Fertigation is injecting fertilizers, soil amendments and other water-soluble products into an irrigation system. Drip irrigation systems are perfect for applying fertilizer. Fertigation is one of many AgTech solutions for growers and landscapers to maximize their results while reducing their inputs. Moving forward of meet our goal of producing more food with less inputs fertilizer injection will play a bigger part in the solution.
Drip Irrigation Best Choice For Fertigation
Because drip irrigation slows the flow of water to plants and keeps nutrients and water in the root zone longer drip irrigation is the best choice for fertigation.When applying fertilizer through a drip system the distribution of fertilizer will be as uniform as the water application.Growers and water managers have flexibility in timing fertilizer applications. There is less labor required to apply fertilizer and an additional watering is not needed to water the product into the ground. It also requires less fertilizer to be applied.
Two Excellent Examples Of Fertilizer Injection
City Center in Las Vegas Nevada is an excellent example of how far the technology evolved. This multi-billion dollar development installed a fertilized irrigation line that runs through the 52-acre resort. This advanced fertigation design is monitored by a central control system that adjusts via remote from anywhere on the property. Sensors are placed throughout the system to evaluate the system’s ability to delivery consistent ratios across dozens of separate installations.
Fertilizer injection systems can 100% organic given the many liquid and soluble organic fertilizers on the market. I know several growers that have fully automated organic fertilizer and other organic nutrients to their drip systems. Now they are able to increase production, certified their products as organic, use less inputs and the same amount of land due to the use of injected irrigation systems.
Fertilizer injection is rapidly growing in both the Ag and Landscape sectors. The early adaptors are experiencing higher quality and increased production. As the technology improves we will see even more time saving in the process. The systems of the future will provide optimal efficiency and cost saving while improving quality of life. Ease of use and remote monitoring and control will make it possible to manage and control crops and landscapes with smart devices from anywhere in the world.
Thanks for the comment Eric – The diagram is from Mazzei and I have reached out to them and asked them to comment about your concerns. Let’s see what they have to say. Thanks again for your comment.
Eric – This is from Mazzei – Using a booster pump is recommended when the pressure at the injection point is the same as what is needed in the field. The pump does not come into contact with chemicals so they are relatively inexpensive. Another option if available is to is to utilize the constant pressure drop from devices such as certain types of filters or pressure regulation valves.