lecture # 11 water quality - irrigation practices

Lecture # 11Lecture # 11Water Quality -Water Quality -

Irrigation Irrigation PracticesPractices

Watering: No Simple MatterWatering: No Simple Matter

Water source.Water source. Water within the growing medium.Water within the growing medium. Water uptake and use by the plant. Water uptake and use by the plant. Water stress. Water stress. Watering methods.Watering methods. Water: amount and frequency.Water: amount and frequency.

TRANSPIRATIONTRANSPIRATION

IRRIGATIONIRRIGATION EVAPORATIONEVAPORATION

DRAINAGEDRAINAGE

What Happens to Water Applied What Happens to Water Applied to Soil in Container with Foliage to Soil in Container with Foliage

Plant Growing:Plant Growing:

* Excess over soil holding capacity drains away.* Excess over soil holding capacity drains away.

* Of the water retained by the soil:* Of the water retained by the soil:

- a portion is used for plant growth;- a portion is used for plant growth; - a portion is used to keep the plant turgid; - a portion is used to keep the plant turgid; - a portion is transpired; - a portion is transpired; - a portion evaporates from the soil, container wall; - a portion evaporates from the soil, container wall; - a portion remains in the soil. - a portion remains in the soil.

The Water SourceThe Water Source

The three most important The three most important factors offactors of

water quality are:water quality are:

total salt content, alkalinity and total salt content, alkalinity and pH. pH.

Hard waterHard water - water that has relatively high - water that has relatively highconcentrations of calcium, magnesium or concentrations of calcium, magnesium or otherotherminerals.minerals.

TreatmentTreatment - water softener which - water softener which substitutessubstitutessodium for the minerals contributing to the sodium for the minerals contributing to the original hardness.original hardness.

ProblemProblem - soil sodium levels and soluble - soil sodium levels and soluble salts.salts.

The Water SourceThe Water Source

Improving Water QualityImproving Water Quality

Filtration.Filtration.

Osmotic exchange.Osmotic exchange.

DistillationDistillation..

The Elemental Content and The Elemental Content and Chemical Properties of Water Suited Chemical Properties of Water Suited

for Use on Indoor Plantsfor Use on Indoor Plants Electrical Conductivity - < 1.0Electrical Conductivity - < 1.0 millimhos/cmmillimhos/cm Total Soluble Salts - < 525 Total Soluble Salts - < 525 ppmppm % of Salts as Sodium - < 40 % of Salts as Sodium - < 40 %% Sodium Absorption Ratio - < Sodium Absorption Ratio - < 1010

ppH - 5.5 to 7.0H - 5.5 to 7.0 Alkalinity - < 100 Alkalinity - < 100 ppmppm Sulfates - < 240 ppmSulfates - < 240 ppm Nitrates - < 50 ppmNitrates - < 50 ppm

The Elemental Content and Chemical The Elemental Content and Chemical Properties of Water Suited for Use on Properties of Water Suited for Use on

Indoor PlantsIndoor Plants

Maximum ElementalMaximum Elemental Concentrations in Concentrations in

ppm ppm

Phosphorus - 5Phosphorus - 5Potassium - 10Potassium - 10Calcium - 75Calcium - 75Manganese - 2Manganese - 2Iron - 5Iron - 5Boron - < 0.8Boron - < 0.8

Copper - 0.2Copper - 0.2Zinc - 5Zinc - 5Sodium - 50Sodium - 50Aluminum - 5Aluminum - 5Molybdenum - 0.02Molybdenum - 0.02Chloride - 140Chloride - 140Fluoride < 1.0Fluoride < 1.0


Water source.Water source. Water within the growing medium.Water within the growing medium. Water uptake and use by the plant.Water uptake and use by the plant. Water stress.Water stress. Watering methods.Watering methods. Water: amount and frequency.Water: amount and frequency.

