Manual Fertigation Field Crop

Technical manual for “Fertigation manual: Open-field crops and date palm"
Technical manual for
Fertigation manual: Open-field crops and

date palm
Naeim Mazaherieh
Biju George
Arash Nejatian
Azaiez Ouled Belgacem
2018
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Contents
1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 3
ADVANTAGES OF FERTIGATION ...................................................................................... 3
2. DETERMINING CROP WATER USE ...................................................................................... 4
3. PLANT NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS ...................................................................................... 8
THE UPTAKE PROCESS ................................................................................................. 9
4. FERTIGATION MANAGEMENTS ......................................................................................... 10
THE TARGET YIELD AND CROP NUTRIENTS REQUIREMENTS ................................................. 12
5. FERTILIZERS MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................ 13
BASIC MIXING RULES ................................................................................................ 13
PRECIPITATION ......................................................................................................... 15
SOIL- NUTRIENT SAFETY MARGINS ................................................................................ 15
NUTRIENT SOURCES (FERTILIZERS) ................................................................................ 15
SALT INDEX ............................................................................................................. 15
FERTILIZERS PROPERTIES FOR FERTIGATION ................................................................... 16
APPLYING THE RIGHT AMOUNTS OF FERTILIZER ............................................................... 16
6. SETTING FERTIGATION SYSTEM ........................................................................................ 17
SELECTING AN INJECTOR............................................................................................. 17
6.1.1. Venturi Bypass ............................................................................................. 17
6.1.2. Metering Pumps .......................................................................................... 18
6.1.3. Hydraulic Units ............................................................................................ 18
.6.1.4 Conventional flow by-pass tank ................................................................... 19
7. FERTIGATION UNDER SALINE CONDITIONS .......................................................................... 19
ELEVATED SALT LEVELS ............................................................................................... 20
NUTRIENT INTERACTIONS ........................................................................................... 20
NUTRIENT UPTAKE RATES AND MOBILITY ....................................................................... 20
8. FERTILIZERS APPLICATION ............................................................................................... 21
SOLUBILITY .............................................................................................................. 21
ACIDITY .................................................................................................................. 24
9. SOIL TESTING ............................................................................................................... 26
ORGANIC MATTER .................................................................................................... 27
DETERMINING NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS ...................................................................... 27
SOIL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS AS A TOOL FOR EVALUATING NUTRIENT AVAILABILITY...................... 27
9.3.1. Soil sampling and analysis ........................................................................... 28
9.3.2. Depth of soil sampling ............................................................................... 28
9.3.3. Method of soil sampling .............................................................................. 28
9.3.4. Interaction of soil analysis results ................................................................ 29
10. DATE PALM FERTIGATION AND FERTILIZATION APPLICATIONS ............................................ 30
FERTIGATION CALCULATIONS .................................................................................. 31
11. REFERENCES ............................................................................................................ 35
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1. Introduction
Fertigation is known as the process of application of nutrients through irrigation systems in
certain fixed concentrations according to the actual crops needs from irrigation water and
nutrients at the different plant growth stages. This is done through the injection of
fertilizers directly into the irrigation network to reach the level of humidity and a constant
nutrients concentration in the root zone region.
The correct design of the irrigation network is the most important step for applying
fertigation technology to ensure high efficiency in the distribution of fertilizer in the root
zone region as well as good management and maintenance of the irrigation network
operations and injectors fertilizing periodically and regularly is essential to ensure its work
efficiently.
Advantages of fertigation
 Nutrient requirement according to crop stages (tea spoon feeding).
 More uniform distribution and closer to root system.
 Better availability of nutrients to plants.
 Nutrient uptake increases.
 Reduced losses of nutrients by leaching.
 Preventing damages to roots.
 Less costly application labor.
 Less soil compaction.
Reduced weed population.
Application flexibility (time, weather, soil).
 Disadvantages
 The system needs clean water (without solid particles) that may clog the
emitters. (Filtration)
 Knowledge of the chemical composition of water is important to avoid
precipitation with the added fertilizers. Sometimes pretreatment is necessary.
(Filtration)
 The system needs equipment's which some of them are expensive.
 Not all type of fertilizers are suitable for fertigation.
What are the things needed to ensure good management of fertigation?
 Determine the crop water requirements.

 Good and proper design of the irrigation system.
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 Use non-corrosion materials equipment's in fertigation system such as plastic

and stainless steel
 Build up a fertigation program separately for each crop that meets its nutrients
requirements according the growth sages.
 The total concentration of the elements in the main irrigation line must not
exceed 5 g / l.
 Start the injection of fertilizers after sure that water filling all irrigation lines.
 Carry out maintenance of the fertigation system regularly and systematically
2. Determining Crop Water Use

Crop water use is typically expressed in mm of water per day as ETc (evapotranspiration of
the crop). It’s typically calculated by multiplying the reference evapotranspiration (ETo)
rate, which is generated from daily local weather station data, by the crop coefficient (Kc),
which is unique to the crop and the geography where it is grown.
The purpose of the Kc is to adjust generic weather information to reflect the specific crop
being grown. Weather and crop coefficient data may be obtained from local government or
university sources, or may be generated on the farm with proper equipment and research
procedures. Table 1 represented the monthly average reference evapotranspiration (Eto)
which estimated by using Penman Monteith equation basing on metrological data which
collected from metrological weather station during 2013-2015 period at Fujairah (UAE).
Table 1. The monthly average Reference Evapotranspiration (Eto)
Mon
May
Aug
Sep
Nov
Dec
Feb
Mar
th
Jan
Jun
Apr
Oct
Jul
(mm/day)
Eto
3,3
3,6
4,9
6,7
8.0
8.0
9.0
8,2
8,1
6,1
4,8
3,5
The tomato Crop Coefficient vs. Growth Stage graph shows how the crop coefficient
changes according to the Growth Stage (Figure1).
Table 2 shows the average Kc values for the various crops during growth stages. In fact,
the Kc is also dependent on the climate and, in particular, on the relative humidity and the
wind speed. Table 3. Shows the crops stage interval for some vegetable crops.
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Example 1
Estimation of actual crop evapotranspiration( Etc)
Calculate the daily tomato Etc and gross depth water applied (dg) during April using drip
irrigation system with wetting percentage (WP) of 40%
Data input
Crop : Tomato
Eto: from table 1=6,7 mm/day
Kc: from Table2 & Table3 or Figure1=1,15
Irrigation efficiency = 0,86
ECw: salinity of irrigation water (dS/m)=5 dS/m
maxECe = maximum soil extract salinity (dS/m) (Table 4 ) =8,4 dS/m
Soil wetting percentage(WP) = 40 %
Solution
Etc = Eto*Kc = 7.71 mm/day
Leaching requirement (LR)= Ecw/2ECe= 0.30
0.9 * dn
dg 
(1  LR) * Ea
0.9 * 7.71* 0.4

dg   4.9mm  49m3 / ha
(1  0.3) * 0.81
Table 2. Values of the crop coefficient (Kc) for various crops and growth stages.
Crop Kcini Kcmid Kcend Crop height (m)

Lettuce 1.00 0.95 0.3
Sweet peppers (bell) 1.05 0.9 0.7
Tomatoes 0.4 1.15 0.7-0.9 0.6
Cucumbers 0.6 1.00 0.75 0.3
Watermelon 0.4 1.00 0.75 0.4
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Green beans 0.5 1.05 0.9 0.4

