Plant Nutrition for Food Security Plant Nutrition for Food Security a Guide for Integrated Nutrient Management

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Load more

I S S FAO N 0 FERTILIZER 2 5 9 AND PLANT - 2 4 1 NUTRITION 9 6 16 BULLETIN 5 FAO FERTILIZER AND PLANT NUTRITION BULLETIN 16 Plant nutrition for food security Plant nutrition for food security A guide for integrated nutrient management A guide for integrated nutrient management P l a n t n u t r Food security is a major global concern. It depends to a i t i o considerable extent on efficient plant nutrition. n f Extensive information on various aspects of plant o r f nutrition has been generated in the recent past. o o d However, this information remains scattered in several s e c publications. This bulletin provides comprehensive u r i t updated coverage of the key aspects of plant nutrition y — with special reference to integrated nutrient A management for crop production. The topics covered g u i include: present and future demand for plant nutrients; d e f food security and agricultural production; plant nutrients o r i and the basics of plant nutrition; soil fertility and crop n t e production; sources of plant nutrients and soil g r a t amendments; optimizing plant nutrition; guidelines for e d the management of plant nutrients and their sources; n u t nutrient management guidelines for major field crops; r i e n economic and policy issues of plant nutrition; plant t m nutrition, food quality and consumer health; and plant a n a nutrition and environmental issues. g e m e n t ISBN 92-5-105490-8 ISSN 0259-2495 F 978 9 2 5 1 0 5 4 9 0 1 A TC/M/A0443E/1/03.06/1100 O Cover photograph: Close-up of rice. Madagascar. FAO/12737/Ch. Errath. Copies of FAO publications can be requested from: SALES AND MARKETING GROUP Information Division Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Viale delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome, Italy E-mail: [email protected] Fax: (+39) 06 57053360 Web site: http://www.fao.org FAO FERTILIZER Plant nutrition for AND PLANT NUTRITION food security BULLETIN A guide for integrated nutrient management 16 by R.N. Roy Land and Water Development Division FAO, Rome, Italy A. Finck University of Kiel Kiel, Germany G.J. Blair University of New England Armidale, Australia H.L.S. Tandon Fertiliser Development and Consultation Organisation New Delhi, India FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Rome, 2006 The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal or delopment status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. ISBN 92-5-105490-8 All rights reserved. Reproduction and dissemination of material in this information product for educational or other non-commercial purposes are authorized without any prior written permission from the copyright holders provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of material in this information product for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without written permission of the copyright holders. Applications for such permission should be addressed to: Chief Publishing Management Service Information Division FAO Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy or by e-mail to: [email protected] © FAO 2006 iii Contents Preface ix Acknowledgements x List of abbreviations and acronyms xi 1. Introduction 1 Present and future demands for plant nutrients in developing regions 2 2. Food security and agricultural production 5 Striving for food security 5 Food security for a growing world population 7 Food production prospects in developing countries 11 Problems and possibilities 14 Demands on agriculture for providing food security 17 Nutrients in production and consumption cycles and nutrient transfers 19 3. Plant nutrients and basics of plant nutrition 25 Plant nutrients 25 Nutrients – their functions, mobility in plants and deficiency/toxicity symptoms 27 Basics of plant nutrition 34 Root growth and nutrient uptake 40 Efficient use of nutrients 42 4. Soil fertility and crop production 43 Soils as a basis for crop production 43 Soil constituents 45 Soil properties and plant requirements 49 Nutrients in soils and uptake by plants 60 Dynamics of plant nutrients in soils 65 Dynamics of major nutrients 66 Assessment of available nutrient status of soils and plants 74 Impact of soil fertility on crop productivity 83 Fertility management of soils in different climate regions 85 iv 5. Sources of plant nutrients and soil amendments 91 Mineral sources of nutrients (fertilizers) 92 Organic sources of nutrients 119 Biofertilizers (microbial inoculants) 130 Soil amendments 136 6. Optimizing plant nutrition 141 General aspects 141 Basic information for optimizing crop nutrition 148 Strategies for optimizing nutrient management 164 Integrated nutrient–water management for optimizing plant nutrition 167 Plant nutrition and resistance to stress 174 Nutrient management in different cropping systems 177 