Water AvailabilityWater Availability

• Matrix SuctionMatrix Suction• Osmotic SuctionOsmotic Suction

Soil particle

Air

Water

Air

PlanPlant t

rootroot

Root hairRoot hair

Average container soil mix - wet soil Average container soil mix - wet soil

following irrigation applied at one following irrigation applied at one spotspot

initial initial wetting wetting pattern pattern

final final wetting wetting patternpattern

dry soildry soilwet soilwet soil

Water Within the Growing MediumWater Within the Growing Medium

stale air stale air bubbles to bubbles to

surfacesurface

as water drains, as water drains, suction draws in suction draws in

fresh, oxygenated fresh, oxygenated airair

old air (and) salts old air (and) salts forced out of forced out of

drainage holesdrainage holes

soil at field soil at field capacitycapacity

saturated saturated zonezone

dry zonedry zone

Coping with soil shrinkage caused Coping with soil shrinkage caused by extreme soil drynessby extreme soil dryness

• multiple wateringsmultiple waterings• wetting agentswetting agents• mist - devicesmist - devices

Cohesion - Adhesion - Tension Cohesion - Adhesion - Tension MechanismMechanism

transpirationtranspiration

water column moves up water column moves up through the plant as through the plant as

transpirational water is transpirational water is lostlost

water absorption into rootwater absorption into root

root hairsroot hairs

root caproot capapical meristemapical meristem

maturation maturation zonezone

elongation elongation zonezone

meristematic meristematic zonezonemucigel sheathmucigel sheath

cortexcortexepidermisepidermis

endodermisendodermispericyclepericycle

phloemphloemxylemxylem

root hair

endodermis

intercellular space

Casparian strip

epidermis

pericycle

cortex

phloemxylem

PATHWAY APATHWAY B

PATHWAY APATHWAY A

PATHWAY BPATHWAY B

Water moves by osmosis through cellular Water moves by osmosis through cellular membranes and living cells; solutes move mainly membranes and living cells; solutes move mainly

by active transport.by active transport.

Water flows through cell walls and intercellular Water flows through cell walls and intercellular spaces; solutes move with the flow or by diffusion.spaces; solutes move with the flow or by diffusion.

epidermisepidermis

endodermisendodermis

root hairroot hair

rootrootexternal mycelliumexternal mycellium

arbusclearbusclevesiclevesicle

cortexcortex

Vesicular - Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Vesicular - Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (VAM) Fungi(VAM) Fungi

Water - Related Plant StressWater - Related Plant Stress

Poor aeration of roots.Poor aeration of roots.

Salt stress.Salt stress.

Underwatering.Underwatering.

Temperature - related water stress.Temperature - related water stress.

Wetting AgentsWetting Agents

Chemicals that increase Chemicals that increase the movement of water.the movement of water.

FUNCTIONS :FUNCTIONS : facilitate percolation. facilitate percolation. enhance drainage. enhance drainage. rewetting.rewetting.

Watering: When and How Much?

Determining the need to water by turgor by touch by weight a visual check technology time

Proper Methods of WateringProper Methods of Watering

Best watering imitates a good rain.Best watering imitates a good rain.

Drench the soil without erosion, bringingDrench the soil without erosion, bringing soil to field capacity.soil to field capacity.

Hose and breaker.Hose and breaker.

Self-watering containers.Self-watering containers.

Drip irrigation system.Drip irrigation system.

Mona Link.Mona Link.

Proper Methods of WateringProper Methods of Watering

Watering from Above vs. BelowWatering from Above vs. Below

Above

Below

Water applied from above should:Water applied from above should:

Avoid foliage. Why? Always?Avoid foliage. Why? Always? Remove dust.Remove dust.

Capillary action draws water into soil.Capillary action draws water into soil. Prevents soil compaction.Prevents soil compaction. Soil saturation.Soil saturation.