Peas 0.5 1.15 1.1 0.5
Wheat 0.7 1.15 0.25-0.4 1
Alfalfa 0.40 0.95 0.90 0.7
Berseem 0.40 1.15 0.85 0.6
Sudan grass hay 0.50 0.90 0.85 1.2
Grazing pasture 0.40 0.85-1.05 0.85 0.15-0.30
Turf grass 0.80 0.85 0.85 0.10
Date palm 0.90 0.95 0.95 8
Grapes 0.30 0.85 0.45 2
Citrus (70% canopy) 0.70 0.65 0.70 4
(Doorenbos and Pruitt, 1975)
Table 3. Values of the crop growth stage length (day) for various crops.
Crop Mid- Late

Crop Initial Total
dev season season
Onion 20 45 20 10 95
Lettuce 25 35 30 10 100
Sweet peppers (bell) 30 40 110 30 210
Tomatoes 30 40 40 25 135
Cucumbers 25 35 50 20 130
Watermelon 10 20 20 30 80
Green beans 15 25 25 10 75
Peas 35 25 30 20 110
Wheat 20 50 60 30 160
Barley 20 50 60 30 160
Maize 25 40 45 30 140
Alfalfa 1st cutting cycle 10 20 20 10 60
Berseem 10 20 20 10 60
Sudan grass hay 25 25 15 10 75
Grapes 20 50 75 60 205
Citrus 60 90 120 95 365
(Doorenbos and Pruitt, 1975).
Table (4) shows crop tolerance and yield potential of selected crops as influenced by
irrigation water salinity (ECw)
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Table 4. Crop tolerance and potential yield of selected crops as influenced by irrigation
water salinity.
Potential Yield
0%
100% 90% 75% 50%
Vegetable crops “maximum”
ECw
Squash, zucchini (courgette) 3.1 3.8 4.9 6.7 10
Beet, red 2.7 3.4 4.5 6.4 10
Squash, scallop 2.1 2.6 3.2 4.2 6.3
Broccoli 1.9 2.6 3.7 5.5 9.1
Tomato 1.7 2.3 3.4 5.0 8.4
Cucumber 1.7 2.2 2.9 4.2 6.8
Spinach 1.3 2.2 3.5 5.7 10
Celery 1.2 2.3 3.9 6.6 12
Cabbage 1.2 1.9 2.9 4.6 8.1
Potato 1.1 1.7 2.5 3.9 6.7
Corn, sweet (maize) 1.1 1.7 2.5 3.9 6.7
Sweet potato 1.0 1.6 2.5 4.0 7.1
Pepper 1.0 1.5 2.2 3.4 5.8
Lettuce 0.9 1.4 2.1 3.4 6.0
Radish 0.8 1.3 2.1 3.4 5.9
Onion 0.8 1.2 1.8 2.9 5.0
Carrot 0.7 1.1 1.9 3.0 5.4
Bean 0.7 1.0 1.5 2.4 4.2
FRUIT CROPS
Date palm 2.7 4.5 7.3 12 21
Grapefruit 1.2 1.6 2.2 3.3 5.4
Orange 1.1 1.6 2.2 3.2 5.3
Grape 1.0 1.7 2.7 4.5 7.9
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Adapted from Maas and Hoffman (1977) and Maas (1984). These data should only serve as
a guide to relative tolerances among crops. Absolute tolerances vary depending upon
climate, soil conditions and cultural practices.
Tomato Kc
1.4
1.2
1
0.8
Kc
0.6
0.4
0.2
Initial Crop Mid season Late season
0
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
Growing season ( days after crop tranplanting)
Figure 1. Tomato crop coefficient under open field conditions
3. Plant nutrient requirements

Some elements are known to be essential for plant growth and they can be divided into two
groups:
• Macronutrients: these are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca),
magnesium (Mg) and sulphur (S) and are required in relatively large amounts.
• Micronutrients (trace elements): these include iron (Fe), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn),
zinc (Zn), boron (B), molybdenum (Mo) and chlorine (Cl), and are required in smaller
amounts than the macronutrients. The names macro- and micronutrients do not refer to
relative importance in plant nutrition; a deficiency of any one of these elements can limit
growth and result in decreased yield. It is therefore important to ensure that there is an
optimum supply of all nutrients – if a plant is seriously deficient in, for example, potassium
it will not be able to utilize fully any added nitrogen and reach its full potential yield and any
unutilized nitrogen may be lost from the field.
Soil and crop analysis reports usually show elemental forms for example mg P/kg or mg K/l.
Oxide or elemental forms are used in this Manual according to context. Achieving the right
timing of nutrient application is as important as applying the correct amount. Crop demand
varies throughout the season and is greatest when a crop is growing quickly. Rapid
development of leaves and roots during the early stages of plant growth is crucial to reach
the optimum yield at harvest, and an adequate supply of all nutrients must be available
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during this time. Excess application of nutrients, or application at the wrong time, can
reduce crop quality and cause problems such as lodging of cereals or increases in foliar
pathogens. Excessively large amounts of one nutrient in readily plant-available forms in the
soil solution may also decrease the availability or uptake by the root of another nutrient.
Other elements found in plants, which may not be essential for their growth include, cobalt
(Co), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), silicon (Si) and sodium (Na). Sodium has a positive effect on
the growth of a few crops. Some elements, such as cobalt, iodine (I), nickel and selenium
are important in animal nutrition. These are normally supplied to the animal via plants, and
must consequently be available in the soil for uptake by plant roots. All these elements are
taken up by plant roots from the supply in the soil solution (the water in the soil). They are
absorbed in different forms, have different functions and mobility within the plant and
hence also cause different deficiency, or very occasionally toxicity, effects and symptoms.
Integrated plant nutrient management Crops obtain nutrients from several sources:
 Mineralization of soil organic matter (all nutrients)

 Deposition from the atmosphere (mainly nitrogen and Sulphur)
 Weathering of soil minerals (especially potash)
 Biological nitrogen fixation (legumes)
 Application of organic manures (all nutrients)
 Application of manufactured fertilizers (all nutrients)
 Other materials added to land e.g. soil conditioners
For good nutrient management, the total supply of a nutrient from all these sources must
meet, but not exceed, crop requirement. Crop requirement varies with species (and
sometimes variety of the crop), with yield potential (this in turn depends on soil properties,
weather and water supply) and intended use). Nutrients should be applied in organic
manures or in fertilizers only if the supply from other sources fails to meet crop need. Where
nutrients are applied, the amounts should be just sufficient to bring the total supply to meet
crop need.
In climatic conditions where there are frequent drought periods and on soils with a little
water holding capacity, K plays an important role in counteracting water stress. K optimizing
the water use by regulating the stomata.
The Uptake Process

The nutrient uptake is affected by soil pH and each nutrient element has different response
to the pH conditions. The root hair surface contains organic compounds with excess
negative charges neutralized by H+ ions and with organic compounds with excess positive
charges neutralized by OH- ions.
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The uptake process is based on exchange, for each positive charge that plant is adsorbing,
H+ ions are released to the rhizosphere and vice versa for each negative charge, OH- ions are
released to the rhizosphere.
Therefore, the pH monitoring especially in inert growth media can be done by changing the
source of nitrogen.
Uptake of NO3 - ions is involved by releasing of OH- ions, which is involved in rising up of the
pH. Uptake of NH4+ ions is involved by releasing of H+ ions which causes dropping of the pH.
Nutrient requirements and fertilizer dosage and timing fertigation system allows
coordination of nutrient supply with changing demands of the growing crop. This requires
a knowledge of the amount and rate of nutrient uptake by the crop in the growing cycle.
Nutrient uptake at any one time depends on crop characteristics, the expected final yield,
the nutrient content in the harvested crop and in the residual biomass, and environmental
conditions: temperature, humidity and light. For crops grown in soil, the availability of the
inherent nutrients has to be considered, in calculating the amount of nutrient to add. Also
specific fertilizer recommendations for a crop have to be based on nutrient uptake
measurements done under conditions as near as possible to those in which the crop is to
be grown. In view of the above, it is obvious that only generalized fertilizer
recommendations can be given for nutrient uptake by a specific crop and its different
cultivars. However, fertigation is a practical technique and the grower has to optimize
fertilizer use based on the best possible knowledge of nutrient uptake and complemented
by leaf, irrigation and drainage water analyses and soil testing.
4. Fertigation managements
The following should be known to write a suitable fertigation program:
 Crop nutrients requirement (NW).

