FERTIGATION DISTRIBUTION WITH LOW PRESSURE MULTIGATE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS IN A SUGARCANE AGROECOSYSTEM

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47163/agrociencia.v57i6.2983

Keywords:

Saccharum spp., urea, fertilization, low pressure irrigation, contamination.

Abstract

In the state of Veracruz, Mexico, low sugarcane yields are reported despite the high use of inputs. This results in economic losses and environmental pollution. A fertigation system designed at the Colegio de Postgraduados (COLPOS) Campus Veracruz was established to determine the uniformity and stability of fertilizer distribution in the sugarcane crop. This study was carried out in a sugarcane plot with a farmer participant. Three levels of valve openings at the injector inlet (1/3, 2/3, and 3/3) were tested to determine the homogeneity of fertigation at the outlet of the gates and the stability of the system over time. Samples of water-fertilizer mixture were taken at the outlet of the gates. They were analyzed in the laboratory with a UV-visible spectrophotometer at 202 nm for nitrogen. It was found that the 1/3 and 3/3 valve position openings caused instability in the system. For the 2/3 opening with p = 0.359, no statistical difference (α= 0.05) was found during the time of emptying the container of the water-fertilizer mixture. Therefore, the fertigation system proved to be stable with a valve opening close to 2/3. Using the valve openings, the flow rate of water-fertilizer entering the system is uniformly mixed at the outlets of the multi-gate pipeline that pours into the crop furrows (p = 0.474 and α = 0.05). It can be concluded that in fertilization using a low-pressure irrigation system, nitrogen fertilizer is uniformly distributed when a Venturi type injector is used in a sugarcane agroecosystem with a valve opening close to 2/3.

Author Biographies

Arturo García-Saldaña, Instituto Tecnológico de Boca del Río

He is a professor at the Technological Institute of Boca del Río. He did a Master of Science and a Doctor of Science in Tropical Agroecosystems. Member of the National System of Researchers I.

Arturo Pérez-Vázquez, COLEGIO DE POSTGRADUADOS

He did a Philosophy Doctor studies (PhD) in Sustainable Agriculture at Imperial College – England; Master's (M.C.): Botany at the Colegio de Postgraduados, Mexico. Degree in Biology at the Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico. He is a member of the National System of Researchers level I.

Juan Pablo Martínez-Dávila, Colegio de Postgraduados

Civil Engineer from the Universidad Veracruzana. Master of Science in Tropical Agroecosystems and Doctor of Science in Strategies for Agricultural Development. Member of the national system of researchers level I.

María del Refugio Castañeda-Chávez , Instituto Tecnológico de Boca del Río

Dr. in Sciences in Environmental Technology. Head of the Laboratory of the Technological Institute of Boca del Río. Member of the Nal System of Level II researchers.

Eugenio Carrillo-Ávila , Colegio de Postgraduados

Agricultural Engineer from the Chapingo Autonomous University, specializing in irrigation. Doctor in hydrology, mechanical mention. (Laboratoire d'étude des transfers en hidrologie et environnement). Research Professor of the College of Postgraduates. Member of the National System. of Researchers Level I.

Alejandro Alonso-López, Colegio de Postgraduados

Senior Research Professor of the College of Postgraduates. Member of the Nal System of researchers, level I. Doctorate at Universite d'Avignon: Avignon, Côte de Roohn, FR

Additional Files

Published

07-09-2023

Issue

2023: Early Access 57 (6)

Section

Water-Soils-Climate

License

Agrociencia is published every 45 days, in an English format, and it is edited by the Colegio de Postgraduados. Mexico-Texcoco highway Km. 36.5, Montecillo, Texcoco, Estado de México, CP 56264, Telephone (52) 5959284427. www.colpos.mx. Editor-in-Chief: Dr. Fernando Carlos Gómez Merino. Rights Reserved for Exclusive Use: 04-2021-031913431800-203, e-ISSN: 2521-9766, granted by the National Institute for Author Right.