TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of surface and subsurface drip fertigation on sweet corn rooting, uptake, dry matter production and yield
AU - Martinez Hernandez, J. J.
AU - Bar-Yosef, B.
AU - Kafkafi, U.
PY - 1991/9
Y1 - 1991/9
N2 - Subsurface (SS) drip fertigation may increase sweet corn ear yield relative to surface (S) fertigation, because immobile nutrients are delivered at the center of the soil-root volume rather than on top of the soil. A container (1 × 1 × 1 m) experiment was conducted on a loessial soil (Haploxeralf) to test this hypothesis. Marketable and total ear yields were higher for tricklers placed 30 cm below the soil surface (3.22 and 4.90 kg m-2, respectively) than on the surface (2.86 and 4.30 kg m-2, respectively). Total fresh weight, dry matter production and plant height during the growing season were also greater for subsurface emitters. Deep trickler position significantly increased P and K content at the center of the root zone. The enhanced concentration apparently stimulated plant rooting which, together with the higher nutrient activity in the soil solution, increased P and K uptake rates, which in turn facilitated the higher dry matter production and commercial yield relative to surface trickler placement. The higher root activity in SS than in S fertigation was reconfirmed by soil air CO2 concentration measurements which showed significant differences between the two treatments during the growth season.
AB - Subsurface (SS) drip fertigation may increase sweet corn ear yield relative to surface (S) fertigation, because immobile nutrients are delivered at the center of the soil-root volume rather than on top of the soil. A container (1 × 1 × 1 m) experiment was conducted on a loessial soil (Haploxeralf) to test this hypothesis. Marketable and total ear yields were higher for tricklers placed 30 cm below the soil surface (3.22 and 4.90 kg m-2, respectively) than on the surface (2.86 and 4.30 kg m-2, respectively). Total fresh weight, dry matter production and plant height during the growing season were also greater for subsurface emitters. Deep trickler position significantly increased P and K content at the center of the root zone. The enhanced concentration apparently stimulated plant rooting which, together with the higher nutrient activity in the soil solution, increased P and K uptake rates, which in turn facilitated the higher dry matter production and commercial yield relative to surface trickler placement. The higher root activity in SS than in S fertigation was reconfirmed by soil air CO2 concentration measurements which showed significant differences between the two treatments during the growth season.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0842313950&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/BF00192287
DO - 10.1007/BF00192287
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AN - SCOPUS:0842313950
SN - 0342-7188
VL - 12
SP - 153
EP - 159
JO - Irrigation Science
JF - Irrigation Science
IS - 3
ER -