 Soluble nutrient in the irrigation water (SW).
 Available nutrients in the soil and the organic matter (ASO).
 Crop nutrient demand in the different crop growth stages.
The crop fertilizer demand= NW – ( SW+ASO)
Example 2
Cucumber crop is grown in sandy soil with bulk density of 1.6gm/cm3 and irrigated with
6000 m3 using drip irrigation system. Root depth is 40 cm, Soil analysis N =5 ppm, K=150
ppm, P= 40 ppm, Water analysis in ppm: N =10, P=4, K= 5. The expected yield
production is 60 ton/ha. Two tons of organic matter (O.M) applied (O.M : analysis in
Kg/ton) N =1, P=1, K= 3.1
Calculate the net crop nutrient requirement from N P K
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Solution
1st step from Table 5 . Calculate the nutrient requirements to produce 60ton/ha cucumber
N(kg/ha) = 60(ton/ha)*1.8(kg/ton) =108 kg/ha
P(kg/ha) = 60(ton/ha) *0.6(kg/ton) = 48 kg/ha
K(kg/ha) = 60(ton/ha) *2.5(kg/ton) = 150 kg/ha
2nd step
The nutrient content (kg) in irrigation water
N(kg/ha) = 6000m3 * (m3/ha) *10kg/1000(gm) =60 kg
P(kg/ha) = 6000 (m3/ha) * 4(gm/m3) *1kg/1000(gm) =24 kg
K(kg/ha) = 6000m3 * 5(gm/m3) *1kg/1000(gm) =30 kg
3rd step
The nutrient content (kg) in O.M
N(kg/m3) = 2 (ton) * 1 (kg/ton) =2 kg
P(kg/ha) = 2 (ton) * 1 (kg/ton) =2 kg
K(kg/ha) = 2 (ton) * 3.1 (kg/ton) =6.2 kg
4rth step
The nutrient content (kg) in the soil
Calculate the weight of soil of one hectare to a depth of 40 cm
Weight of soil(tons/ha/0.4 m depth) = Field area(m2)*soil depth (m) *Bd(tons/m3
= 10000(m2)* 0.40(m)* 1.6(ton/m3)
= 6400 tons
Nutrient (kg/m3) = weight of soil(ton)*( soil nutrient content* safety margins)*soil
occupied by root
N(kg/ha) =6400(ton) * (10-0) (kg)N/1000(ton )*0.35 = 22.4 kg
P(kg/ha) =6400(ton) *(35- 30) (kg)P/1000 (ton )*0.35 = 11.2 kg
K(kg/ha) =6400(ton) * (130-100) (kg)K2O/1000 (ton )*0.35 =67.2 kg/ha
5th step
Amount of N, P, K needed to be applied as fertilizer to produce 60 ton/ha of Cucumber
crop are
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The amount of fertilizer = Crop nutrient requirements - water nutrient content - soil
nutrient content – organic matter nutrient content
N (kg/ha) = 108- 60 – 22.4 - 2
= 23.6 kg/ha
P (kg/ha) = 48 – 24 – 11.2 – 2
= 10.8 kg/ha
K (kg/ha) = 150 – 30 – 67.2 – 6.2
= 46.6 kg/ha
From Table 6. N, P, and K uptake efficiency by drip irrigation for sandy soil (0.75, 0.25
and 0.80, respectively)
N = 23.6/0.75 = 31.47 kg/ha
P = 10.8/0.25 = 43.2 kg/ha
K = 46.6/0.80 = 58.25 kg/ha
The target yield and crop nutrients requirements

Before determine the crop nutrient requirements the farmer should make a disjoin on level
of crop production to be achieved. Table 5 shows the crop nutrients requirements per each
ton of yield produce.
Table 5. The nutrients required by selected crops to produce one ton of fruit.
Crop N P K
Asparagus (hellion) 2.40 0.66 2.60
Cucumber 1.80 0.60 2.50
Eggplant 2.90 0.30 4.20
Lettuce 1.60 0.80 2.20
Onion 2.80 0.52 2.90
Pepper 2.10 0.50 3.50
Potato 5.00 0.35 5.00
Spinach 4.80 0.77 6.67
Tomato 3.0 0.60 3.50
Date palm 2.80 0.40 3.20
(Papadopoulos et al,.2000)
After identifying the target yield production, the crop nutrient requirement (NW) for a
certain yield could be calculated as follows:
NW = expected yield (ton/ha)* crop consumption from nutrient (kg/ton)
In general, the higher the water use efficiency of a certain irrigation system the higher is the
nutrient uptake efficiency. For a well-designed drip irrigation system and with good
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scheduling of irrigation, depending on soil type, the potential N, P and K uptake efficiency
ranges between 0.75-0.85, 0.25-0.35 and 0.80-0.90, respectively(Table 6).
Table 6. Fertilizer-N,P and K uptake efficiency (fraction) as influenced by the irrigation

system and soil type
Soil Type Furrow Sprinkler Micro-irrigation

N P K N P K N P K
Clay 0.60 0.20 0.75 0.70 0.25 0.80 0.85 0.35 0.90
Medium 0.50 0.15 0.68 0.65 0.20 0.75 0.80 0.30 0.85
Sandy 0.40 0.10 0.60 0.60 0.15 0.70 0.75 0.25 0.80
(Papadopoulos et al, 2000)
5. Fertilizers Management
Fertigation is the process of injecting one or more agricultural plant nutrients into irrigation
water for application to the plant soil root zone, to meet a portion of a crop's fertilizer
needs. A well designed drip irrigation system can provide an excellent partner for utilizing
fertigation with commercial vegetable crops, especially when plastic mulch beds are also
used.
Nitrogen and potassium fertilizers are the most common nutrients applied by fertigation to
vegetable crops. Some formulations of phosphorus and micro-nutrients can also be used if
compatible with the irrigation water (pH should be less than 6.5). In addition, because of
precipitation problems, special precautions must be made not to mix P fertilizers with
calcium nitrate and iron. To avoid precipitation problems, two stock tanks should be used,
one for calcium nitrate and iron chelate, and the other for the remaining fertilizers. Applying
and incorporating all the P before planting, based on a soil test, is another way of avoiding
precipitation problems.
Basic Mixing Rules

