In Florida, watermelon is an important crop that accounts for a significant part of the state’s agricultural water use. Depending on the type of production system and climate, the water use of this crop can vary. In Florida, watermelon is predominantly grown on raised plastic-mulched beds. To develop improved water management and allocation plans, accurate water use estimates for watermelon are needed. Seepage irrigation under plastic mulch is a common production system used to produce watermelon in south and northeast Florida where the water table is shallow. Plastic mulch alters the rainfall entry and soil temperature of the raised beds and can significantly affect evapotranspiration. As there is no information on seepage-irrigated watermelon grown on plastic mulch for subtropical Florida, this 4-page fact sheet summarizes the results from a crop water use study for the seepage-irrigated watermelon in south Florida. Written by Sanjay Shukla and Niroj K. Shrestha, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, August 2014.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae510
Tag: Sanjay Shukla
Water Use for Seepage-Irrigated Pepper with Plastic Mulch in Florida
Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) is an important crop for Florida and accounts for a significant fraction of its agricultural water use. Most of it is produced in south Florida, where the water table is shallow. Seepage irrigation is one of the most common systems used in south Florida for growing plastic-mulched vegetable crops, including bell pepper. Compared with an open field production, covering the soil with impermeable plastic reduces soil evaporation and increases transpiration. This 3-page fact sheet summarizes the results from a crop water use study for the seepage-irrigated pepper in south Florida.
Written by Sanjay Shukla, Niroj Shrestha, and Fouad H. Jaber, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, August 2014.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae509
Water Use for Drip-Irrigated Watermelon with Plastic Mulch in Florida
Watermelon is an important crop in Florida and accounts for a significant part of its agricultural water use. Watermelon is grown in open fields and on raised plastic-mulched beds, with the latter being the predominant production system in Florida. Accurate water use estimates for this crop are needed to develop better water allocation and management plans as well as for irrigation management. This publication summarizes the results from a crop water-use study for the drip-irrigated watermelon in south Florida. This 3-page fact sheet was written by Sanjay Shukla, Niroj K. Shrestha, Thomas A. Obreza, and Brian J. Boman, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, August 2014.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae508
Factors Affecting Phosphorus Leaching and Groundwater Concentrations for the Plasticulture Vegetable-Production System
Although Best Management Practices (BMPs) have been developed to reduce the loss of nutrients, like P, to the environment, limited information exists on the main factors that control P loss to Florida groundwater. For example, while it is generally accepted that both irrigation and fertilizer P impact groundwater P, growers often ask if controlling one is more advantageous than the other in their efforts to reduce P leaching. There exists no easy tool to link fertilizer P input and other factors to groundwater P concentration. This 5-page fact sheet uses long-term data (six growing seasons) from a farm in Immokalee, Florida, to explain the effects of soil and agronomic factors, along with seasonal rainfall, on groundwater P. From these factors are derived simple equations to predict groundwater P concentrations. Written by Sanjay Shukla, Gregory S. Hendricks, Thomas A. Obreza, and Willie Harris, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, August 2014.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae507
Using Multi-Sensor Soil Moisture Probes to Decide When and How Long to Run Drip Irrigation
Several methods of irrigation scheduling are used by producers, including the feel method, calendar method, soil water balance method, and soil moisture measurement method. The latter two methods are superior and help avoid too much or too little irrigation, because they consider the water storage within the plant root zone. The soil moisture method commonly involves measuring soil moisture in the root zone and irrigating when the soil moisture falls below 33% or 50% depletion of available water capacity (water in soil that is available to the plant). This 6-page fact sheet was written by Sanjay Shukla and Nathan Holt, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, July 2014.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae505
Interpreting Dye Test Results for Improved Drip Irrigation Management for the Mulched Vegetable-Production Systems in South Florida
With Florida’s water withdrawals expected to increase by 30% from 2000 to 2030, South Florida vegetable producers are conserving water by converting traditional seepage irrigation systems to drip irrigation, which can have up to 90% efficiency when used effectively. Dye tests can provide important information for implementing a proper drip irrigation management program. This 6-page fact sheet was written by Sanjay Shukla, Nathan Holt, and Gregory Hendricks, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, July 2014.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae506
BMP-Recommended Water and Phosphorus Inputs for Tomato and Watermelon Can Reduce Environmental Losses of Phosphorus and Save Water
A BMP study was conducted at the research farm of the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee, FL. The study evaluated two production systems made up of two levels of water and fertilizer inputs for tomato and watermelon production with seepage irrigation. The average water and P fertilizer rates used by growers in south Florida were contrasted with the recommended BMP rates. Applying BMP-recommended water and phosphorus (P) inputs for seepage-irrigated tomato and watermelon in Florida can reduce water use and P leaching to groundwater without adversely impacting fruit yield. However, given the adverse impacts on watermelon yield due to lower than sufficient levels of K, further research is needed to evaluate the fertilizer recommendations for watermelon, especially K2O rates, to ensure economic viability of farms. Our results showed that adoption of BMP-recommended P rates as a BMP did not reduce crop yield and improved water quality. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Sanjay Shukla, Gregory S. Hendricks, Thomas A. Obreza, and Willie G. Harris, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, June 2014.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae504
