Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

File List


osu1228241327.pdf (1.16 MB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Use Of Near-Zero Leachate Irrigation Systems For Container Production Of Woody Ornamental Plants

Sammons, Jonathan D.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1228241327

Abstract Details

2008, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Horticulture and Crop Science.
Increased environmental awareness combined with a decrease in available water for irrigation has required the nursery industry to evaluate water and nutrient efficiencies. The production of plants in containers reduces the rooting volume available to the plant by about 95% resulting in a limited reservoir of moisture and nutrients. The substrates most commonly used in container production are soilless and porous, with pine bark comprising all or at least a majority of the substrate. This production environment requires nursery producers to irrigate daily to maximize plant performance. As irrigation volume increases both water and nutrient efficiencies decrease. This work investigates the interactions of irrigation, fertilizer rate, and water and nutrient efficiencies.A plant-integrated, gravimetric, substrate moisture monitoring system was used to control irrigation volume and limit leachate volumes to near-zero levels. Effective container capacity (ECC) was used to determine irrigation volumes and frequency. ECC was defined as the maximum mass of the container, substrate and plant unit after gravitational water loss. The system used the ECC target to deliver irrigation within a narrow range of substrate moisture contents to study the effects of irrigation volume on growth, water use, and nutrient uptake of baldcypress (Taxodium distichium L.). In the summer of 2006, the gravimetric substrate monitoring system was proven as an effective, plant-integrated method of reducing leachate volume that required minimal maintenance under the four month experimental period. Under a near-zero leachate irrigation system, irrigation volume and leachate volume (by definition) are decreased; substrate nutrient concentration was increased resulting in increased plant tissue nutrient concentration, and an increase in water-use efficiency. Nitrogen use efficiency was not affected by irrigation regime in this study, as fertilizer rate impacted uptake of nitrogen.
Daniel Struve, PhD (Advisor)
James Metzger, PhD (Committee Member)
Hannah Mathers, PhD (Committee Member)
Robert Hansen, PhD (Committee Member)
145 p.
Horticulture
Leachate; Controlled Release Fertilizers; Run-off; Taxodium; Baldcypress; Container Production; Container Substrates; Container Capcity

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Sammons, J. D. (2008). Use Of Near-Zero Leachate Irrigation Systems For Container Production Of Woody Ornamental Plants [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1228241327

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Sammons, Jonathan. Use Of Near-Zero Leachate Irrigation Systems For Container Production Of Woody Ornamental Plants. 2008. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1228241327.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Sammons, Jonathan. "Use Of Near-Zero Leachate Irrigation Systems For Container Production Of Woody Ornamental Plants." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1228241327

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1228241327
766
© 2008, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.
Release 3.2.12