Mixing fertilizer containing calcium with a fertilizer containing sulfate can cause gypsum to
precipitate. One example of this would be mixing calcium nitrate with potassium sulfate.
While both of these fertilizers are water-soluble, mixing them together into irrigation water
will cause calcium sulfate or gypsum to form, which is much less soluble and which will
precipitate out of the water.
Before a drip system is used to inject fertilizer, the irrigation water should tested for any
potential to form precipitates through water-fertilizer interaction. As a first step, the water
should be analyzed for calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate, and sulfate content.
Concentration of any of these elements exceeding 2.5 meq/liter suggest a potential to
form precipitates when mixed with certain fertilizers. Next step, the fertilizer should be
mixed into a container of irrigation water at the concentrations desired for fertigation. The
mixture should then be covered and held for the length of time approximating the period
the fertilizer would be present in the irrigation system. If the water turns cloudy or white,
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or if a precipitate collect on the bottom of the container, precipitation will probably result
from injecting the fertilizer into the irrigation water. This testing procedure may have to be
repeated frequently, particularly when phosphate fertilizers are used, since characteristics
may differ by manufacturer. The following are some advances to be considered when
preparing the stock solution:
 DO NOT mix fertilizers containing phosphorous with fertilizer containing calcium

without performing the “Jar Test”
 Hard water, combined with phosphate or sulfate compounds will form insoluble
substances.
 Always fill the mixing container with 50-75% of the required water to be used in
the mixture
 Always add the liquid fertilizer to the water before adding dry soluble fertilizer.
 Always add the dry ingredients slowly with mixing or agitation
 Always put acid into water, not water into acid
 DO not mix a compound containing sulfate with another compound containing
calcium. The result will be a mixture of insoluble gypsum
Table 7. Can be used as a guideline for determining if mixing fertilizers with water or other
chemicals may create a potential clogging problem.
Table 7. Product compatibility chart for mixing differen fertilizers.
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Precipitation
Precipitation is the most important limiting factor of the fertigation system. Precipitation
occurs because of:
I. Reactions in a non-suitable mixture of fertilizers.
II. Reaction between the dissolved fertilizers to the salts that exist natural in the irrigation
water.
Soil- nutrient safety margins

In calculating the nutrient supply capacity of a soil, the whole amount of the available
nutrient to full depletion of soil can be taken into consideration. However, it is preferable
that a certain amount of nutrient be reserved in soil. For intensive irrigated agriculture as
safety amounts of P and K in soil could be considered the 30 and 100 ppm, respectively. The
farmers in intensive irrigated agriculture are not encouraged to deplete soil below these
values. These margins are at the same time the pool for increased demand in nutrients at
eventual crop critical nutrient stages.
Nutrient sources (fertilizers)

The choice of fertilizer suitable for a specific application should base on several factors:
nutrient form, purity, solubility, and cost.
Solubility is an issue with potassium products. Potassium chloride is expensive and

reasonably good if salinity is not a problem. Potassium nitrate is the preferable form.
Liquid P fertilizers, except for food-grade phosphoric acid, may have impurities that
complicate the already difficult task of eliminating chemical precipitation in the drip lines.
With sufficient knowledge and attention to detail, fertilizer-grade phosphoric acid and
ammonium phosphate solutions can be delivered successfully.
Salt Index
The Salt index of fertilizer is a measure of its contribution to the salinity of the soil solution.
The lower the salt index, the less the contribution (Table 8)
In Table 8. The salt index of potassium chloride is 114, but that of potassium sulfate is only
46 at the same concentration. The higher the salt index of the solution, the lower the
resistance, and the higher the electrical conductivity of the solution. When the resistance is
too low, meaning when the salt index is too high, the plants need energy to overcome the
osmotic pressure in order to absorb water and nutrients. When the resistance is too low,
the mass of nutrients available for absorption might be too low if not supplemented in time.
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Table 8. Salt index for different fertilizers
Salt Index (Sodium

Compound
Nitrate=100)
Nitrogen
Ammonium nitrate, 34% N 105
Ammonium sulfate, 21.2% N 69
Calcium nitrate1, comm. grade, 15.5% N 65
Sodium nitrate, 16.5% N 100
Urea, 46.6% N 75
Nitrate of Soda Potash, 15% N, 14% K20 92
Natural organic, 5% N 4
Phosphate
Normal Superphosphate, 20% P2O5 8
Concentrated Superphosphate, 45% P2O5 10
Concentrated Superphosphate, 48% P2O5 10
Monoammonium phosphate, 12% N, 62% P2O5 30
Diammonium phosphate, 18% N, 46% P2O5 34
Potash
Potassium chloride, 60% K2O 116
Potassium nitrate 213% N, 46% K2O 74
Potassium sulfate, 46% K2O 46
Monopotassium Phosphate, 52% P2O5, 34% K2O 8
Sulfate of potash-magnesia, 22% K2O 43
Potassium chloride KCl 116
(Boman and Stover, 2002)
1May cause clogging if irrigation water is high in bicarbonates.
2 Not recommended for use with calcium nitrate or if irrigation water is high in calcium.
Fertilizers Properties for Fertigation

The irrigation water should characterized by the following:
 High solubility at field temperature.

 Complete solubility of Fertilizers.
 Not creating low solubility compounds with ions dissolved in irrigation water.
 No drastic changes of water pH (3.5 < pH < 9).
 Low corrosion to protect metal parts in the control head and system.
 No noticeable fertilizer traces in water system.
 No foliar injury.
Applying the right amounts of fertilizer

Drip irrigation makes it possible to match the amount of nitrogen fertilizers to the needs of
the crop at each growth stage to improve crop yield, reduce fertilizer costs, and cut down
on nitrate leaching. Applying the right amount of fertilizer requires knowing:
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 The fertilizer requirements of the crop at each growth stage

 Fertilizer concentrations in the irrigation water
 The fertilizer level in the soil and organic matter
6. Setting fertigation system

The fertigation unite usually installed before the filtration system in order to reduce the
clogging problem in the irrigation system(Figure 2.)
Fertigator
Disc filter
Figure 2. Fertigation unit and disc filtration system
Selecting an Injector
There are different types of fertilizer injectors are using in fertigation system ranged from
traditional simple fertigation to automatic one. The selection of injectors depends on the
farm situation, farmer education level, availability of electricity and the cost. The following
is some comment fertigators are used injectors in UAE.
Venturi Bypass
Water flowing through the venture creates a suction that draws the fertilizer solution into
the line. The “hozon” is the simplest type of venture injector (Figure 3). Other venturi units
up to 25 mm in diameter are available. This injection method is inaccurate because pressure
and flow rates vary in a drip irrigation system.
17
Figure 3. Venture Injector
Metering Pumps
These inject fertilizer directly into the line at a uniform rate. Small electric pumps can be
used (Figure 4). Diaphragm pumps are more reliable than piston pumps, because the
corrosive fertilizer solution does not contact any moving metal parts. Water-driven piston
or diaphragm pumps, recent developments, draw a known volume of solution and force it
into the irrigation line.
Figure 4. Automatic fertigator
Hydraulic Units
The “Dosatron,” a water-driven proportional injection unit, was originally designed for
industrial uses and injecting chlorine into city water supplies. Fertilizer from a tank is drawn
into the injector pump as drive water pushes the pump piston upward. Once the piston
reaches its highest point, a valve in the unit creates a pressure difference and reverses the
flow of water, causing the piston to begin its downward movement. As the piston moves
18
downward, the water that originally pushed the piston upward is injected with a dose of
fertilizer and released into the main line of irrigation water. (Figure 5)
Figure 5. Hydraulic injectors
Conventional flow by-pass tank

We recommend to us the hydraulic injectors because of its higher fertilizer application
efficiency and no requirements for electricity. While using conventional flow bypass tank
fertigators ( Figure 6) are not recommend due to its low distribution efficiency specially
under sandy soil conditions. The main limitation of this fertegator is that the nutrient
concentration is variable during irrigation (high concentration in the beginning of irrigation
and very low concentration at the end of irrigation event)
Figure 6. Conventional Flow bypass fertigator
7. Fertigation under saline conditions

Under saline conditions, specially where the water EC>1.0 dS/m, which is common in arid
zones, care should be taken to minimize the amount of accompanying ions added with N
or K. For example, KCl should be replaced by KNO 3 and K2HPO4, while NH4NO3 and urea
should be preferred over (NH4)2SO4. Sodium-based fertilizers (e.g. NaNO3 or NaH2PO4)
19
Are unlikely sources due to the adverse effect of Na on soil hydraulic conductivity and on
plant functioning. With balanced fertigation good results can be obtained under saline
conditions.
Elevated salt levels

Certain geographic areas have high salt levels in the water. High boron, fluoride, chloride,
sulfates and sodium:
 Can cause poor plant growth.

