EFFECT OF FERTIGATION MANAGEMENT ON NUTRIENT SOLUTION CONSUMPTION AND YIELD IN A CLOSED AGROSYSTEM IN RELATION TO AN OPEN SYSTEM UNDER MEDITERRANEAN PLASTIC GREENHOUSE CONDITIONS

The water quality use for soilless culture, in the plastic greenhouse area of the Spanish south east coast, presents EC values between 0.5 and 3.5 dS m^-1. In order to avoid salt accumulation, the nutrient solution is applied in excess.
The management of fertigation seems an important factor in a closed system in comparison with an open system.
The experiment took place in a plastic greenhouse in the south east coast in 1995 and 1996. In the first year a standard irrigation method was used.
The second year consisted in a fertigation with a higher nutrient solution supply.
The following treatments were carried out: (a) Perlite bags and no re-use drained nutrient solution, (b) Perlite bags and re-use of 50% of the drained nutrient solution, and (c) as (b) but 100% re-use.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of fertigation management through a higher supply of nutrient solution in a closed system, in comparison to an open system, of a decrease of the EC, and effects on yield and consumption of nutrient solution.
The results suggest that management of the closed system with substrate is a very important factor, especially the volume of the supplied nutrient solution.
By that we can choose between: 1) avoid EC increase and its consequences: better yield but higher consumption of nutrient solution, 2) avoid a higher consumption of nutrient solution and reduce yield using a standard fertigation because the EC was increased

XXV International Horticultural Congress, Part 1: Culture Techniques with Special Emphasis on Environmental Implications – Nutrient Management

M. García, I. Escobar, M.C. Salas, M. Urrestarazu

electrical conductivity, fertigation management, green beans, Perlite, soilless culture, tomatoes

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2000.511.17