Wick SystemWick System

water water intake and intake and ventilation ventilation

slotslot

planting planting mediummedium

air air circulationcirculation

capillary capillary actionaction

water water reservoirreservoir

mulchmulch

potpot

wickwick

plant rootsplant roots

Fabric Wick SystemFabric Wick Systemwatertight watertight decorative decorative containercontainer

Water Disc UnitWater Disc Unit

grow potgrow pot


capillary capillary wickwick


fill tubefill tube

foam foam collarcollar

voidvoid

reservoirreservoir

mulchmulch

Subirrigation in a Non-Watertight Subirrigation in a Non-Watertight ContainerContainer


capillary capillary wickwick

fill tubefill tube

wicker basket wicker basket planter with planter with

linerliner

reservoirreservoir

mulchmulch

Subirrigation in a Non-Watertight Subirrigation in a Non-Watertight ContainerContainer


subirrigation subirrigation containercontainer

water intake water intake tubetube

aeration and aeration and grainage grainage

holesholes

water- water- fertilizer fertilizer reservoirreservoir

mulchmulch

non-watertightnon-watertightdecorative decorative containercontainer

capillary column capillary column contains Perlite contains Perlite

impermeable impermeable saucer saucer

Water Intake TubeWater Intake Tube

Camouflage?Camouflage?

Capillary Leg SystemCapillary Leg System

watertight watertight decorative decorative containercontainer

insert insert platform platform

with with aeration aeration

ventsvents

Capillary legCapillary leg


planting planting medium medium

wickwick

fill tubefill tube

water water level level

indicatorindicator

mulchmulch


reservoirreservoir

Capillary TapeCapillary Tape

water intake water intake tube and tube and

ventilation ventilation slotslot


water water indicatorindicator

clear clear indicator indicator

casecaseair air circulationcirculation

capillary capillary tapetape


inner potinner pot

outer potouter pot

floatfloat

castorscastors


Vacuum Sensor SystemVacuum Sensor System

water intake water intake tube and tube and

ventilation ventilation slotslot

sensor sensor controls controls

watering; watering;watering watering action action

starts when starts when sensor is sensor is

dry,dry,stops when stops when

it it is moistis moist

water enters slowly through water enters slowly through inlet when activated by sensorinlet when activated by sensor

water is water is pulled up pulled up through through soil by soil by



Hydroponic Plant SystemHydroponic Plant System

inner inner support support mediummedium

water level water level gauge gauge

decorative decorative containercontainer

special special inner inner

containercontainer

moisture moisture diffusion diffusion

areaarea

nutrient nutrient solutionsolution

The Mona - LinkThe Mona - Link

Fill tubeFill tubeEnd capEnd cap

Link Link reservoirreservoir

Link Link connecting connecting

tubetube

The Mona-Link is used to subirrigate The Mona-Link is used to subirrigate garden-style plants beds by garden-style plants beds by

interconnecting interconnecting units in whatever configurations are units in whatever configurations are necessary to provide even moisture necessary to provide even moisture

applications.applications.

Application of Mona - Link to Planter Application of Mona - Link to Planter Beds with Changing TopographyBeds with Changing Topography

Complete Automation of Garden - Style Complete Automation of Garden - Style Subirrigation SystemSubirrigation System

shallow-rooted shallow-rooted plantsplants

deep-rooted deep-rooted plantplant

water water supply supply

controlled controlled by by

sensor or sensor or time time clockclock

Components of Drip Irrigation System

PVC supply linePVC supply line

controllercontroller

strainerstrainer

preset pressure preset pressure regulatorregulator

multiple outletmultiple outlet

distribution feeder distribution feeder tubingtubing

Capillary Leg System for JardiniersCapillary Leg System for Jardiniers

watertight watertight decorative decorative containercontainer capillary column capillary column

contains Perlite contains Perlite


foam foam collarcollar

subirrigation subirrigation containercontainer

water water intake tubeintake tube

aeration aeration and and

grainage grainage holesholes

water- water- fertilizer fertilizer reservoirreservoir

mulchmulch

voidvoid capillary capillary actionaction

Where Does the Where Does the Water Come Water Come

From?From?

Hose BibHose Bib

Box Box HydrantHydrant

Water Management: When and How to Apply

Water

CONSIDERATIONS:CONSIDERATIONS:

* Plant type.* Plant type.* Plant size.* Plant size.* Container volume.* Container volume.* Soil moisture.* Soil moisture.* Indoor environment.* Indoor environment.

lecture # 11 water quality - irrigation practices

Documents

hard water water

water source slide

water absorption

water drains

water uptake

water stress

transpirational water

root slide