 May influence soluble salt levels in the water.
 High iron, especially in “hard water” (having high Ca and Mg):
 Can cause rusty spots on leaves with overhead irrigation.
 High salt levels can also cause rapid salt buildup on cooling pads in the
greenhouses.
 May need to bleed off and replace pad water regularly
Nutrient interactions
Plants maintain a balance between the cations (positively charged ions) and anions
(negatively charged ions) in their cells and tissues. Plants also maintain a constant sum of
cations in their cells and tissues. Therefore, if one cation is increased, it may decrease the
uptake of others.
Ex: Increasing Mg++ can cause decreases in Ca++ and calcium deficiencies.
Ex: Increasing NH4+ (to increase acidity) can cause decreases in Ca++ uptake.
Interactions between anions are not as common.
Ex: Increasing Cl- can decrease NO- 3 uptake and visa versa.
Nutrient uptake rates and mobility

Plant roots take up mineral nutrients at different rates.
Ex: NO-3, K+ and Cl- are taken up quickly; Ca+2 and SO4-2 are taken up slowly. This results in
unequal removal of nutrients from the solution. Once in the plant different ions have
different mobilities within the plant.
Ex: Mobile ions include N, K, P (PO4-2), Mg and Cl.
Deficiency symptoms for these ions usually appear in the old growth. Slightly mobile ions
include S (SO4-2), Mn and Mo. Deficiency symptoms usually appear in the middle and old
growth. Immobile ions include Ca, B, Zn, Fe and Cu. Deficiency symptoms for these ions
usually appear in the new growth.
20
8. Fertilizers application
The fertilizer solution in liquid form is fed into the system at low rates repeatedly, on a
continuous basis, during irrigation. The flow rate of the injector should be such that the
calculated amount of solution is supplied at a constant rate during the irrigation cycle, i.e.
starting fertigation right after the system starts operation and finishing a few minutes
before the operation ends. Regarding the choice of the fertilizers, apart from the amount
and the kind, other parameters need to be considered, such as solubility, acidity,
compatibility and cost.
Solubility
The fertilizer stock solution should always be dissolved in a separate container (Figure 7)
and then poured into the suction tank. The types of fertilizer should be highly soluble and
when dissolved in water must not form scums or sediments which might cause emitter
clogging problems. The solution should always be agitated, well stirred and any sludge
deposited in the bottom of the tank should be periodically removed. The injector suction
pipe should not rest on the bottom of the tank. Hot water helps dissolve dry fertilizers. Their
degree of solubility varies according to the type and the country of origin. Potassium sulfate
seems to have a low solubility of approximately 1:8, i.e. 1 kg of dry fertilizer in 8 liters of
water. The solubility of Ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) is 1:1.3, while urea nitrate (46-0-0) has
a high solubility of approximately 1.2:1 at room temperature 25 C o (Table 9).
Figure 7. Weighing the fertilizer and preparing the stock solution
Example 3 – Fertigation of vegetables

• Crop: Tomatoes;
The nutrient requirements to produce 80 ton/ha from Table 5

N(kg/ha) = 80 (ton/ha)*3.0(kg/ton) =240 kg/ha
21
P(kg/ha) = 80 (ton/ha) *0.6(kg/ton) = 48 kg/ha

K(kg/ha) = 80 (ton/ha) *3.5(kg/ton) = 280 kg/ha
If the seasonal water applied is 6000 m3/ha
Then crop requirement of NPK fertilizers in gm/m3 (kg/ha*1000gm/kg/(6000m3/ha)):

240 (kg/ha)*1000(gm/kg)/ 6000(m3/ha) = 40gm/m3 N
48 (kg/ha)*1000(gm/kg)/ 6000(m3/ha) = 8 gm/m3 P
280 (kg/ha)*1000(gm/kg)/ 6000(m3/ha) = 70 gm/m3 K
Type of fertilizers available:
Ammonium sulfate (21.2- 0-0);
Monoammonium phosphate MAP (12-62- 0);

Potassium Sulfate (0-0-46)
System flow:40 m3/h;
Irrigation dosage: 20 m3;
Duration of application: 0.5 hours.
Phosphate and potassium are given in oxides, therefore they are converted
into P and K elements by multiplying by 0.4364 and 0.8302 respectively.
Solution
Calculation of the amounts of fertilizers needed in kg per cubic meter of water:
From Table 6. N, P, and K uptake efficiency by drip irrigation for sandy soil
(0.75, 0.25 and 0.80, respectively)
K =40/0.75 x 100 ÷ (46 x 0.8302) =140gm /m3 = 0,140 kg K2O/m3
22
P = 8 /0.25 x 100 ÷ (62 x 0.4364) = 118.3 gm/m3 = 0.118 kg /m3 (NH4)2HPO4

This amount also provides 21 gm of N.
N = (47-21)/0.80 x 100 ÷ 21.2 =154 gm/m3 = 0.154kg/m3 NH4NO3
Thus, for 20 m3 of water, which is the irrigation dosage, the exact quantities are:
0,140 kg /m3x 20 m3 = 2.8 kg Potassium Sulfate

0.118 kg/m3 x 20 m3 = 2.36 kg NH4 HPO4
0.154 kg/m3 x20 m3 = 0.308 kg Ammonium sulfate
The amount of water needed for the dilution of the above quantity of
fertilizers is estimated by taking into account the solubility of the fertilizers 25 C o from
Table 9.
2.8 kg Potassium Sulfate x (1000/120) liters = 23.3 liters
2.36 kg MAP x (1000/410) liters = 5.76 liters
3.08 kg Ammonium sulfate x (1000/770) = 4 liters
Minimum amount of water needed 33.06 liters to dissolve the required fertilizers
If the fertilizers are diluted in 40 liters of water and the duration of the
irrigation is 0.5 h ( 30 min), then the injection rate should be about 65 l/h
Table 9. The Influence of Temperature on the Solubility of Fertilizers (gr./liter) in