Optimizing nutrient management in dryland and irrigated farming 186 7. Guidelines for the management of plant nutrients and their sources 193 Preconditions for successful nutrient management 193 Guidelines for nutrient management through fertilizers 196 Guidelines for fertilizer application 208 Guidelines for the application of organic manures 223 Guidelines for the application of biofertilizers 226 Application of soil amendments 232 8. Nutrient management guidelines for some major field crops 235 Cereals and millets 235 Grain legumes 243 Oil crops 244 Root and tuber crops 251 Sugar crops 255 Fibre crops 258 Pastures 260 9. Economic and policy issues of plant nutrition 263 Factors affecting decision–making 263 Economics of fertilizer application 269 v Economics of organic manures and biofertilizers 273 Policies for effective plant nutrition 274 10. Plant nutrition, food quality and consumer health 281 General aspects 281 Plant nutrition and product quality 285 Consumer health issues and food quality 292 11. Plant nutrition and environmental issues 299 Basic effects of nutrient management on the environment 299 Environmental aspects of plant nutrients 302 Minimizing the negative environmental effect of nutrient use 310 Glossary 315 Bibliography 339 Units and conversion factors 347 vi List of figures 1. The effect of fertilizer on wheat grain yields in the Broadbalk Experiment, Rothamsted Experimental Station, the United Kingdom 1 2. Mineral fertilizer consumption in terms of N + P2O5 + K2O on arable land, by region 2 3. Population of developing regions and cereal yields 7 4. Estimated global trends in population, cereal yields and source of plant nutrients 8 5. Relationship between human population and average cereal yields in six regions 9 6. World population, arable area and cereal yields from 1800 to 1999 12 7. Yield gap at various levels in relation to production factors 13 8. Plant nutrients in production and consumption cycles 20 9. Demonstration of the law of the minimum using a barrels with staves of different heights 35 10. Example of yield-limiting minimum factors 36 11. Plant growth and yield dependence on nutrient supply 38 12. Uptake of nutrients from the soil by a root hair, using Ca as an example 40 13. A vertical cross-section of a typical soil profile showing soil horizons 44 14. The World Soil Map 45 15. The average proportion of various constituents in a common soil on volume basis 47 16. USDA classification of soil texture classes according to proportions of sand, silt and clay 50 17. Soil pH and nutrient availability 57 18. Optimal soil pH for different crops 58 19. Fractions of major nutrients in the soil 63 20. The nitrogen cycle 66 21. Phosphate dynamics in the soil 67 22. Schematic representation of the three important soil P fractions for plant nutrition 68 23. Potassium dynamics in the soil 69 24. The sulphur cycle 71 25. Representative soil sampling for small and large fields 75 26. Guide for fertilizer compatibility and mixing 118 27. Effects of liming on soil properties 137 28. Yield response to balanced plant nutrition 143 29. Inputs and outputs of a plant nutrient balance sheet with N as an example 147 vii 30. A simplified depiction of nutrient additions and removals 152 31. An illustration of the partial recovery of applied nutrients by crops 158 32. Nitrogen-use efficiency in selected Asian countries, 1995–97 160 33. Plant nutrient (N, P and K) input/output fluxes on a farm for balance calculation 163 34. The influence of soil water status on plant nutrition 168 35. Effect of rainfall on crop yield 170 36. Response of rainfed wheat to nitrogen in soils with different stored moisture levels 173 37. Effect of potassium application on frost injury to potato 176 38. Penetration and incorporation of fertilizer nutrients into the rootzone 210 39. Fertilizer placement by different methods 212 40. Equipment for fertilizer distribution 213 41. Relationship between pH and gypsum requirement in soils of different texture 233 42. Average yields of 4 dwarf and 7 tall indica rice varieties as affected by N fertilization 238 43. Effect of N fertilizer on maize in relation to plant population 241 44. Nutrient uptake and growth of winter oilseed rape in different stages 248 45. An example of the decision-making process used by farmers 264 46. Response function of wheat grain yield to added N established in a field experiment 266 47. Relationship between crop response and profit 268 48. Yield response to P application at a fixed site when P is re-applied in three successive years 271 49. The effect of fodder quality, resulting from differences in soil fertility status and external nutrient supply, on the health and productivity of grazing animals 296 50. The movement of P in surface water flow 306 51.
Recommended publications
  • Managing Potassium for Organic Crop Production by Robert Mikkelsen an Adequate K Supply Is Essential for Both Organic and Conventional Crop Production

