A Comparison of Irrigation-Water Containment Methods and Management Strategies Between Two Ornamental Production Systems to Minimize Water Security Threats

Abstract

Water security in ornamental plant production systems is vital for maintaining profitability. Expensive, complicated, or potentially dangerous treatment systems, together with skilled labor, is often necessary to ensure water quality and plant health. Two contrasting commercial ornamental crop production systems in a mesic region are compared, providing insight into the various strategies employed using irrigation-water containment and treatment systems. The first is a greenhouse/outdoor container operation which grows annual ornamental plants throughout the year using irrigation booms, drip emitters, and/or ebb and flow systems depending on the crop, container size, and/or stage of growth. The operation contains and recycles 50–75% of applied water through a system of underground cisterns, using a recycling reservoir and a newly constructed 0.25 ha slow-sand filtration (SSF) unit. Groundwater provides additional water when needed. Water quantity is not a problem in this operation, but disease and water quality issues, including agrochemicals, are of potential concern. The second is a perennial-plant nursery which propagates cuttings and produces field-grown trees and containerized plants. It has a series of containment/recycling reservoirs that capture rainwater and irrigation return water, together with wells of limited output. Water quantity is a more important issue for this nursery, but poor water quality has had some negative economic effects. Irrigation return water is filtered and sanitized with chlorine gas before being applied to plants via overhead and micro-irrigation systems. The agrochemical paclobutrazol was monitored for one year in the first operation and plant pathogens were qualified and quantified over two seasons for both production systems. The two operations employ very different water treatment systems based on their access to water, growing methods, land topography, and capital investment. Each operation has experienced different water quantity and quality vulnerabilities, and has addressed these threats using a variety of technologies and management techniques to reduce their impacts.

Drought Stress Impacts on Plants and Different Approaches to Alleviate Its Adverse Effects

“…Water scarcity outbreaks are due to the occurrence of less or the absence of rainfall resulting in low soil moisture content and low water potential in aerial parts of the plant such as leaves and stems [ 52 ]. When this occurs, the rate of loss of water through transpiration from leaves surpasses the water uptake rate through roots in dry environments [ 53 ].…”

Dose-response relationship of Ralstonia solanacearum and potato in greenhouse and in vitro experiments

“…Additionally, more efficient irrigation systems like drip irrigation can be installed to reduce water use (Shock et al, 2002). Although these water management strategies help to overcome water shortages, (plant) pathogenic micro-organisms and other (agro-)pollutants may accumulate in water recycling systems (Ristvey et al, 2019). Therefore, treated water needs to meet quality requirements for irrigation water.…”

Especies de Phytophthora asociadas a agua de irrigación en el Valle de Culiacán

“…Las zoosporas son el propágulo infectivo diseminado por agua libre, por ello, es posible recuperarlas con regularidad de aguas superficiales (Hon, 2018). Algunos ejemplos de especies aisladas de agua con frecuencia son: P. cactorum, P. parasitica, P. citrícola, P. gonapodyides, P. cambivora, P. hydropathica y P. drechsleri, entre otras (Loyd, 2014;Redekar y Park, 2018;Ristvey et al, 2019). En México, existen alrededor de 17 especies pertenecientes al género Phytophthora reportadas como parásitos de plantas de importancia agrícola, las más comunes son: P. capsici, P. infestans y P. cinnamomi; sin embargo, es escasa la información sobre la atribución del agua superficial como fuente de inóculo y dispersión de organismos del género Phytophthora.…”