Distilled Water
Fertilizers Temperature C0
0 5 10 20 25 30
Ammonium sulfate 700 715 730 750 770 780
Urea 680 780 850 1060 1200 1330
Potassium chloride 280 300 310 340 365 370
Potassium sulfate 70 80 90 110 120 130
Potassium nitrate 130 170 210 320 370 460
Mono ammonium phosphate 227 255 295 374 410 464
(Wolf et al., 1985)
23
Acidity
The acidity produced by the several forms of nitrogen varies from type to type and is greatly
affected by the kind of irrigation water and the type of soil. At least one check on the soil
pH should be carried out at the beginning of the season and one at the end. Furthermore,
a complete ionic analysis of the water is necessary. Quantity a simple method for calculating
the amount of fertilizer required for fertigation is to divide the annual application by the
number of irrigations. Various recipes have been developed in different countries based on
the conventional nutrition dosages. The total quantity of fertilizers applied is also related to
the length of the growing season and the irrigation requirements.
Initial chemical water measurements are necessary to determine its suitability for use in
fertigation. The pH of the water has to be near to neutral and its EC to be within acceptable
limits that are not well defined, but a value of around 1 dS/m is acceptable. Addition of
fertilizers to the water raises its EC and changes its pH. The objective is to have a fertigation
solution somewhat acid and with low EC. These parameters are decisive for choosing a
fertilizer combination compatible with the water quality. For water with a relatively high
EC, the ratio of cations Na to Ca Mg is important to prevent potential alkalization of the soil.
The level of bicarbonate is important for the selection of the P fertilizer. In water with
relatively high bicarbonate level, mostly coupled with Ca, precipitation of orthophosphate
compounds is very likely. In such cases, the use of polyphosphate fertilizers would be
preferred. Monitoring the fertigation water quality is a major tool for controlling plant
nutrition in soilless culture. The number of irrigation cycles per day is varied according to
the crop and the season. Frequency of irrigation should be regulated so that 20-30% of the
applied water appears in drainage. The pH of the fertigation solution leaving the dripper
and that collected in drainage should be monitored frequently. The optimum pH of the
fertigation water is 5.5-6.0 (Figure 8). A pH lower than 5.5 indicates a need to revise the
composition of the fertigation solution. The anticipated EC of the fertigation solution is
calculated by measuring the EC of irrigation water prior to addition of the fertilizer solution
and adding to it the estimated EC of the fertilizer solution. The measured EC of the
fertigation solution collected from the dripper should be within 10% of the calculated value.
Any deviation greater than this, necessitates checking the fertilizer injection devices, the
fertilizer dilution process or composition of the
Fertilizer solution. Comparing the EC in the fertigation solution to that in the drainage water
indicates the risk of salinization of the growth medium. A similar EC in both solutions is
normal and if the EC of the drainage solution is more than 20% higher than that of the
fertigation solution there is a risk of salinization. Excess of chlorides in the drainage water
indicates that the higher EC is caused by irrigation water salinity. In this case, the amount
of water applied has to be increased to enhance salt leaching from the growth medium.
Comparing nutrient concentrations in the fertigation solution and drainage water indicates
the extent of nutrient uptake. Excessive amounts of nutrients in the drainage water show
that the rate of nutrient application should be reduced. An EC value in the drainage water
24
that is lower than that in the fertigation solution indicates a high uptake of nutrients and an
increase in the nutrient application rate should be considered. Measuring the nitrite
concentration in the drainage water monitors the level of aeration in the growth medium,
the presence of nitrites indicates anaerobic conditions. In normal well-aerated media, N
compounds are fully oxidized to N03 and no nitrites are found. Increasing the interval
between irrigation would, in most cases, relieve the anaerobic condition. Controlling the
fertigation system requires frequent analyses of both the fertigation and the drainage
solution on pH, EC, nitrate, ammonium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, phosphate,
potassium, sodium, bicarbonate and micronutrients. Imbalance nutrient application will
cause the deficiency to the others like Ca in cucumber (Figure 9) and Mn and Fe (Figure 10)
in Tomato crop.
Figure 8. Nutrient availability under different soil pH (Barber, 1984)
Figure 9. Ca deficiency septum's in Cucumber crop
25
Figure 10. Mn and Fe deficiency in Tomato crop
9. Soil Testing
The soils are generally used as the growing medium in most high tunnel systems and
therefore the first step in managing fertility in a high tunnel is to obtain a routine soil test.
Soil pH, P, K, Ca, Mg, and micronutrients should be monitored every two to three years or
more often if problems are occurring. In addition, a soluble salts test (also known as an
electrical conductivity test) is recommended each year to ensure that salts are not building
up. Most soils in the arid region have low soluble salts, but with the use of fertigation and
the absence of leaching rainfall, salts may accumulate in a high tunnel. If salt levels become
excessive, leaching of the growing beds or removal of the soil may be necessary. A nitrate-
nitrogen soil test should also be done on an annual basis. Nitrate-N is a plant available form
of N that can carry over in the soil from the end of one growing season to the beginning of
the next. Collect soil samples for nitrate-N from the upper 30 cm the of soil (Figure 11),
rather than the standard 15 cm sampling depth for other soil tests. The amount of nitrate-
N in the soil before planting can be subtracted from the N fertilizer requirement for the
crop.
26
Figure 11. Soil sampling
Organic Matter
The ideal soil for high tunnel production is a well-drained sandy loam to silt loam. Soil
organic matter should be medium to high, in the range of 3.5% to 6%. Compacted soils
should be plowed to relieve the compaction. Considerable soil compaction can occur during
the construction process, so tillage is necessary after the structure is completed. Manure-
based compost has a higher nutrient content than crops waste compost and can be applied
at the lower rates. The compost should be incorporated in the soil to a depth of 15 to 20 cm
before planting.
Determining nutrient requirements

Before installing the drip irrigation system, have a soil sample tested to determine its
nutrient content. This should include nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and minor nutrients.
The nutrient requirements of your plants change throughout the season, and your
fertigation program should reflect this. If possible, obtain data on the nutrient requirements
of your crop at each growth stage. In combination with tissue testing throughout the
season. This information will allow you to maximize the efficiency of your fertigation
program.
Soil chemical analysis as a tool for evaluating nutrient availability.

Have the soil tested 1–2 months prior to planting so that liming requirements might be
addressed well in advance of planting. A soil test will also assess levels of available
27
phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, sulfur, calcium, and micronutrients (minor elements)

in the Soil testing and plant tissue analysis provides the basis for fertilizer applications aimed
at profitable and quality crop yields. Proper collection of samples and correct interpretation
of analytical results is vital for correct assessment of crop fertilization needs. This chapter
provides farmers and fertilizer users with background information on proper methods for
collecting representative soil and plant tissue samples and for interpreting the results of
analysis in order to estimate crop fertilizer requirements.
Soil sampling and analysis

Soil analysis is recommended before establishing agricultural activities. For most soils in arid
and semi-arid regions, a soil test of physical and chemical properties should be conducted
before making a decision regarding the suitability of the land for agricultural development.
In addition, soil sampling should be carried out every three years in order to develop
suitable fertilization programmes.
Good management of soil phosphate, potash and magnesium depends on regular soil
sampling and analysis. Levels of these nutrients in the soil change only slowly so soil
sampling and analysis can be done every 3-5 years at an appropriate time in the crop
rotation. It is usually safe to use soil analysis results for phosphorus, potassium and
magnesium as a basis for fertilizer recommendations for up to 4 years from the date of
sampling. The analytical results will be meaningful only if an adequate and representative
soil sample is taken.
Depth of soil sampling

Samples are usually collected from the soil surface to the plough depth of 15 cm in
cultivated fields. Where farmers plough to a depth of 30 cm, the samples should be
collected to a depth of 30 cm. With field crops and vegetables, it is advisable to collect soil
samples from the soil surface 0–15 cm and subsurface 15–30 cm. Soil analysis is appropriate
before an orchard is planted; the depth of soil sampling should be extended to the depth
of the root zone, 0–30, 30–60 and 60–100 cm where the root system reaches about 100 cm
of depth. However, in established orchards, leaf analysis is the most reliable indicator of
nutrient levels in fruit trees.
Method of soil sampling

Representative soil samples should be collected properly from the field. A good soil test, no
matter how accurate, cannot compensate for a poor sample. It is the sample taker’s
responsibility to take a truly representative composite soil sample from the field. In order
to be able to use the results of soil testing as a reliable guide for the addition of fertilizers,
the collected soil samples must represent the soil condition of the area sampled, and the
specific purpose of the test must be kept in mind. Truly representative and unbiased
samples can be taken by considering the following:
28
Avoid areas or conditions that are different, such as areas where fertilizer or other materials
have been spilled, gate areas, poorly drained areas, dead furrows, tillage or fertilizer corners
or fertilizer band areas of the previous year’s crops. It is also advisable to stay at least 25 m
away from barns, roads, lanes, irrigation canals and fences.
Because of soil variations, it is necessary that each sample consist of small portions of soil
obtained from about 15 locations (minimum 7) in the soil area. After obtaining these
portions of soil, mix them together to make a representative sample. Air-dry the samples
and place about 500 g of soil in a clean plastic bag. This method of sampling After the sample
has been taken, the soil sample bag should be marked clearly with the name of the collector,
address, sample number and identification of the field; this information should be kept in a
record book.
Where recommendations are desired, fill out the soil information sheet as completely as
possible (this helps in making recommendations). The sample numbers on the soil
information sheet should correspond to the numbers on the sample bags.
After the samples have been taken, they must be handled as follows:
 Label the sample