    Managing Potassium for Organic Crop Production by Robert Mikkelsen an Adequate K Supply Is Essential for Both Organic and Conventional Crop Production

    NORTH AMERICA Managing Potassium for Organic Crop Production By Robert Mikkelsen An adequate K supply is essential for both organic and conventional crop production. Potas- sium is involved in many plant physiological reactions, including osmoregulation, protein synthesis, enzyme activation, and photosynthate translocation. The K balance on many farms is negative, where more K is removed in harvested crops than is returned again to the soil. An overview of commonly used K fertilizers for organic production is provided. otassium is an essential nutrient for plant growth, but it often receives less attention than N and P in many crop Pproduction systems. Many regions of the U.S.A. and all of the Canadian provinces remove more K during harvest than is returned to the soil in fertilizer and manure (Figure 1). In the U.S.A., an average of only 3 units of K is replaced as fertilizer and manure for every 4 units of K removed in crops, resulting in a depletion of nutrients from the soil and increasing occur- rences of deficiency in many places. Potassium is the soil cation required in the largest amount by plants, regardless of nutrient management philosophy. 1,400 Removal 1,200 Hay and forage crops can remove hundreds of pounds of K from the soil Manure each year, placing a heavy demand on soil resources. 1,000 Fertilizer Large amounts of K are required to maintain plant health 800 and vigor. Some specific roles of K in the plant include os- moregulation, internal cation/anion balance, enzyme activa- 600 tion, proper water relations, photosynthate translocation, and 400 protein synthesis.
  • Section 4. Nutrient Management for Water Quality

    Section 4. Nutrient Management for Water Quality

    SECTION FOUR NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT FOR WATER QUALITY Many hobby farmers measure success by the abundance of their harvest of fruits and vegetables or their forage crops. This achievement can often be traced back to healthy soil and nutrient management practices. SOME HOBBY FARMERS ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE SITES WITH A THICK LAYER OF FERTILE SOIL RICH IN MICROORGANISMS. HOWEVER, EVEN GOOD SOILS CAN BECOME NUTRIENT DEPLETED OR ERODE OVER TIME. REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU ARE GROWING, SOILS WILL GENERALLY NEED TO BE MANAGED TO RETURN NUTRIENTS INTO THE SOIL TO SUPPORT HEALTHY PLANT GROWTH. THE HOBBY FARMER SHOULD CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS IN DEVELOPING A HEALTHY SOILS MANAGEMENT PLAN: • Why does annual soil testing help save time and money? • What nutrients are needed for plant health? (Hint: It’s not just about nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) • What’s the difference between fertilizers and soil amendments? Organic and synthetic? • How can you improve nutrient retention in your soil through crop rotation, succession planting, intercropping, and companion planting? • What are the best techniques to compost and to recycle and reuse materials you likely already have? • How should you apply fertilizers, manure, and soil amendments for best results? While nutrients are an essential component of many natural environments, an overabundance in our surface water can cause a reduction in water quality. SECTION FOUR :: NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT FOR WATER QUALITY Phosphorus and nitrogen from fertilizers can result in: • excessive aquatic plant growth choking waterways and making them impassable; • depletion of dissolved oxygen which is essential for fsh; and • creating an ideal environment for toxic algal blooms that can be a health threat to people and pets, often causing recreational areas to close.
  • Nutrient Management and Imbalances David H

