Irrigation of Geraniums with an Automatic Controlled Water Table System

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 522d-522 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.W. Buxton ◽  
D.L. Ingram ◽  
Wenwei Jia
Keyword(s):  
Water Potential ◽  
Leaf Area ◽  
Water Table ◽  
Nutrient Solution ◽  
Irrigation System ◽  
Central Area ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Trickle Irrigation ◽  
Run Off ◽  
Optimum Water

Geraniums in 15-cm pots were irrigated automatically for 8 weeks with a Controlled Water Table (CWT) irrigation system. Plants were irrigated with a nutrient solution supplied by a capillary mat with one end of the mat suspended in a trough below the bottom of the pot. The nutrient solution remained at a constant level in the trough. Nutrient solution removed from the trough was immediately replaced from a larger reservoir. The vertical distance from the surface of the nutrient solution and the bottom of the pot determined the water/air ratio and water potential in the growing media. Treatments consisted of placing pots at 0, 2, 4, and 6 cm above the nutrient solution. Control plants were irrigated as needed with a trickle irrigation system. Geraniums grown at 0,2 and 4 CWT were ≈25% larger than the control plants and those grown at 6 CWT as measured by dry weight and leaf area. Roots of plants grown at 0 CWT were concentrated in the central area of the root ball; whereas roots of plants in other treatments were located more near the bottom of the pot. Advantages of the CWT system include: Plant controlled automatic irrigation; no run off; optimum water/air ratio.

scholarly journals Fluctuating Controlled Water Table Irrigation

HortScience ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 769D-770
Author(s):  
Jack W. Buxton* ◽  
Janet Pfeiffer ◽  
Darrell Slone
Keyword(s):  
Water Potential ◽  
Leaf Area ◽  
Water Table ◽  
Water Surface ◽  
Irrigation System ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Control Treatment ◽  
Optimum Placement ◽  
Growing Medium ◽  
Rate Of Movement

A controlled water table irrigation system (CWT) automatically provides water to plants. One edge of a capillary mat, on the bench surface, draws water from a trough (water table) below the bench. Each treatment trough was 30 cm long. As the distance between the water surface and the bench surface increases, the water in the growing medium decreases, the air increases; and the water potential decreases. In previous studies a constant CWT of 2 cm below the bench surface was the optimum placement for producing 15-cm pots of geranium. In this study the water table fluctuated between two distances below the bench surface. The fluctuating treatments were 2 cm to 3 cm, 2 cm to 4 cm, and 1 cm to 4 cm. The control treatment remained at a constant 2 cm below the bench surface. The fluctuating treatments were established by using two liquid level controllers connected to a switching mechanism that allowed the water table to fluctuate between the treatment settings. The rate of movement from the higher level to the lower level was determined by the rate of transpiration and evaporation occurring in individual treatments. The amount of water used for each treatment was determined by counting the number of times the solenoid turned on and multiplying this by the amount of water added to the trough. The leaf area and dry weight were the same for plants grown in 2 cm, 2 to 3 cm, and 2 to 4 cm treatments and these treatments were significantly greater than plants in the 1 to 4 cm treatment. The amount of water used by all treatments was nearly the same.

scholarly journals 681 Controlling Stress in Container-grown Plants

HortScience ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 516B-516
Author(s):  
Jack W. Buxton
Keyword(s):  
Water Potential ◽  
Nutrient Solution ◽  
Water Demand ◽  
Automatic System ◽  
Irrigation System ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Light Period ◽  
Media Study ◽  
The Media ◽  
Water Ratio

The controlled water table irrigation system (CWT) consists of a capillary mat placed on a level bench so one side extends over the edge of the bench into a trough containing a nutrient solution maintained at a controlled distance below the bench. The nutrient solution is drawn by capillarity up to and over the bench surface. As plants use the nutrient solution or as water evaporates from the media, it is replaced from the trough. The automatic system maintains a constant air/water ratio in the growing media. Study 1: Geraniums were grown in 15-cm pots at 0, 2, and 4 cm CWT. Geraniums at 0 and 2 cm CWT had the greatest leaf area and dry weight. Plants at 0 and 2 cm CWT were more than 25% greater at 4 cm CWT. The roots of plants at 0 cm CWT were concentrated at 2 to 4 cm above the bottom of the container; whereas roots at 2 cm CWT uniformly extended from the center to the bottom. Study 2: Water potential in a coarse and fine textured media was determined at the bottom, middle and top of the container at 0, 2, and 4 cm CWT every 2.5 h during the light period. Water potential was about the same in each media within each CWT treatment. At the container bottom at 0 CWT water potential was 0; whereas the water potential at 2 and 4 CWT was lower. The water potential from top to bottom decreased slightly about mid afternoon on a sunny day when water demand was the greatest. The CWT system is potentially a commercially adaptable irrigation system for container crops. It also is a cheap, reliable tool for studying water stress on the crop growth and quality.