 Mark the sample list to indicate that the sample has been collected.
 Seal the sample containers properly.
 Keep samples in the shade until they can be transported to the office.
 Laboratories may have special requirements or procedures for sample handling
and storage.
Interaction of soil analysis results

From the results of soil analysis, farmers can predict fertilizer requirements. Soil analysis
measures the amount of elements extracted by certain chemical solutions that are
correlated to the quantity of nutrients available for plant uptake in a certain soil (Table 10).
Therefore, fertilizers are applied only where a crop is expected to respond to fertilization.
Soil analysis should be performed by an experienced analyst in a well-equipped laboratory.
Portable field kits are of limited benefit to farmers and should be always checked through
field calibration.
The prevailing soil properties under arid climate are generally characterized by neutral to
slightly high pH and CaCO3 content, as well as low organic matter (OM) content, which
together cause the reduction in N, P and micronutrient availability that is accentuated
further in some soils by the occurrence of high salinity. Therefore, in most arid area,
micronutrients are insufficient for meeting the crop genetic potential, especially for high-
yielding varieties
Table 10.Recommended soil analysis and expected nutrient concentrations (ppm) in

soils of arid regions
29
Element Very low Low Medium High Very high

Residual nitrate N 0-10 10-20 20-40 40-60 > 60
Calcium1 0–500 500–1200 1200-2500 2500-3500 >3500
Phosphorous 0–7 7–15 15–30 30–50 > 50
Potassium 0–85 85–170 170–300 300–500 > 500
Magnesium 0–85 85–200 200–300 300–500 > 500
Sodium – – 0–300 > 300 –
Iron 0–2 2–4 4–6 6–10 > 10
Manganese 0–0.5 0.5–2 2–5 5–10 > 10
Zinc 0–0.5 0.5–1.5 1.5–4 4–6 >6
Copper 0–0.1 0.1–0.3 0.3–0.8 0.8–3 >3
Boron 0–0.5 0.5–1 1–2 2–4 >4
Molybdenum – 0–0.1 0.1–2 2–5 5–102
Sulphur 0–10 10–20 20–35 35–50 > 50
Calcium – 0–5 5–15 15–25 > 25
1 In calcareous soils, exchangeable Ca values could be 50–100 percent higher than the
above values.
2 Molybdenum levels > 10 ppm are toxic to plants.
Soil salinity (EC of soil saturated extract, in dS/m): 0–4 no hazard; 4–6 low hazard; 6–8
medium hazard; 8–10 high hazard;
> 10 very high hazard.
10. Date palm fertigation and Fertilization applications

In California fertilizer is applied according to the size and age of the tree in a ratio of 2 N :
1P2O5 : 3 K2O Following are the quantities of nitrogen applied according to the above ratio:
Young trees, up to 18 months: 0.3 kg N/tree/annum
Small trees: 0.5 – 1.0 kg N/tree/annum
Medium size trees: 1.5 – 2.0 kg N/tree/annum
Large trees: 2.5 – 3.5 kg N/tree/annum
It is necessary to test for microelement deficiencies and spray the foliage when necessary
with S, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn. If the trees are medium size the fertilizers requirement according
California recommendations for each tree 2kg N : 1P2O5 : 3K2O for one hectare we need
200kg N : 100 P2O5 : 300 K2O. In Iraq it is customary to apply 20 kg of organic fertilizer per
tree per annum.
Table 11. shows a practical example on Date palm crop water requirement under UAE
condition for mature tree irrigated with water salinity of 4200 ppm. To reduce the salinity
30
effect high frequent irrigation interval are used (three irrigations per day) using inline PC
dripper irrigation system, for each tree 35 inline GR drippers fixed around each tree in 0.4
m distance between the drippers with 8 lph discharge.
Table 11. Date palm crop irrigation application rate and time of each irrigation per
tree calculated for mature trees under UAE conditions.
Applied water amount ( L / tree per Time of each irrigation

Month
irrigation event) event ( mint)
Jan 28,3 6,1
Feb 31,7 6,8
Mar 48,3 10,4
Apr 73,3 15,7
May 100,0 21,4
Jun 98,3 21,1
Jul 98,3 21,1
Aug 78,3 16,8
Sep 83,3 17,9
Oct 56,7 12,1
Nov 41,7 8,9
Dec 30,0 6,4
*irrigation water salinity is 4200 ppm,35 GR PC emitters in 0.4 m distance installed around
each tree with the emitters discharge of 8 Lph. Application of three irrigation per day.
Fertigation Calculations
In fertigation system the farmer should apply fertilizer continuously with irrigation by
calculation of the amount of fertilizer required to prepare the concentrated stock solution.
Example 4. A field grown with Date palm trees of the following nutrient requirements;
100 N : 50 P : 150 K. Prepare stock solution in reservoir 1 m3 volume from the following
available fertilizers:
Calcium Nitrate (15.5 N : 0 P2O5: 0 K2O)
mono-potassium phosphate (MKP) (0 N : 52 P2O5: 34 K2O)
Potassium Sulfate (0 N : 0 P2O5 : 46 K2O)
Characteristics of the irrigation and fertigation systems
With direct measurements in the field it has been found that :
Flow rate of the irrigation system is 15000L/hr
31
Flow rate of the fertigator is 100 L/hr

The capacity of the reservoir for the stock solution is 1 m3
Calculate the fertilizers weights to be dissolved in 1 m3
Using the following equation

𝐅∗𝐃𝐅∗𝐧∗𝟏𝟎𝟎
𝑪= Where;
𝒂
C= Weight of the fertilizer (gm) in the stock solution

F= Desired concentration of a nutrient in the irrigation water (gm/m3)
n = Volume of the reservoir for the stock solution (m3)
a = % of a pure nutrient in the fertilizer
DF = Dilution Factor
𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦
𝑫𝑭 =
𝑭𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓
Solution
𝟏𝟓𝟎𝟎𝟎
𝑫𝑭 = = 150
𝟏𝟎𝟎
Calculations for N
𝐠𝐦
𝟏𝟎𝟎 ( ) ∗ 𝟏𝟓𝟎 ∗ 𝟏 𝐦𝟑 ∗ 𝟏𝟎𝟎
𝐦𝟑
𝑪=
𝟏𝟓. 𝟓
= 96.77 kg of Calcium Nitrate will dissolved in 1 m3
Calculations for P
Since we selected MKP and Potassium Sulfate contain K in both of them so first we will
calculate P from MKP
𝐠𝐦
𝟓𝟎 ( ) ∗ 𝟏𝟓𝟎 ∗ 𝟏𝐦𝟑 ∗ 𝟏𝟎𝟎
𝐦𝟑
𝑪=
𝟓𝟐/𝟐. 𝟐𝟗
= 33.03 kg of MKP will dissolved in 1 m3
But the 33.03 kg of MKP contains (33030 *34*1/1.2/(150*1*100 )= 62.4 (gm/m 3) K
The required K is 150 -62.4= 87.60 (gm/m3)
Calculations for K
32
𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐒𝐮𝐥𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐫

𝐠𝐦
𝟖𝟕. 𝟔 ( ) ∗ 𝟏𝟓𝟎 ∗ 𝟏 𝐦𝟑 ∗ 𝟏𝟎𝟎
𝐦𝟑
𝑪=
𝟒𝟔/𝟏. 𝟐
=34.28 kg 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐒𝐮𝐥𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐞 will be dissolved in 1
m3 . stock solution tank
Summary of the fertilizers needed
In a reservoir of 1m3 the following amounts of fertilizers are needed to provide 100, 50
and 150 g/m3 of N, P, K, respectively, the farmer should refill the fertilizer reservoir
continuously with the same nutrient concentration when it getting empty from the
following fertilizers:
Calcium Nitrate = 96.77 kg

