Benefits of Fertigation

1. Only the wetted root volume, where the active roots are concentrated, can receive a precise and uniform application of nutrients thanks to the Fertigation.       

2.    increases the fertilizer's effectiveness and efficiency.           

3.    results in a reduction in the need for fertilizer.         

4.  reduces groundwater contamination from fertilizer leaching while lowering production expenses.                             

5. During the growth season, fertilization enables the planning and delivery of only the necessary quantities of the applied nutrients to the crop.        

6. Drying out crop leaves helps prevent leaf burn and postpone the emergence of plant diseases.                  

7. The minimum application rate of a particular nutrient needed to maintain a constant nutrient concentration in the soil solution is defined.

Solubility of fertilizers

• To fertilize, fertilizer must entirely dissolve in irrigation water.
  Ammonium Nitrate, Potassium Chloride, Potassium Nitrate, Urea, Ammonium Monophosphate, and Potassium Monophosphate are a few highly soluble fertilizers used in Fertigation.

• The temperature affects the solubility of fertilizers as well. 


• While leaner solutions would need to be created in the winter, more density solutions may be made in the summer.

The following are some criteria to consider when choosing the injector equipment needed to control Fertigation in drips:

1.    the amount of fertilizer to be used.

2. the length of applications and the starting and ending times for fertilizers.

• Fertilizer recommendations are generally applied in parts per million (ppm) of N, P, or K or a combination in the final solution applied to the crop.

the explanation

Primarily, farmers administer fertilizer to greenhouse crops using injectors of one type or another. For each unit of irrigation water that flows through an injector, a set amount of concentrated fertilizer solution (stock solution) is "injected". The injector ratio, the volumetric ratio of the stock solution to the dilute fertilizer solution, is an essential characteristic of any fertilizer injector.

 The injector ratio is the volumetric ratio of a stock solution to a diluted fertilizer solution.

Pressure differential injectors (by-pass tanks) are popular. Determination of specific fertilizer quantity for needed PPM at the root zone Vacuum injection (Ventura) - viral Pump injection - highly exact.

The first step in any fertilization program is to conduct a soil and water study to ascertain the EC, pH, and potential mineral concentrations in the water and soil.

The next stage is to ascertain the nutritional requirements for your crop. You can draw on your personal experience or advice from the books. It is advised to convert values to ppm (1ppm = 1 mg/l) if nutritional needs are given in measurements other than ppm or mg/l.

Subtract the results of each mandatory nutrient test for soil water from the crop's nutritional needs.
For instance, if the source water has 40 ppm of magnesium and the required
amount is 60 ppm, each liter of water must have an additional 20 ppm of magnesium.

 Selection of Fertilizer

The farmer must examine all of the fertilizers that are on hand or at the neighboring shop. Then, choose those with all the nutrients that need to be added. Start with the fertilizer with a particular nutrient that none others have. Start the computation with calcium nitrate, for instance, if it is your only calcium source.

 What do the numbers on the bag represent?

Check the fertilizer numbers you have. N P K. would put 20-20-20, 20-10-10, 52-34-0, and 0-0-62 on the fertilizer bag. The first, second, and third values represent the proportions of elemental nitrogen, phosphorus in the form of an oxide (P₂O₅), and potassium in the form of an oxide (K₂O).

 Calculate the Amounts of Fertilizer.

You may use the formula to determine how much fertilizer to add to your stock solutions. Any injector ratio, the desired concentration of diluted fertilizer solution, and standard measurement units may be utilized with this formula.              

                               Necessary desired of N or P or K) X dilution factor
fertilizer dosage = -------------------------------------------------------                

                                    (% N or P or K) X K

 Knowing that:

  1. If the injector-to-dilution factor is 1:100, the dilution-to-injector factor is 100.

 2. K varies with the units used during conversion.

 3. If units are ounces per gallon, K = 75.

4. If quantities are pounds per gallon, K = 1200, and if they are grams per liter, K = 10, for example.

1. Given

150 ppm is the desired concentration.

1:200 injector ratio; 200 dilution factors

Analysis of fertilizers:
20-20-20 (20-percent nitrogen)

Making 1 gallon of stock solution from ounces of fertilizer requires X. (unknown) Ounces per gallon is the unit. As the conversion factor K, use 75. 2. Make the calculation:

2. Perform calculation:

X = (150 ppm nitrogen multiplied by 200) / (20% nitrogen multiplied by 75) = 30,000 / 1500 = 20 oz per gal.

3. Response

Fill a 1-gallon stock solution bucket with 20 oz. of 20-20-20. Until his crop is harvested, the farmer may use as many gallons of stock solutions as possible to feed via his injector in the drip line. He will always have 150 PPM of N in him.