scholarly journals Controlled Water Table Irrigation System Effect on Growing Medium Water Potential

HortScience ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 565D-565c
Author(s):  
C.A. Mach ◽  
J.W. Buxton ◽  
R.S. Gates
Keyword(s):  
Water Potential ◽  
Nutrient Solution ◽  
Automatic System ◽  
Irrigation System ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Light Period ◽  
System Effect ◽  
Growing Medium ◽  
The Media ◽  
Water Ratio

The CWT irrigation system consists of a capillary mat placed on a level bench so one side extends over the edge of the bench into a trough containing a nutrient solution maintained at a controlled distance below the bench. The nutrient solution is drawn by capillarity up to and over the bench surface. As plants use the nutrient solution or as water evaporates from the media, it is replaced from the trough. The automatic system maintains a constant air/water ratio in the growing media. Geraniums were grown in a peat based media in 15-cm pots at 0, 2, and 4 cm CWT. In a separate study, the water potential was determined in two media. Water potential was determined at the bottom, middle, and top of the container at 0, 2 and 4 cm CWT every 2.5 hrs during the light period. Geraniums at 0 and 2 cm had the greatest leaf area and dry weight. The 0- and 2-cm treatments were >25% greater than plants at 4 cm CWT. The roots of plants at 0 cm CWT were concentrated at 2–4 cm above the bottom of the container, whereas roots at 2 cm CWT uniformily extended from the center to the bottom. Water potential was about the same in each media within each CWT treatment. The water potential from top to bottom decreased slightly about midafternoon on a sunny day when water demand was the greatest. Media at 0 CWT at the container bottom had 0 water potential; whereas the water potential at 2 and 4 CWT had a lower water potential.

scholarly journals Irrigation Frequency and Shading Influences on Water Relations and Growth of Container-Grown Euonymus japonica ‘Aureo-marginata’

1988 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 96-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.E. Newman ◽  
M.W. Follett
Keyword(s):  
Stomatal Conductance ◽  
Water Potential ◽  
Leaf Area ◽  
Water Relations ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Trickle Irrigation ◽  
Irrigation Frequency ◽  
Irrigation Level ◽  
Once Daily ◽  
Unit Leaf

Trickle irrigation frequency, shading, water relations, and plant growth of container-grown Euonymus japonica Thunb. ‘Aureomarginata’ was investigated. Plants were grown under a combination of 3 irrigation frequencies and 2 shade levels. Stomatal conductance (gs) was reduced when plants were irrigated 3 times per week compared to irrigation daily and twice daily after week 4 under full sun and after week 8 under shade. Few differences were detected in predawn shoot water potential (Ψshoot) under shade at any irrigation level. The predawn shoot water potential (Ψshoot) was reduced (rnore negative) for plants irrigated 3 times per week compared to irrigation daily and twice daily after week 8 for plants grown under full sun and week 10 for plants grown under shade. These values remained lower for the duration of the study. Plants grown under shade and irrigated once daily had greater plant dry weight and leaf area compared to plants irrigated either twice daily or 3 times per week. They were also larger than all plants grown under full sun. Plants grown under shade had greater chlorophyll levels per unit leaf area. Under shade, plant quality was not affected by irrigation rates. However, only plants grown under shade were of salable quality.

scholarly journals 456 An Automatic, Controlled Water-Table Irrigation System for Vegetable Transplant Production

HortScience ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 523C-523
Author(s):  
J.W. Buxton ◽  
Wenwei Jia
Keyword(s):  
Water Table ◽  
Nutrient Solution ◽  
Irrigation System ◽  
Growing Media ◽  
System A ◽  
Fixed Distance ◽  
Run Off ◽  
Vegetable Seed ◽  
Growth Of Seedlings ◽  
Water Ratio