    Nutrient Management and Imbalances David H

    98 Nutrient Management and Imbalances David H. Gent, J Robert Sirrine, and Heather M. Darby Hop plants produce abundant biomass in the form of bines, leaves, and cones. High- yielding plants such as hop require adequate nutrition. Many of the various nutrients required by hop may be deficient or in excess of the crop’s needs. It can be difficult to pinpoint the cause of abnormal plant symptoms, especially if multiple production factors lead to the same symptom. General symptoms associated with nutrient imbalances are described in this section, as well as known nutrient interactions with diseases and arthropod pests. Fertilization recommendations are beyond the scope of this pest management guide and are not provided. Recommendations vary widely in published literature, differing among production regions, varieties, irrigation methods, soil types, and production goals. Readers should seek input from local experts for guidance appropriate to their region and situation. Boron Iron Boron deficiency can result in delayed Iron deficiency is first observed on emergence of shoots; stunting, distortion, young leaves as yellowing between veins, and crinkling of young leaves (Fig. 257); while veins remain green (Fig. 260, right- and yellowing and death of shoot tips (Fig. hand image, and Fig. 261). Iron deficiency 258). Leaves of affected plants may be small is most common in alkaline soils, although and brittle, and may develop a fluffy-tipped it can be induced in highly acidic soils appearance due to impaired development (approximately pH 5.7 or less) because of lobes (Fig. 259). Deficiencies are most of enhanced solubility and uptake of common in acid and/or sandy textured soils.
  • Using Manure and Compost As Nutrient Sources for Vegetable Crops

    Using Manure and Compost As Nutrient Sources for Vegetable Crops

    Nutrient Management for Fruit & Vegetable Crop Production Carl J. Rosen and Peter M. Bierman Department of Soil, Water, and Climate University of Minnesota USING MANURE AND COMPOST AS NUTRIENT SOURCES FOR VEGETABLE CROPS Manure is a valuable fertilizer for any farming operation and has been used for centuries to supply needed nutrients for crop growth. The use of manure has generally declined on many farms over the past 50 years due to: 1) Farm specialization with increasing separation of crop and livestock production, 2) Cost of transporting manure, which is a bulky, relatively low analysis nutrient source, and 3) Increased availability of high analysis synthetic fertilizers that usually provide a cheaper source per unit of nutrient than manure. Despite these limitations, manure (and other organic nutrient sources) produced on or near a vegetable farm provide many benefits and should be beneficially utilized whenever possible. Manure and compost not only supply many nutrients for crop production, including micronutrients, but they are also valuable sources of organic matter. Increasing soil organic matter improves soil structure or tilth, increases the water-holding capacity of coarse-textured sandy soils, improves drainage in fine-textured clay soils, provides a source of slow release nutrients, reduces wind and water erosion, and promotes growth of earthworms and other beneficial soil organisms. Most vegetable crops return small amounts of crop residue to the soil, so manure, compost, and other organic amendments help maintain soil organic matter levels. Proper use of manure and compost is essential from both a production and environmental standpoint. Applying rates that are too low can lead to nutrient deficiency and low yields.
  • Aeroponics System of Cultivation in Horticultural Crops

    Aeroponics System of Cultivation in Horticultural Crops

    Vol.1 Issue-1, September,2020 Aeroponics System of Cultivation in Horticultural Crops Deeptimayee Sahoo Ph.D Research Scholar Dept. of Vegetable Sciences, Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, BBSR, Odisha-751003 Mail- [email protected] ARTICLE ID: 007 Population of earth is expected to rise by 3 billion people. It is estimated that approximately 109 hectares of additional traditional land will be needed to feed them. Only 80% of the Earth’s arable land is suitable for farming now. A greater quantity of hectares with optimum inputs is needed every day to feed the rising population. This chain of high priority problems requires an improvement in the management of the use of resources so that human consumption has the priority in its use. To solve the problems mentioned, new farming methods have been searched, one of them being aeroponics. With this technique, the plants are held by certain structures that are maintained in a way that the roots are sustained up in the air. Aeroponic literally means “growing in air.” An aeroponic system is medium-less in that the roots of the plant are free hanging inside an open root-zone atmosphere. Aeroponics structure supplies optimum levels of water, nutrients and air to the growing chamber. Aeroponics is the process of growing plants in an air or mist environment without use of soil or an aggregate media. The word aeroponic is derived from the Latin word ‘aero’ (air) and ‘ponic’ means labour (work). This is an alternative method of soil-less culture in growth-controlled environments. The aeroponic culture technique is an optional device of soil-less culture in growth-controlled environments such as greenhouses.
  • Plant Nutrition and IPM – with an Emphasis on Trees & Vines

