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DRIP IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
Nutrigation™ via a drip irrigation system
Nutrigation™ is the combined application of water and nutrients to a crop - a mix of fertilization and
irrigation. It can be adapted to all types of crops.
ACID HAZARD
Nutrients, acids and chemicals, when not handled properly, may cause serious injury or even death.
They may also damage the crop, the soil, the environment and the irrigation system.
Proper handling of nutrients, acids and chemicals is the responsibility of the grower.
Always observe the fertilizer/acid manufacturer instructions and the regulations issued by the
relevant local authority.
In drip irrigation, the roots are concentrated in a limited soil volume compared to the volume of soil that
these roots occupy if the irrigation isn’t localized. For this reason, during the irrigation season, relatively
small quantities of fertilizers should be applied frequently.
In traditional fertilization methods, some of the fertilizer is applied outside the volume of soil occupied by
the roots and thereby wasted.
Advantages
Increased efficiency of fertilizer application
• Fertilizer application with irrigation water provides a better distribution and greater application uniformity.
• The total dose of the applied fertilizers is divided into several smaller portions allowing better
retention of the fertilizers in the soil and greater availability.
• Losses due to volatilization are avoided, as with fertilizers containing nitrogen compounds.
• Nutrigation™ permits the application of nutrients according to crop requirements; there is also a
possibility of varying the ratio between nutrients during different phenological stages, such as the
vegetative stage, flowering, fruit setting, fruit filling and maturation.
Savings in fertilizer and labor
• Due to the conditions of application by irrigation water and the various forms of losses avoided,
the amount of fertilizer used to achieve the same production level is reduced.
• Preparation and application of fertilizers in a drip irrigation system cost less compared to the traditional
implementation.
Operational advantages
• Health hazards are avoided since workers do not come in contact with the injected fertilizers and chemical.
• Since Nutrigation™ does not require traffic in the field, damage to plants and soil compaction are avoided.
• Nutrigation™ can maintain appropriate nutrient content in soils with low nutrient holding capacity,
allowing cultivation in types of soil otherwise not cultivable.
• The contamination of groundwater by elements of fertilizer occurs in many places where flood irrigation
is used. Nutrigation™ applies the amount of fertilizer and water in more frequent, smaller portions to
prevent runoff or deep percolation.
• There is the possibility of applying other chemicals through the system, such as soil disinfectants,
systemic products against crop diseases and pests.
DRIP IRRIGATION HANDBOOK 55