Surface fertigation: a review, gaps and needs

Abstract

Surface fertigation is a common choice when it comes to applying fertilizers in surface irrigated crops. The inherent complexity of the concepts and equations governing surface fertigation has made this technique a challenging research issue in the past decades. A number of researchers have used field experiments and/or modelling results to develop recommendations aiming at improving surface fertigation management. In this paper, these recommendations are reviewed and classified considering the particular type of surface irrigation system. Key factors affecting surface fertigation performance, such as the inflow hydrograph, soil and water quality, effective root depth for fertilizer uptake and the specific surface irrigation method are discussed. The history of surface fertigation modelling is reviewed, introducing key developments, accomplishments and open issues. Finally, current research gaps and needs are identified and discussed, such as the coupling of two-dimensional surface and subsurface simulation models or the use of performance optimization approaches. Research gaps require an intensification of modelling and/or experimental efforts.Additional key words: fertilizers; inflow hydrograph; modelling; soil and water quality; effective root depth.

A coupled model for simulating water flow and solute transport in furrow irrigation

“…Furrow irrigation has been widely adopted for wide-spaced crops such as corn, cotton, and sunflower all over the world because of its low investment and low energy requirements (Chen and Feng, 2013). The application of fertilizers with irrigation water is a common practice in furrow irrigation (Ebrahimian et al, 2014). To evaluate the efficiency of fertilizer applications, a knowledge of the distribution of the fertilizer in the soil along the furrow is required.…”

“…Also, it is quite difficult to obtain general conclusions from field experiments due to the variability of soil properties, soil infiltration rates, field gradients, soil roughness, etc. (Ebrahimian et al, 2014). Mathematical models can provide an alternative approach to overcome these limitations.…”

A hybrid finite volume-finite element model for the numerical analysis of furrow irrigation and fertigation

“…While accurately simulating water flow, neither of the models discussed above considered solute transport in surface and subsurface domains, thus restricting their applicability to irrigation. Hence, further development of similar approaches that would include a detailed description of solute transport in the root zone is desirable for both scientists and practitioners (Ebrahimian et al, 2014).…”

The effect of different fertigation strategies and furrow surface treatments on plant water and nitrogen use

“…Fertigation is most commonly used with drip and sprinkler systems (e.g., Cote et al 2003;Hanson et al 2006), while its use with surface irrigation methods is much less common (Sabillón and Merkley 2004;Soroush et al 2012;Ebrahimian et al 2014). Since furrow irrigation is the most frequently used irrigation method internationally, furrow fertigation has great potential to become a cost-effective method of applying fertilizers to agricultural fields (Soroush et al 2012).…”