Nutrition and water management for rangpur lime rootstock production using automated subirrigation

• Grant number: 12/01734-5
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2012
• End date: April 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agricultural Engineering - Soil and Water Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Roberto Testezlaf
• Grantee: Roberto Testezlaf
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Agrícola (FEAGRI). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Maycon Diego Ribeiro ; Rhuanito Soranz Ferrarezi

Abstract

Subirrigation has the potential to reduce water and nutrients losses in seedling production systems, allowing nutrient solution recycling and reuse, promoting less fertilizer use and reduction of its inappropriate discharge into the environment. The objectives of this project are: 1) to establish subirrigation water and nutrient management for Rangpur Lime production in cone-tainers, and 2) to automate a subirrigation system using soil moisture sensors to monitor and control volumetric water content in substrate, promoting irrigation according to plant water requirements. The treatments tested will correspond to four substrate moisture (0.12, 0.24, 0.36 and 0.48 m3 m-3) and three nutrient concentrations in the solution (25%, 50% and 75% of recommended fertilization). The experimental design will be a randomized block design with three replications. The automation will be accomplished by connecting sensors to a computer control system consisted of data logger, multiplexer and a relay driver, which will controls submersible pumps. There will be weekly determinations of pH and EC in the substrates. Plants will be evaluated weekly related to pests and diseases occurrence, light interception above and below the canopy, stomatal conductance and leaf photosynthesis. At 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 days, plants will be sampled for shoot nutrient analysis, shoot height, stem diameter, shoots and roots dry mass. At the end of the experiment, production losses, water use efficiency and water losses in the irrigation process will be assessed. Results shall indicate if sensors will be effective in monitoring and control of subirrigation, settling water and nutritional management to promote adequate growth of Rangpur Lime rootstocks. (AU)

Scientific publications

(5)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

RIBEIRO, MAYCON DIEGO; FERRAREZI, RHUANITO SORANZ; TESTEZLAF, ROBERTO. Assessment of Subirrigation Performance in Eucalyptus Seedling Production. HORTTECHNOLOGY, v. 24, n. 2, p. 231-237, APR 2014. (12/01734-5)

FERRAREZI, RHUANITO SORANZ; RIBEIRO, MAYCON DIEGO; VAN IERSEL, MARC; TESTEZLAF, ROBERTO. Subirrigation Controlled by Capacitance Sensors for Citrus Rootstock Production. HORTSCIENCE, v. 48, n. 9, p. 1-pg., 2013-09-01. (12/01734-5)

RHUANITO S FERRAREZI; ANTONIO C FERREIRA FILHO; ROBERTO TESTEZLAF. Altura de lâmina e tempo de permanência de água na umidade de substratos em subirrigação. Horticultura Brasileira, v. 35, n. 2, p. 186-194, 2017-04-00. (12/01734-5)

FERRAREZI, RHUANITO SORANZ; TESTEZLAF, ROBERTO. Automated ebb-and-flow subirrigation for citrus liners production. II. Pests, diseases and nutrient concentration. Agricultural Water Management, v. 192, p. 21-32, OCT 2017. (12/01734-5)

FERRAREZI, RHUANITO SORANZ; TESTEZLAF, ROBERTO. Automated ebb-and-flow subirrigation for citrus liners production. I. Plant growth. Agricultural Water Management, v. 192, p. 45-57, OCT 2017. (12/01734-5)