Nutrient Management Research Database

http://ucanr.edu/sites/Nutrient_Management_Solutions/files/212662.pdf

To realize benefits from drip irrigation systems requires careful management of both water and fertilizer inputs. Determination of both crop irrigation and nitrogen fertigation requirements is essential. Factors such as water loss rate, plant growth habits, system inefficiencies, nitrogen cycling, soil N availability, crop N needs, and irrigation water N content must be carefully monitored. The tendency to use excessive water and fertilizer in drip irrigation systems can be shortsighted and environmentally undesirable.

This article presents a summary of the basics of irrigation and fertigation management for vegetable production.  Topics covered include:

• Determining water requirement
• Determining N requirements
• Fertility planning 

This article is a summary a that recommends best practices for irrigation management and fertigation in vegetable production.  The best practices and key factors to consider, as well as potential areas of concern are summarized here.  

The author first discusses the necessity of determining crop water requirement, highlighting evapotranspiration, crop growth stage, irrigation frequency and timing vs. volume of irrigation water as key factors to consider.  This section also mentions ways to deal with system inefficiencies and methods to avoid over-irrigation.

The next section focuses on determining N requirements and presents crop uptake pattern, soil N pools, fertilizer application frequency and crop N status as factors to consider.  

Developing a fertility plan is the final topic presented, and the author suggests that estimating soil and water N, as well as the crop development rate are keys to fertilizing efficiently. A table of N fertigation requirements of vegetable crops in California is also included, as well as a sample pepper fertigation template.