    Plant Nutrition and IPM – with an Emphasis on Trees & Vines

    Plant Nutrition and IPM – with an emphasis on trees & vines Gregg Young, M.A. Certified Professional Agronomist Pest Control Advisor Sustainable Ag Expo San Luis Obispo, Ca. November 15, 2016 Gregg Young, CPAg 2016 www.qfirst.net 1 The Disease Triangle It takes all 3 components for disease to Pest / infect Pathogen Environmental Susceptible Conditions Host Gregg Young, CPAg 2016 2 www.qfirst.net The Disease Triangle It takes all 3 components for disease to Pest / infect Pathogen Environmental Susceptible Conditions Host Gregg Young, CPAg 2016 3 www.qfirst.net Often in IPM we spend our efforts monitoring the pest/disease and the environmental conditions Gregg Young, CPAg 2016 www.qfirst.net 4 All of the biomass that makes up a mature tree or vine comes from the soil, water & air Gregg Young, CPAg 2016 www.qfirst.net 5 Modern agriculture squeezes the most it can out of the agroecosystem Pears, Apples: 20+ tons/ac Tomatoes: 50+ tons/ac Grapes: 5-12 tons/ac Hay crops: 20+ tons/ac 6 Gregg Young, CPAg 2016 www.qfirst.net Crops need a biologically active, aerated root zone Gregg Young, CPAg 2016 www.qfirst.net 7 Drip irrigation – nutrient removal is from a smaller area; nutrient management is critical 8 Gregg Young, CPAg 2016 www.qfirst.net Early pioneers who called for attention to soil fertility in managing pests & diseases: • J.I. Rodale (1898-1971) "Healthy Soil = Healthy Food = Healthy People" • William Albrecht (1888-1974) “Food is fabricated fertility” 9 Gregg Young, CPAg 2016 www.qfirst.net 10 Gregg Young, CPAg 2016 www.qfirst.net Early Researchers: Nutrient-Pest & Disease Relations: • We may also speculate on the possibility of influencing the population development of these mites by enhancing their food substrate through managing the fertilization of the host plant.
  • Comparative Performance of Integrated Nutrient Management

    Comparative Performance of Integrated Nutrient Management

    agronomy Article Comparative Performance of Integrated Nutrient Management between Composted Agricultural Wastes, Chemical Fertilizers, and Biofertilizers in Improving Soil Quantitative and Qualitative Properties and Crop Yields under Arid Conditions Nasser Al-Suhaibani 1, Mostafa Selim 2, Ali Alderfasi 1 and Salah El-Hendawy 1,3,* 1 Department of Plant Production, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, KSA, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; [email protected] (N.A.-S.); [email protected] (A.A.) 2 Field Crops Research Department, Agricultural Division, National Research Centre, 33 Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt; [email protected] 3 Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +966-5-3531-8364 Received: 29 July 2020; Accepted: 1 October 2020; Published: 3 October 2020 Abstract: The primary goal of integrated nutrient management (INM) strategies is to substitute a portion of chemical fertilizers with a more sustainable and environmentally safe organic compost in order to mitigate soil degradation, improve crop production, and protect the environment. Therefore, the present study was conducted to assess the impacts of different INM practices, namely full-dose 1 1 NPK (T1), compost of cow manure at 5 t ha− (T2), compost of poultry manure at 5 t ha− (T3), 1 compost of mixed sheep and camel manure at 5 t ha− (T4), 50% NPK combined with the mixture 1 1 of the three types of composts at the rate of 5 t ha− (T5) or 10 t ha− (T6), and mixture of the three 1 1 1 types of composts at the rate of 10 t ha− (T7), 15 t ha− (T8), or 20 t ha− (T9) with or without biofertilizers for each treatment on several physiochemical and biological proprieties of soil and final grain yield of field crops after 2 years of field-scale experiments.
  • Plant Nutrient Management - V.L

