerations and Constraints
Where does the Nitrogen Go?
- Forms of Nitrogen
- How Nitrogen is Taken Up
- Leaching
Fertigation Strategies
- Considerations
- Long-duration and Short-duration Fertigation
- Which is the best Strategy?
Applying the Right Amount of Fertilizer
- Calculating the Injection Rate or Injection Duration
Nitrogen Irrigation in Water
- Crop Response to Leaching Fraction and Salt Distribution
Frequency of Fertigation
Applying Fertilizers Uniformly with Microirrigation
- Fieldwide Uniformity
- Localized Uniformity
Nitrogen Fertilizer Distribution Around Drip Lines
- Nitrate Distribution
- Effect of Fertigation Strategy on Nitrate Distribution
- Urea Distribution
- Ammonium Distribution
- Conclusions
Phosporus and Potassium Fertilizer Distribution Around Drip Lines
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
Injecting Gypsum
- Reasons for Injecting Gypsum
- Water Quality Effects
- Calculating Gypsum Amounts
- Considerations in in Injecting Gypsum
Mixing Considerations
- Fertilizer-Water Reactions
- Mixing Fertilizers
Injection Devices
- Batch Tanks
- Venturi Injectors
- Positive Displacement Pumps
Preventing Backflow
- Backflow Prevention Devices
Safety Concerns
Please direct any comments or questions about the material contained herein to Blaine Hanson (email: brhanson@ucdavis.edu), Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, telephone number: (530) 752-1130; fax number: (530) 752-1552.