Articles
Model-based control of salinity in closed-loop soilless crops and first results from its application in a tomato crop using the DSS NUTRISENSE
Article number
1425_10
Pages
71 – 78
Language
English
Abstract
Source waters of suboptimal chemical quality will cause accumulation of Na and Cl in closed-loop soilless systems, resulting in excessive increase of the electrical conductivity (EC) in the drainwater.
In this study, the approach applied via the DSS NUTRISENSE is described to mitigate the increase of salinity in crops grown in closed-loop soilless cropping systems.
The DSS NUTRISENSE, which is available online athttps://nutrisense.online/. can be used to readjust the composition of the supplied nutrient solution (NS) in soilless cultivations based on chemical analysis of the recycled drainwater.
In commercial practice, the target nutrient concentrations in the root zone of tomato are currently higher than for maximising yield, as moderately high salinity favors fruit quality.
In view of that, it has been widely proven that partial substitution of nutrients by Na and Cl has equal effect on fruit quality.
NUTRISENSE has the option to gradually reduce the target concentrations of macronutrients (except P) in the root zone while maintaining constant the key mutual ratios between them as function of increasing Na and Cl concentrations in the drainwater.
Thus, the increase in Na and Cl levels in the root zone is compensated for through an equivalent decrease in nutrient concentrations until they reach a minimum threshold, thereby mitigating or even eliminating yield losses due to salinity.
The modeling approach applied via the DSS NUTRISENSE was tested in a tomato crop grown in closed-loop soilless culture system using stonewool as substrate.
The results obtained from this experiment demonstrated the efficiency of this modeling approach to control the EC increase in the root zone of the plants and mitigate yield losses caused by salt accumulation in closed-loop soilless crops when the Na and Cl concentrations in the raw water are suboptimal.
In this study, the approach applied via the DSS NUTRISENSE is described to mitigate the increase of salinity in crops grown in closed-loop soilless cropping systems.
The DSS NUTRISENSE, which is available online athttps://nutrisense.online/. can be used to readjust the composition of the supplied nutrient solution (NS) in soilless cultivations based on chemical analysis of the recycled drainwater.
In commercial practice, the target nutrient concentrations in the root zone of tomato are currently higher than for maximising yield, as moderately high salinity favors fruit quality.
In view of that, it has been widely proven that partial substitution of nutrients by Na and Cl has equal effect on fruit quality.
NUTRISENSE has the option to gradually reduce the target concentrations of macronutrients (except P) in the root zone while maintaining constant the key mutual ratios between them as function of increasing Na and Cl concentrations in the drainwater.
Thus, the increase in Na and Cl levels in the root zone is compensated for through an equivalent decrease in nutrient concentrations until they reach a minimum threshold, thereby mitigating or even eliminating yield losses due to salinity.
The modeling approach applied via the DSS NUTRISENSE was tested in a tomato crop grown in closed-loop soilless culture system using stonewool as substrate.
The results obtained from this experiment demonstrated the efficiency of this modeling approach to control the EC increase in the root zone of the plants and mitigate yield losses caused by salt accumulation in closed-loop soilless crops when the Na and Cl concentrations in the raw water are suboptimal.
Authors
D. Savvas, E. Giannothanasis, E. Spanoudaki, S. Kinnas, G. Ntatsi, W. Voogt
Keywords
closed system, drainage solution, hydroponics, NaCl accumulation, nutrient recycling, soilless culture
Groups involved
- Division Plant-Environment Interactions in Field Systems
- Division Precision Horticulture and Engineering
- Working Group Modelling in Fruit Research and Orchard Management
- Working Group Modelling Plant Growth, Environmental Control, Greenhouse Environment
- Division Greenhouse and Indoor Production Horticulture
Online Articles (61)