    Plant Nutrient Management - V.L

    MANAGEMENT OF AGRICULTURAL, FORESTRY, AND FISHERIES ENTERPRISES – Vol. I - Plant Nutrient Management - V.L. Bailey, L. Kryzanowski PLANT NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT V.L. Bailey and L. Kryzanowski Agronomy Unit, Alberta Agriculture Food, and Rural Development, Canada Keywords: Soil, fertilizer, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, crop uptake, crop removal, precision farming Contents 1. Introduction 2. Macronutrients for Crop Production 2.1. Nitrogen 2.2. Phosphorus 2.3. Potassium 2.4. Sulfur 3. Removal of Nutrients by Crops 3.1. Cereals 3.2. Forages 3.3. Legumes 3.4. Oilseeds 3.5. Root Crops 4. Replacement of Soil Nutrients 4.1. Nitrogen Fixation 4.2. Mycorrhiza 4.3. Organic Amendments 4.4. Commercial Fertilizers 4.5. Crop Rotation Management 5. Precision Farming 6. Future Concerns Acknowledgements Glossary Bibliography Biographical Sketches Summary UNESCO – EOLSS Plant nutrient management is critical to the sustainability of agricultural production systems. Nitrogen,SAMPLE phosphorus, potassium aCHAPTERSnd sulfur are the four macronutrients required for crop growth. In order to maintain agricultural sustainability, nutrients that are removed from the soil by crops must be replaced. Different crops have different nutrient demands and the proportion of nutrients taken up by the plant may not be the same as that exported. There are several methods of ensuring that soil nutrient replacement occurs. (1) Biological mechanisms—includes symbiotic associations of crops with specialized microorganisms, such as nitrogen fixers or mycorrhiza. (2) Return of nutrients to the soil as organic amendments such as crop residues, livestock manure, and other amendments. (3) Commercially produced inorganic fertilizers are the most widely used method to replace soil nutrients, and the wide variety of fertilizers ©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) MANAGEMENT OF AGRICULTURAL, FORESTRY, AND FISHERIES ENTERPRISES – Vol.
  • Integrated Nutrient Management of Organic and Bio-Fertilizer to Enhance Maize Production

    Integrated Nutrient Management of Organic and Bio-Fertilizer to Enhance Maize Production

    Journal of Environmental Treatment Techniques 2019, Volume 7, Issue 3, Pages: 334-340 J. Environ. Treat. Tech. ISSN: 2309-1185 Journal weblink: http://www.jett.dormaj.com Integrated Nutrient Management of Organic and Bio-Fertilizer to Enhance Maize Production Magda, H. Mohamed, Nabila, M. Zaki, M. S. Hassanein, Amal, G. Ahmed, and M. M. Tawfik Field Crops Research Dept., National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth st., 12622,Dokki, Giza, Egypt. Received: 12/04/2019 Accepted: 24/06/2019 Published: 01/12/2019 Abstract Integrated nutrient management (INM) is the concept of using a combination of organic, inorganic, and biological amendments to increase nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and reduce nutrient loss by synchronizing crop demand with nutrient availability in soil. In order to produce more food with limited space, farmers utilize several techniques. One of the best techniques is application of different types of organic and biofertilizers in soil in integrated nutrient management system and consequently maintain the soil nutrients level. It allows plant to grow, flourish, and keep the environment save. Importance of maize (Zea mays L.) crop is justified by its nutritious content especially because of the presence of high protein, minerals, vitamins and other energetic nutrients. In Egypt, maize production is insufficient, so various strategies have been developed to improve its production. In order to study the promoting effect of organic and biofertilizer on growth and yield of maize plant, a field experiment was conducted in Wadi El-Rayan, Fayoum Governorate, Egypt, during the two successive seasons of 2014 and 2015 to study the impact of organic or/and bio-fertilizer on growth, yield and its components and some chemical contents of two maize cultivars.
  • Hop Fertigation and Nutrient Management

