FERTIGATION

In the late 1970s, the concept of ‘fertigation’ materialised to serve the agriculture sector. Fertigation (a combination of the words fertiliser and irrigation) is an effective method of applying fertilisers and other chemicals to crops through the existing irrigation system.

The need for fertigation was derived from the fact that traditional methods of fertilisation were proving to be only partially effective and therefore left much to be desired. For example, at the time the fertiliser is distributed, it may be too concentrated for the delicate root system of saplings, causing irreparable damage.

On the other hand, the applied fertiliser might be too weak, and is thus rendered useless. Most important however, is the fact that spread or sprayed fertiliser remains near the surface, hardly reaching the root tips and root hairs — the points of greatest absorption.

In the process of fertigation, fertiliser is applied directly with the irrigation water. Therefore, wherever the water goes, the fertiliser goes with it. Fertiliser is applied only where needed, and in the proper quantities and concentrations.

ADVANTAGES OF FERTIGATION

• Saves on labour and machinery

• Efficient use of costly chemicals and fertilisers to be applied

• The extra activities involved in the separate application of fertiliser are no longer necessary; neither are there opportunity costs to be considered since there is no need for equipment to be dedicated to fertiliser distribution

• Prevention of soil and crop damage that is often caused by heavy equipment used in fertiliser and chemical application

• Allows the landscape to absorb up to 90 per cent of the applied nutrients, while granular or dry fertiliser applications typically result in absorption rates of 10 to 40 per cent

• Daily feeding in small, scientifically consistent doses leads to healthier, more beautiful growth

• Your irrigation system does the work, not you

• Overfeeding is eliminated

• Underfeeding is eliminated

• Waste is eliminated

• Fertilisation is continuous, not intermittent

• There is no run-off, due to the small amount of fertiliser applied in each drip system cycle

• Dry applications rely on subsequent watering to dissolve the granules, here the fertiliser is mixed with irrigation water

• With precise application, the overall amount of chemicals applied is reduced versus dry application.

It can be concluded, therefore, that fertigation is the most effective and the least expensive way of providing nutrients to crops, both in the open field and in protected growing environments.