Growth, Evapotranspiration, and Nitrogen Leaching from Young Lysimeter-Grown Orange Trees
Publication: Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 133, Issue 4
Abstract
Lysimeters constructed from polyethylene tanks were filled with Oldsmar fine sand soil. A single “Midsweet” orange on Carrizo citrange rootstock tree was planted in each lysimeter on May 5, 1991. Fertilization treatments included traditional fertilization using applications of dry-soluble fertilizer at 6-week intervals (TF), weekly fertigation applications (WF), and single annual applications of two different controlled-release materials (CR). Irrigation (by microsprinklers) and drainage volumes (collected weekly) were measured with totalizing flow meters. Trees fertilized with CR products achieved equivalent growth to trees on the TF and WF treatments, even though the CR treatment trees received only 44% of N as the other treatments. The fertigated trees averaged about 14% greater evapotranspiration (ET) during the period of study as compared to the nonfertigated trees. As the trees grew, the average ET increased from 2.8 and during 1991/1992 for the fertigated and nonfertigated treatments, respectively, to 5.0 and , respectively, during 1993/1994. The percentage of the applied N leached ranged from 35% for the WF treatment to 53% with the TF treatment. The total N leached ( and ) with the WF trees was approximately two times greater than that for the CR treatments. TF applications resulted in approximately two and one-half times more N leached than from the CR materials. More than 65% of the total N was leached during the rainy summer months (June–November). Leaching was found to be directly related to the rainfall rate.
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Acknowledgments
Trade names are used in this publication to provide specific information and their mention does not constitute an endorsement by the University of Florida. Funding and equipment for this project was provided by Diamond R Fertilizer Company, Helena Chemical Company, Grace-Sierra Company, the St. Lucie County (Florida) Soil and Water Conservation District, Maxijet, Inc., and Rain Bird Sales, Inc.
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Published In
Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 133 • Issue 4 • August 2007
Pages: 350 - 358
Copyright
© 2007 ASCE.
History
Accepted: Mar 26, 2007
Received: May 3, 2007
Published online: Aug 1, 2007
Published in print: Aug 2007
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