Introduction to water and fertilizer integration

Introduction to water and fertilizer integration
The so-called integrated water and fertilizer refers to a method of fertilizing and watering crops through irrigation pipes. Therefore, both irrigation water and fertilizer pass through the same irrigation system into the crop root zone. Water and fertilizer integration is mostly used in micro-irrigation systems and can also be used in mobile sprinkler irrigation systems. In the horticulture industry (fruits, vegetables and ornamental crops), drip irrigation is commonly used as an integrated method of water and fertilizer. The large-scale, rapid and continuous adoption of drip irrigation systems in the horticulture sector has also promoted the promotion of water and fertilizer integration.
Through the integration of water and fertilizer, the amount of fertilizer can be reduced and the frequent use of mechanized fertilization can be avoided. There are many potential advantages to combining water and fertilizer integration with drip irrigation systems or advanced sprinkler irrigation systems.
These advantages include:
① Improve crop water and fertilizer utilization efficiency.
② If necessary, fertilizer can be applied directly to the root zone of crops through drip irrigation.
③ Water and fertilizer can be used accurately according to crop needs.
④ Improve irrigation and nutrient management capabilities to adapt to the specific cultivation needs of crops (geography, climate).
⑤ Reduce the amount of water and fertilizer used and reduce the adverse impact on the environment.
⑥ Compared with mechanized fertilization, fertilization costs and time can be saved.
⑦ Ability to quickly provide feedback on excessive or insufficient fertilization and/or irrigation
⑧ Crop yield and product quality can be improved by optimizing water and fertilizer supply.
⑨ The degree of soil compaction can be reduced due to the reduction in the use of heavy machinery and equipment.
In order to operate effectively and sustainably, the following requirements are required for integrated water and fertilizer management:
① Select and design a reasonable integrated water and fertilizer or irrigation system.
②Water quality must meet the requirements of water and fertilizer integration or irrigation system
③ Fertilizers must be carefully selected and managed to avoid antagonism between nutrients (such as phosphorus and calcium) and blockage of the emitters.
There are many different systems for water and fertilizer integration, all of which can supply fertilizer to crops with irrigation water and meet the needs of fertilization and irrigation at the same time. These systems range from simple bypass fertilization tanks to fully automatic water and fertilizer integration systems. The bypass fertilization tank is a machine-made fertilizer placed in the tank, and then the irrigation water is manually controlled through the fertilization tank to ensure that one or more compatible fertilizers can be applied. The fully automatic water-fertilizer integrated system is controlled by a computer. The system, in all irrigation events, can inject concentrated fertilizer into two or more large tanks (each containing one, two or more water-soluble fertilizers), and provide it to the crops in a computer-controlled manner. Necessary, complete nutrients and specific concentration nutrient solution.In their most advanced form, these automated systems can be used to recycle tail liquor from substrate cultivation and adjust the composition of the recycled solution. In between these two integrated water and fertilizer systems, there is a range of systems with varying levels of complexity and automation. Almost all systems use some form of filter to reduce the risk of particles clogging drippers and pipes. Currently, there are many types of equipment for integrated water and fertilizer systems, and there are also variants of these types of equipment, so there is a lot to choose from.
The simple manual operating system can meet the single fertilizer application scenario of integrated water and fertilizer (such as top dressing for one, two or more fertilizers), or be used for supplementary fertilization when special needs are required. Fertilizer applied in this manner is often used as a supplement to conventional fertilization, which is accomplished with a tractor-driven fertilizer spreader. In computer-controlled systems, there are generally two or more concentrated fertilizer solutions, both of which are added through an integrated water and fertilizer pipeline. Simple fertilizer tanks can be used for frequent fertilization, but labor requirements are greater, and incompatible fertilizers must be irrigated in batches.
All water and fertilizer integration requires adaptive selection of system equipment and technology to adapt to the needs of each management stage. Broadly speaking, the integrated water and fertilizer management chain includes the following stages: ① Water source diversion.
② Water storage--collect irrigation water and wastewater,
③Cultivation system or substrate selection.
④ Prepare water for irrigation or water and fertilizer integration.
⑤ Nutritional supplement.
⑥Apply to crops through irrigation systems.
⑦ Crop irrigation management.
⑧ Crop nutrition management.
⑨ Treatment of pathogens, salinity and nutrients after tail liquid recovery