The controlled water-table irrigation (CWT) system was evaluated for vegetable seed germination and transplant growth. The system is a modification of capillary mat irrigation except that the mat along one side extends over the edge of the bench into a narrow trough running along the side of the bench. The nutrient solution level in the trough is controlled by a liquid level controller, so it is at a fixed distance below the bench surface. The nutrient solution is drawn by capillarity from the trough upward to the bench surface and then moves by capillarity to the opposite side of the bench. The system automatically maintains a constant air: water ratio in the growing media. Seeds of broccoli, tomato, and pepper were germinated in a 96-cell plug tray and grown to transplanting stage with the CWT system. A factorial experiment consisted of two growing media combined with CWT treatments of 2 and 4 cm. Excellent germination and high-quality seedlings were produced with all treatments. No differences were observed in growth of seedlings at 2 vs. 4 cm or between the two growing media. The CWT system is capable of maintaining a constant uniform water: air ratio in all plug cells on a commercial growing bench. Nutrient solution does not run off the bench. The CWT potentially is an excellent system for the irrigation of vegetable transplants.

scholarly journals EFFECT OF DIPPING IN GIBBERLLIC ACID AND SPRAYING NUTRIENT SOLUTION AGRO LEAF ON SOME VEGETATIVE GROWTH AND YIELD OF JERUSALUM ARTICHOKE.

2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sadik & et al.
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Nutrient Solution ◽  
Vegetative Growth ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Factorial Experiment ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Control Treatment ◽  
Highest Weight ◽  
Number Of Leaves ◽  
Number Of Branches

This study was conducted in experimental fields, Department of Horticulture, University of Bagdad, in Abu-Graib  during season 2011-2012 for jerusalum artichoke. This study was included the effect of dipping tubers in three concentrations of GA3(2.5,5,10g/l) (G1,G2,G3),as well as to control treatment (G0), and spraying nutrient solution Agro leaf A1 (8g/l), as well as to control treatment (A0). This study was made by using Factorial experiment (4*2) within the design RCBD with three replicates. Results could be summarized as follows: G3A0 increased field emergence (12.00 day), G2A0 increased percentage of germination (99.33%) and G2A1 increased number of branches (4.60 stem.plant-1) but the treatment G1A1gave highest rate for number of leaves, leaf area, guide of leaf area, dry weight of the vegetative parts and dry weight of 100gm tubers as(4495.10 leaf.plant-1, 2246.20 dsm2, 99.84, 922.40g, 24.00g.) respectively. The treatments gave significant differences quantity yield, so treatment G3A0 gave highest weight of the tubers as(45.55g.) but the treatment G3A1 gave highest number of the tubers as(68.00 tuber.plant-1 ) and highest yield of plant as (2890g/plant).

scholarly journals Production of Vegetable Transplants with the Controlled Water Table Irrigation System

HortScience ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 633a-633
Author(s):  
Jack W. Buxton ◽  
Wenwei Jia
Keyword(s):  
Water Table ◽  
Nutrient Solution ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Irrigation System ◽  
Root Penetration ◽  
Growing Medium ◽  
Cabbage Seed ◽  
The Media ◽  
Greenhouse Vegetable ◽  
Solution Surface

Cabbage seed was germinated and grown to transplanting size in a 98-cell tray using an automatic irrigation system based on the principle of maintaining a constant water table (CWT) relative to the growing medium in transplant trays. Seedlings obtained a nutrient solution from a capillary mat with one end suspended in a trough containing the solution. The distance between the nutrient solution surface and the transplant tray bottom was regulated with a water level controller. The nutrient solution was resupplied from a larger reservoir. A polyester material on top of the capillary mat allowed solution movement to the roots but prevented root penetration into the mat. The water table placement below the tray determined the water content in the growing medium. Seedling growth was evaluated using two growing media combined with two water table placements. Excellent quality seedlings were produced; the CWT irrigation system satisfactory provided water and nutrients for the duration of the crop. The only problems observed were dry cells, less than 2%, because of no media–mat contact and algae growth on the media surface using the higher water table. The CWT irrigation system is adaptable to existing greenhouse vegetable transplant production systems. It is automatic and can provide a constant optimum amount of moisture for seedling growing. It can be adjusted for phases of seedling growing such as more water during germination and can create water stress near transplanting time to either harden off or hold plants because of unfavorable planting conditions.

scholarly journals Greenhouse Cucumber Growth and Yield Response to Copper Application