Water and Nitrogen BMPs for Tomato and Watermelon: Water Quality and Economics
Results of a two-year, four-crop-cycles experiment indicated that the recommended Best Management Practice (BMP) water and fertilizer nitrogen (N) rates for seepage-irrigated tomato in south Florida can reduce water use and N leaching to groundwater without adversely impacting yield. The same is true for watermelon for average rainfall conditions. This 5-page fact sheet was written by Sanjay Shukla, Gregory S. Hendricks, Fritz M. Roka, and Thomas A. Obreza, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, May 2014.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae503
How to Determine Run Time and Irrigation Cycles for Drip Irrigation: Tomato and Pepper Examples
Even though drip irrigation is more efficient than the other irrigation methods, proper system management is crucial if that increased efficiency is going to result in water savings and a viable crop. One important aspect of drip irrigation management for crop success is irrigation scheduling, which includes determining both how much and when to irrigate. The grower can use several different methods to help develop a suitable irrigation schedule. Proper scheduling needs to be implemented to take full advantage of the increased drip irrigation efficiency. Two examples are presented in this 5-page fact sheet for tomatoes and peppers, which are two important vegetable crops in Florida, to demonstrate the use of reference evapotranspiration and crop coefficients in developing a drip irrigation schedule. Written by Sanjay Shukla, James M. Knowles, and Niroj K. Shrestha, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, April 2014.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae500
Cattle Fencing BMP Can Reduce Phosphorus Loads from Florida Ranches
BMPs are an important tool in helping the state and individual landowners protect and enhance state’s waters. Given the water quality issues facing Lake Okeechobee and other sensitive water bodies, the importance of BMP implementation has increased since their official establishment as part of the FWRA. In order to ensure that BMPs are reducing nutrient loadings, on-farm research is needed to verify BMP effectiveness. A four-year study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the cow/calf stream fencing BMP. The study concluded that the BMP did reduce the amount of P being discharged from the ranch. This BMP should continue to be included in the cow/calf BMP manual, and, hopefully, its widespread implementation will help the state in meeting its TMDLs. This 3-page fact sheet was written by Sanjay Shukla, Wendy D. Graham, Alan Hodges, and James M. Knowles, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, May 2014.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae501
A Guide to EPA’s Numeric Nutrient Water Quality Criteria for Florida (SL316/SS528)
This revised 10-page guide provides a basic, concise, and understandable description of the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) numeric nutrient criteria for Florida, the background events that led to its release, some pertinent scientific issues, and implications for the future. Written by Thomas Obreza, Mark Clark, Brian Boman, Tatiana Borisova, Matt Cohen, Michael Dukes, Tom Frazer, Ed Hanlon, Karl Havens, Chris Martinez, Kati Migliaccio, Sanjay Shukla, and Alan Wright, and published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Science, March 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss528
Citrus BMP Implementation in Florida’s Gulf Citrus Production Area: Pesticides (AE473)
A survey was conducted in cooperation with Gulf Citrus Growers Association (GCGA) and FDACS to quantify the current level of BMP implementation and to identify the BMPs that might be adopted with the help of cost-share programs. This 10-page fact sheet describes the survey and discusses the results for pesticide-related BMPs. Written by S. Shukla, R.E. Rouse, S.S. Shukla, E.A. Hanlon, K. Portier, and T.A. Obreza and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, August 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae473
Citrus BMP Implementation in Florida’s Gulf Citrus Production Area: Nutrients (AE474)
In 2005 we conducted a survey in cooperation with Gulf Citrus Growers Association and FDACS to quantify the current level of Best Management Practices (BMP) implementation and to identify BMPs that might be adopted if a cost-share program was available. This publication describes the survey and discusses the findings regarding nutrient BMPs. This 11-page fact sheet was written by S. Shukla, R.E. Rouse, S.S. Shukla, E.A. Hanlon, K. Portier, and T.A. Obreza, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, August 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae474
SL316/SS528 A Guide to EPA’s Proposed Numeric Nutrient Water Quality Criteria for Florida
SL316, a 9-page illustrated guide by Thomas Obreza, Mark Clark, Brian Boman, Tatiana Borisova, Matt Cohen, Michael Dukes, Tom Frazer, Ed Hanlon, Karl Havens, Chris Martinez, Kati Migliaccio, Sanjay Shukla, and Alan Wright, provides a basic, concise, and understandable description of the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed numeric nutrient criteria for Florida, the background events that led to its release, some pertinent scientific issues, and implications for the future. Published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Science, February 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss528
HS1156 Review of Nutrient Management Systems for Florida Vegetable Producers
HS1156, a 17-page white paper from the UF/IFAS Vegetable Fertilizer Task Force, identifies differences between actual fertilization practices and UF/IFAS fertilizer recommendations, especially for vegetables grown with subsurface (Central and South Florida) and overhead (Miami-Dade County) irrigation. The recommendations of the VFTF aim at bridging the gaps between science-based results and the diversity in production systems found in the Florida vegetable industry. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, April 2009.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/HS1156