Articles
MONITORING CONTAINER CROP IRRIGATION BY MEANS OF TENSIOMETERS (REFEREED)
One of these techniques, using the matrix water potential, is the tensiometer with a porous cup.
In this paper, we give the results obtained for outside crops using drip irrigation.
Three experiments have been conducted (1993 – 94 – 95). We used Forsythia crops in four liter containers.
The substrate was a mixture of peat and bark.
Three levels of water potentials were used to initiate irrigation: -2, -4 and -8 kPa.
Tensiometers react very quickly to the variation of water content in the substrate.
Growth in Forsythia depends on the amount of water at each irrigation.
In 1993, using a small dose with very frequent irrigation, the lower potential threshold (- 8 kPa) gave significantly lower results.
During the next two years, we chose a different irrigation dosage according to the threshold value: larger doses of water for a lower potential.
There were no significant differences.
After these trials, there is no doubt about the feasibility of this technique.
Compared to systems using climate parameters, it is simple and flexible.
It provides a good opportunity to monitor irrigation in relation to the quality of production.