Fertigation: Definition, Advantages and Challenges

Fertigation is a farming technique in which fertilizer is dissolved and dispensed with irrigation water through a drip or sprinkler irrigation system. Drip irrigation is the best method for fertigation—a drip system to improve fertilizer use successfully and advance crop production. Drip fertigation can be applied to the soil surface and subsurface.

What kind of equipment is needed to apply fertigation?

1. Venturi injector: It is a device that uses the venturi effect to add fertilizers to the irrigation water stream.
2. Fertilizer tank: A container helps the fertilizer mixer before adding it to the irrigation system.
3. Fertilizer injector pump: It is a pump that distributes the fertilizer solution from the tank to the irrigation system.

What is the process of fertigation?

Fertigation is efficient equipment to control placement, timing, and the type of fertilizer required by the soil fertility status and the crop’s development stage. When dissolved with an efficient irrigation system, nutrients and water can be manipulated and controlled to achieve the highest possible production yield of marketable output from a given quantity of provided inputs. In addition, endless small applications of soluble nutrient distribution of supplemented nutrients and other chemicals near plants’ roots improve the rate of nutrient absorption by the plants.

What are the advantages of fertigation in agriculture?

The implementation of a water drip system offers a myriad of benefits for plant growth and agricultural practices.

• It improved nutrient absorption by the plants.
• Correct placement of nutrients, in the sense that where the water goes, the nutrient also goes.
• The application of nutrients can be correctly managed at the precise time and rate required.
• Reduction of soil erosion as the water drip system pumps the nutrients.
• Decreased risk of the roots contracting soil-borne diseases through the polluted soil.
• The plants’ increased root mass’s capacity to trap and hold water minimizes water use.
• Better production and quality of products achieved.
• Reduction in labor and energy costs through water distribution systems for nutrient application.
• Reduced leaching of fertilizers into the water supply.

What are the disadvantages of fertigation in agriculture?

Several considerations and challenges must be addressed to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of fertigation practices.

• To avoid pollution, the water supply for fertigation must be kept from the domestic water supply.
• There is a high possible pressure loss in the main irrigation line.
• The concentration of the solution may decline as the fertilizer dissolves, but this depends on the equipment chosen.
• Good quality water is necessary because blocking emitters might cause a severe problem.
• Drip and water-soluble fertilizers are costly.
• The maintenance of drip irrigation is not easy to deal with, and there is a high possibility of theft and rat infestation.
• The alteration of fertilizers to match the need is difficult.
• The infestation of insect pests and diseases is rising.

Is fertigation worth it?

• Applying an 80% fertilizer dose through fertigation decreases nutrient leaching from the root zone. It improves its absorption by developing plants, compared to using the endorsed fertilizer dose of 60% through fertigation.
• Fertigation of nutrients encompassing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium at the grain growing stage assists in producing many fertile tillers and spikelets per spike and a smaller number of unfertile tillers.
• Yield qualities and yields are achieved by enhanced nitrogen use efficiency due to a boost in plant height and number of spikelets.

A fertigation system in which water and fertilizers are applied together is a familiar technique for horticultural crop production. It allows farmers to provide nutrients to crops in a suitable amount and conveniently, validating it as the most efficient method.

References:

Abdelraouf, R. E., El Habbasha, S. F., Taha, M. H., & Refaie, K. M. (2013). Effect of irrigation water requirements and fertigation levels on wheat growth, yield, and water use efficiency. Middle East Journal of Scientific Research, 16(4), 441-450.

Al-Juthery, H. W., & Al-Shami, Q. M. (2019). The effect of fertigation with nano NPK  fertilizers on some parameters of growth and yield of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). AL-Qadisiyah Journal for Agriculture Sciences, 9(2), 225-232.

Ashrafi, M. R., Raj, M., Shamim, S., Lal, K., & Kumar, G. (2020). Effect of fertigation on crop productivity and nutrient use efficiency. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, 9(5), 2937-2942.

Fanish, S. A., Muthukrishnan, P., & Santhi, P. (2011). Effect of drip fertigation on field crops review. Agricultural Reviews, 32(1), 14-25.

Ibrahim, M. M., El-Baroudy, A. A., & Taha, A. M. (2016). Irrigation and fertigation scheduling under drip irrigation for maize crops in sandy soil. International agrophysics, 30(1).

Iqbal, Z., Yaqub, M., Akram, M., & Ahmad, R. (2013). Phosphorus fertigation: A technique for enhancing P fertilizer efficiency and yield of wheat and maize. Soil & Environment, 32(2).

Jabran, K., Cheema, Z. A., Farooq, M., & Khan, M. B. (2011). Fertigation and foliar application of fertilizers alone and in combination with canola extracts enhance yield in wheat. Crop and Environment, 2(1), 42-45.

Jat, R. A., Wani, S. P., Sahrawat, K. L., Singh, P., & Dhaka, P. L. (2011). Fertigation in vegetable crops for higher productivity and resource use efficiency. Indian Journal of Fertilizers, 7(3), 22-37.

Pandey, A. K., Singh, A. K., Kumar, A., & Singh, S. K. (2013). Effect of Drip irrigation, spacing, and nitrogen fertigation on the productivity of chili (Capsicum annuum L.). Envi. & Ecol, 31(1), 139-142.

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