MKP = 62.4 kg
Potassium Sulfate = 34.28 kg
Table 12. shows the possible cause of macro and micro nutrient elements
deficiency and the possible solution to take action.
Table 12. Troubleshooting in fertigation a form of problem solving to repair failed

products
Nutrient
Possible Cause Possible Remedy
Element
N Too much fertilizers Split the mass / volume of fertilizers applied

applied at a time at any one time
Excess leaching Reduce the application of water to wet the

root-zone only
Phytophtora infection of Test the roots for Phytophtora and act

the roots accordingly
Low efficiency of applied Foliar sprays with low biuret urea or

fertilizers potassium nitrate
P Too high soil pH Apply single or double super phosphate in a

narrow strip on the soil
Too low soil pH Apply lime to increase the pH to 6.50
Foliar sprays with phosphates are not

effective.
33
K Too high concentration of Use potassium nitrate to apply some of the

magnesium in the soil or nitrogen required
water
Salinity Locate the source and act accordingly
Low efficiency of applied Foliar sprays with low potassium nitrate

fertilizers
Poor root health Take remedial actions
Old trees Rejuvenate the root system
Compaction Corrective actions with mechanical

implements may be used, but are not always
successful
Nematodes Test the roots for nematodes and act

accordingly
Ca Climatic conditions Ensure that enough available calcium is

present in the root zone during the critical
period from budding to petal drop
Low pH Apply lime
Salinity Locate the source and act accordingly
Low calcium saturation Apply lime, gypsum or calcium nitrate
Foliar sprays with calcium have limited

Success
Mg Too high concentration of Apply magnesium nitrate foliar sprays

potassium in the
Soil
Low pH Apply dolomitic lime
Foliar sprays with Apply magnesium nitrate foliar sprays

potassium nitrate
S Too low concentration of S Apply sulphates to the soil. The efficacy of

in the soil foliar sprays is unknown.
Nutrient Possible Cause Possible Remedy

Element
Cu Too low concentration of Apply foliar sprays. The efficacy of soil

Cu in the soil application depends on many soil factors.
Fe Too high pH in the soil Apply Fe-EDDHA in August
Water logging Improve scheduling and drainage
34
Zn Too high pH in the soil Apply foliar sprays
Recent liming Apply foliar sprays
Soil applications to mature trees are not

effective
B Too low pH in the soil Apply foliar sprays

Apply foliar sprays
Mn Foliar sprays with iron are not effective
Too high pH in the soil Apply foliar sprays
Zn Too high pH in the soil Apply foliar sprays
High P status Apply foliar sprays
Soil applications to mature trees are not

effective
B Too low pH in the soil Apply foliar sprays
Recent liming The applications of boron to the soil is quite

effective under most soil conditions
Mo Too low soil pH Apply lime. Apply foliar sprays.
The status of various nutrients in the tree has a marked effect on fruit quality. Nitrogen,
phosphorous, potassium and calcium play the most important role.
To correct the nutrient status of the tree, the cause of the over- or undersupply must be
known. Applying more fertilizer may not be an effective remedy.
11. References
Ayers, R.S. and W. Wescot. 1989.Water quality for agriculture, FAO Irrigation and Drainage
paper 29 Rev. 1.
Barber, SA. 1984. Soil nutrient availability: Mechanistic approach. John Wielly and Stone.
NY.
Boman, B.J. and E. W. Stover, 2002.Managing salinity in Florida citrus. University of Florida,
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS)
Doorenbos, J. and W.O Pruitt. 1975. Guidelines for predicting crop water requirements,
Irrigation and Drainage Paper 24, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,
Rome, 179 p.
35
IFA (1992) World fertilizer use manual. International Fertilizer Industry Association, Paris,
France.
Maas, E. V. 1984. Salt tolerance of plants. The Handbook of Plant Science in Agriculture. B.
R. Christie (ed). CRC PRESS, Boca Raton, Florida
Maas, E.V. and G.J Hoffman. 1977. Crop salt tolerance - current assessment. J. Irrig. and
Drainage Div., ASCE 103 (IR2): 115-134.
Papadopoulos, I., L. Ristimaki, and C. Sonneveld. 2000. Nitrogen and phosphorous
fertigation of tomato and eggplant. Acta Horticulturae. 511: 73-79.
Wolf, B., J. Fleming and J. Batchelor. 1985. Fluid Fertilizer manual. Vol. 1. National Fertilizer
Solutions Association, Peoria I1.
36

Manual Fertigation Field Crop

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Technical manual for “Fertigation manual: Open-field crops and date palm"

Technical manual for

Fertigation manual: Open-field crops and

Reduced weed population.

Application flexibility (time, weather, soil).

What are the things needed to ensure good management of fertigation?

 Determine the crop water requirements.

 Use non-corrosion materials equipment's in fertigation system such as plastic

2. Determining Crop Water Use

Table 1. The monthly average Reference Evapotranspiration (Eto)

0.9 * 7.71* 0.4

Crop Kcini Kcmid Kcend Crop height (m)

Green beans 0.5 1.05 0.9 0.4

Crop Mid- Late

Figure 1. Tomato crop coefficient under open field conditions

3. Plant nutrient requirements

 Mineralization of soil organic matter (all nutrients)

The Uptake Process

 Crop nutrients requirement (NW).

The crop fertilizer demand= NW – ( SW+ASO)

The target yield and crop nutrients requirements

NW = expected yield (ton/ha)* crop consumption from nutrient (kg/ton)

Table 6. Fertilizer-N,P and K uptake efficiency (fraction) as influenced by the irrigation

Soil Type Furrow Sprinkler Micro-irrigation

Basic Mixing Rules

 DO NOT mix fertilizers containing phosphorous with fertilizer containing calcium

Table 7. Product compatibility chart for mixing differen fertilizers.

I. Reactions in a non-suitable mixture of fertilizers.

Soil- nutrient safety margins

Nutrient sources (fertilizers)

Solubility is an issue with potassium products. Potassium chloride is expensive and

Table 8. Salt index for different fertilizers

Salt Index (Sodium

1May cause clogging if irrigation water is high in bicarbonates.

Fertilizers Properties for Fertigation

 High solubility at field temperature.

Applying the right amounts of fertilizer

 The fertilizer requirements of the crop at each growth stage

6. Setting fertigation system

Figure 2. Fertigation unit and disc filtration system

Figure 3. Venture Injector

Figure 4. Automatic fertigator

Figure 5. Hydraulic injectors

Conventional flow by-pass tank

Figure 6. Conventional Flow bypass fertigator

7. Fertigation under saline conditions

Elevated salt levels

 Can cause poor plant growth.

Interactions between anions are not as common.

Nutrient uptake rates and mobility

Ex: Mobile ions include N, K, P (PO4-2), Mg and Cl.

Figure 7. Weighing the fertilizer and preparing the stock solution

Example 3 – Fertigation of vegetables

The nutrient requirements to produce 80 ton/ha from Table 5

P(kg/ha) = 80 (ton/ha) *0.6(kg/ton) = 48 kg/ha

Then crop requirement of NPK fertilizers in gm/m3 (kg/ha*1000gm/kg/(6000m3/ha)):

Type of fertilizers available:

Ammonium sulfate (21.2- 0-0);

Monoammonium phosphate MAP (12-62- 0);

System flow:40 m3/h;

Irrigation dosage: 20 m3;

Duration of application: 0.5 hours.

K =40/0.75 x 100 ÷ (46 x 0.8302) =140gm /m3 = 0,140 kg K2O/m3