HortScience ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 45 (5) ◽  
pp. 771-774 ◽  
Author(s):  
Youbin Zheng ◽  
Linping Wang ◽  
Diane Feliciano Cayanan ◽  
Mike Dixon
Keyword(s):  
Plant Growth ◽  
Leaf Area ◽  
Nutrient Solution ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Leaf Number ◽  
Leaf Injury ◽  
Copper Treatment ◽  
Cucumber Fruit ◽  
Leaf Dry Weight

To determine the nutrient solution copper (Cu2+) level above which Cucumis sativus L. (cucumber, cv. LOGICA F1) plant growth and fruit yield will be negatively affected, plants were grown on rockwool and irrigated with nutrient solutions containing Cu2+ at 0.05, 0.55, 1.05, 1.55, and 2.05 mg·L−1. Copper treatment began when plants were 4 weeks old and lasted for 10 weeks. During this 10-week period, plants were harvested at 3 weeks (short-term) and 10 weeks (long-term) after the start of Cu2+ treatment. Neither visible leaf injury nor negative Cu2+ effect was observed on plant growth (leaf number, leaf area, leaf dry weight, and stem dry weight) after 3 weeks of continuous Cu2+ treatment. However, after 10 weeks of continuous Cu2+ application, cucumber leaf dry weight was significantly reduced by Cu2+ levels 1.05 mg·L−1 or greater; leaf number, leaf area, and stem dry weight were significantly reduced by Cu2+ levels 1.55 mg·L−1 or greater. Copper (Cu2+ levels 1.05 mg·L−1 or greater) also caused root browning. Some plants under the 2.05 mg·L−1 Cu2+ treatment started to wilt after 6 weeks of continuous Cu2+ treatment. Copper treatment did not result in any change in leaf greenness until after Week 9 from the start of the treatments. There was no sign of a negative Cu2+ effect on cucumber fruit numbers after the first 2 weeks of production, but plants under the highest Cu2+ concentration treatment (2.05 mg·L−1) gradually produced fewer cucumber fruit than the control (0.05 mg·L−1) and eventually resulted in lower cucumber yield. Nutrient solution can be treated with 1.05 mg·L−1 of Cu2+ in cucumber production greenhouses; however, it is not recommended to use Cu2+ concentrations 1.05 mg·L−1 or greater continuously long-term (more than 3 weeks). When applying Cu2+, it is suggested that cucumber roots be examined regularly because roots are a better indicator for Cu2+ toxicity than leaf injury.

scholarly journals The Economical Management of Recirculation Solution and Development of Automatic Controlling Program for Hydroponics

HortScience ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 803A-803
Author(s):  
Jae-Woo Soh* ◽  
Yong-Beom Lee
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Solution ◽  
Nutrient Management ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Water Volume ◽  
Chlorophyll Contents ◽  
Leaf Analysis ◽  
Precise Calculation ◽  
Run Off ◽  
Grand Rapids ◽  
Leaf Lettuce

Experiments were carried out to determine nutrient management system for butterhead lettuce `Omega' and leaf lettuce `Grand Rapids' in nutrient film technique (NFT), and to develop a rapid and reliable program for recirculation solution. The effects of controlling solutions with UOSL (Leaf Lettuce solution of the Univ. of Seoul, Korea; NO3 -N 10.55, NH4 -N 1.02, P 2.0, K 6.7, Ca 3.5, Mg 2.0, SO4 -S 2.0 me·L-1; Fe 2.0, Cu 0.1, B 0.5, Mn 0.3, Zn 0.3, Mo 0.05 ppm) were studied by greenhouse with managing by distilled water (DW), managing pH and EC (CM), managing by nutrient solution analysis (MN), managing by nutrient solution with leaf analysis (ML). The CO2 assimilation, transpiration rate, relative chlorophyll contents, leaf color, fresh weight and dry weight were highest in MN control in the butterhead `Omega' and in MN and ML control in the leaf lettuces `Grand Rapids'. The highest relative growth rate (RGR) was in MN ML in the butterhead `Omega' but those wasn't in the leaf lettuce `Grand Rapids'. Calculation program of adjustable solution was based on the main works by Visual Basic 5.0. The developed program could select an automatic and passive process considering the type of fertilizers, run-off rate, nutrient concentration, and water volume, for calculation. All of them were done successfully by the fast and precise calculation program.

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