Articles
Peach smart fertigation with wastewater: physiological and nutritional evaluation
Article number
1352_40
Pages
299 – 306
Language
English
Abstract
Wastewater is becoming a viable source for irrigating and fertigating fruit tree crops.
A considerable amount of essential mineral nutrients (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus) is indeed available in this alterative water source.
The aim of this research was to determine the effect of secondary treated wastewater, supplied with a smart online fertigation system, on physiological and nutritional plant performance.
The study was carried out outdoors in conjunction with an urban wastewater treatment plant on 3-year-old, bearing peach trees grown in 60-L pots.
Two irrigation treatments with the same fertigation plan were compared: fresh water (FW+F) and secondary treated wastewater (SW+F). The smart fertigation aimed to balance the same inputs of macronutrients (nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium), between the two treatments, based on the constant monitoring of water quality and volume supplied with irrigation.
During the season, FW+F received only synthetic fertilizers, while, for SW+F, synthetic fertilizers were supplied only when needed to compensate for the difference with FW+F. The smart fertigation prototype system successfully supplied an adequate amount of N and P to fulfil plant nutritional requirements.
Plant water relations were not negatively affected by SW+F treatment.
The tree yield and fruit quality parameters were similar between the treatments.
These results, also in light of the new EU Regulation 2020/741 for water reuse in agriculture, are encouraging for the future adoption of wastewater sources in open field conditions, thus allowing both water and synthetic fertilizer savings.
A considerable amount of essential mineral nutrients (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus) is indeed available in this alterative water source.
The aim of this research was to determine the effect of secondary treated wastewater, supplied with a smart online fertigation system, on physiological and nutritional plant performance.
The study was carried out outdoors in conjunction with an urban wastewater treatment plant on 3-year-old, bearing peach trees grown in 60-L pots.
Two irrigation treatments with the same fertigation plan were compared: fresh water (FW+F) and secondary treated wastewater (SW+F). The smart fertigation aimed to balance the same inputs of macronutrients (nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium), between the two treatments, based on the constant monitoring of water quality and volume supplied with irrigation.
During the season, FW+F received only synthetic fertilizers, while, for SW+F, synthetic fertilizers were supplied only when needed to compensate for the difference with FW+F. The smart fertigation prototype system successfully supplied an adequate amount of N and P to fulfil plant nutritional requirements.
Plant water relations were not negatively affected by SW+F treatment.
The tree yield and fruit quality parameters were similar between the treatments.
These results, also in light of the new EU Regulation 2020/741 for water reuse in agriculture, are encouraging for the future adoption of wastewater sources in open field conditions, thus allowing both water and synthetic fertilizer savings.
Publication
Authors
G.D. Perulli, V. Alagna, L. Manfrini, A. Boini, G. Bortolotti, E. Baldi, M. Venturi, A. Bonora, A. Toscano, L. Corelli Grappadelli, B. Morandi
Keywords
water scarcity, reclaimed water, fertilizer saving, tree nutritional status, tree water relations
Groups involved
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