Seepage vs. Center Pivot for Potato Production in SW Florida · Seepage vs. Center Pivot for Potato...
Transcript of Seepage vs. Center Pivot for Potato Production in SW Florida · Seepage vs. Center Pivot for Potato...
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Seepage Pivot Rainfall
Seepage vs. Center Pivot for Potato Production in SW Florida Yuqi Cui, Guodong Liu, Lincoln Zotarelli, Crystal A. Snodgrass, and Alan Jones
UF-IFAS, Gainesville, FL 32611, Manatee County Extension, IFAS, Palmetto, FL 34221, and Jones Potato Farm, Parrish, FL 34219
INTRODUCTION RESULTS Potato Yields
MATERIALS & METHODS Water Usage
Seepage is the predominant irrigation for potato production in
Florida, but poses problems such as 1) water conservation
and 2) water quality.
Overhead irrigation is significantly greater in water-use
efficiency as compared to seepage irrigation.
Objective: to quantify the water savings of converting seepage
to center pivot for potato production in SW Florida.
Farm Irrigation Variety Acreage (ha)
Planting Date
Harvest Date
Farm 1 Seepage Red LaSoda 4 10/12/14 1/23/15
Central Pivot Red LaSoda 69 10/12/14 1/23/15
Farm 2 Seepage Red LaSoda 10 10/19/14 1/23/15
Central Pivot Red LaSoda 57 10/12/14 1/23/15
Farm 3 Seepage Red LaSoda 3 12/5/14 3/23/15
Central Pivot Red LaSoda 83 12/5/14 3/23/15
Farm 4 Seepage Accumulator 49 12/18/14 3/23/15
Central Pivot Accumulator 121 12/18/14 3/23/15
2014-2015 Growing Season
NO3-N Level in Soil at Harvest
Leaf greenness
Field Measurements
33%
18%
49% 27%
18% 55%
18%
25% 57%
1%
66% 33%
Moisture
This research was financially supported by Southwest Florida Water Management District (13C00000017). We thank Mr. David Fleming and Mr. Jesse Cavillo for helping with the research.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Center pivot irrigation system can save more than 50% of irrigation water as compared with seepage irrigation. A more suitable fertilization program may be required. (e.g., fertigation)
CONCLUSIONS Leaf water potential
Rain gauge
Center pivot
Leaf greenness Soil moisture
Flow meter
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Leaf
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PAD
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P<0.01 P<0.01 P<0.05 P>0.47
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Soil
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P<0.01
P>0.48
P>0.71 P>0.73
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P<0.01 P>0.39 P>0.10 P>0.83
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1/28 2/7 2/17 2/27 3/9 3/19
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Farm 4 - Seepage
4'' Depth 8'' Depth 12'' Depth 20'' Depth 28'' Depth
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1/28 2/7 2/17 2/27 3/9 3/19
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Seepage
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