    Hop Fertigation and Nutrient Management

    3/5/2015 Hop Fertigation and Fertigation: Nutrient Management Fertilizing through the irrigation system Dr. Ron Goldy, MSUE Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center www.hops‐super‐styrian.eu weblinfarm.com http://www.toro.com/en‐us/agriculture/pages/drip‐ irrigation‐education/financing/payback‐wizard.aspx This does not constitute an endorsement. This is just a good site for information. www.ontariohopgrowersassociation.ca 1 3/5/2015 You will become a plumber! http://www.trickl‐eez.com/ This does not constitute an endorsement. This is just a good site for information. Influence of Soil Type on Pressure? Irrigation Strategy Course Soil (sand): Rapid uptake, High permeability, Low retention Therefore, Prone to leaching Fine Soil (clay): Slow uptake, Low permeability, High retention Therefore, Prone to run‐off 2 3/5/2015 Factors Influencing Water Application CEC is an Indirect Measurement of Climate: Rainfall Wind Soil Surface Area Temperature Light Level Soil Type: Sand –Loamy Sand – Sandy Loam ‐ Loam Clay Silt Organic Matter CEC: Cation Exchange Capacity (Indirect measurement of water holding capacity) Plant Growth Vegetative –Flowering ‐ Fruiting Stage: Sand Kaolinite Clay pubs.usgs.gov www.azonano.com Wherever Water Goes ‐ So Do Nutrients www.agric.wa.gov.au www.tankonyvtar.hu 3 3/5/2015 Irrigation Strategy??? Depends Mainly on Soil Type More critical for young plants Sand: a little at a time, but often, fast application Silt/Clay: slow application, longer time period, less frequently When do I start and stop irrigating? Resistance
  • Plant Nutrition of the Cranberry Crop

    Plant Nutrition of the Cranberry Crop

    17 PLANT NUTRITION OF THE CRANBERRY CROP Lloyd A. Peterson Horticulture Department University of Wisconsin-Madison The cranberry plant requires certain chemical elements which we refer to as plant nutrients for normal growth and development. Three of these elements (carbon, hydrogen, oxygen) come from air and water, and another 13 elements (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, zinc, boron, manganese, iron, copper, chloride, and molybdenum) are supplied by the soil and are absorbed into the plant by the root system. If any one of these 13 elements is not adequately supplied by the soil, it is necessary to supply the element of concern by fertilization. However for a majority of these elements, the soil supplies an adequate amount for normal growth, and as growers you need not be concerned with but a few of the elements. If a reasonable fertilizer program has been followed, fertility will very seldom be a problem. As growers it is important that a diagnostic procedure be available to evaluate the nutritional status of your crop. One procedure is leaf or tissue analysis. A tissue analysis can provide an almost complete listing of the soil supplied elements which allows for a good evaluation. For a perennial crop like cranberry, tissue analysis is a good diagnostic tool. For tissue analysis to be effective, it is essential that a set of standards for the nutrient elements be available for comparison to the elemental composition of field tissue samples. This comparison will assist in the determination of the absence or presence of a plant nutritional problem. A set of standards for a number of the nutrient elements was developed by Dr.
  • Plant Nutrition

    Plant Nutrition

    Plant Nutrition David Robson University of Illinois In early agricultural societies, it was observed that crop yields could be increased by adding animal manures or plant debris to soil. We continue this practice today with regular additions of organic matter. We have also learned that this simple practice provides a steady source of nutrients for plants, improves soil structure and tilth or looseness. Chemical sources through fertilizers have also been used to supply nutrients needed for plant growth and development. Elements Required By Plants Research has shown that 17 elements are necessary for most plants to grow and develop properly. Nine elements are used in relatively large quantities and they are referred to as major elements or macronutrients. The nine major elements are: Carbon (C) Hydrogen (H) Oxygen (O) Nitrogen (N) Phosphorus (P) Potassium (K) Calcium (C) Magnesium (Mg) Sulfur (S) The eight remaining elements are used by plants in small quantities and are called trace elements, minor elements, or micronutrients. Even though these minor elements are needed in small quantities, they are equally essential to plant growth and development. The micronutrients are: Boron (B) Zinc (Zn) Manganese (Mn) Copper (Cu) Molybdenum (Mo) Chlorine (Cl) Iron (Fe) Cobalt (Co) Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are the three elements used in the largest amounts and are the building blocks for plant growth, forming carbohydrates (sugars and starches) and oxygen forming carbon dioxide and water. Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are obtained mainly from the air and water. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are considered the primary macronutrients. Calcium, magnesium and sulfur are classified as secondary macronutrients.